Schubert: String Quintet; String Trio (2020)

This lovely Schubert chamber recording stands out from the common run of them. Its virtues stem from the pairing: the String Trio in B flat, D. 581, from 1817, is a less common work but an interesting one that works especially well in these surroundings. Although it follows the four-movement structure of the Beethoven Op. 9 string trios, it has a 3/4 slow movement that gives the feel of a second minuet, and, coupled with the dancelike quality of the whole, suggests the older divertimento type of string trio with a suite of ... Read More

This lovely Schubert chamber recording stands out from the common run of them. Its virtues stem from the pairing: the String Trio in B flat, D. 581, from 1817, is a less common work but an interesting one that works especially well in these surroundings. Although it follows the four-movement structure of the Beethoven Op. 9 string trios, it has a 3/4 slow movement that gives the feel of a second minuet, and, coupled with the dancelike quality of the whole, suggests the older divertimento type of string trio with a suite of dances. It's a gentle, lyrical work, and its qualities are brought out nicely by its juxtaposition with the big String Quintet in C major, D. 956, an apotheosis of Vienna. The Aviv Quartet plays up the relationship with readings that emphasize the dance rhythms and avoid the symphonic drama that many groups introduce into the C major quintet. Schubert's use of the extra cello here seems less an attempt to create a more powerful sound than a basis for detailed, lyrical filigree in the... Read Less