This second of two Haydn Trio discs featuring pianist András Schiff, violinist Yuuko Shiokawa, and the late, great cellist Boris Pergamenschikow upholds the first volume’s exemplary standards. By not pushing the famous C major trio’s Presto into breakneck territory, the musicians make the most of Haydn’s witty ensemble interplay and clever turns of harmony. Conversely, an air of classical reserve permeates their unusually brisk Andante. This observation also applies to the E-flat minor trio’s long opening movement, while the subsequent “Jacob’s Dream” movement in E-flat major stands out for Shiokawa’s supple and effortless tossing off of Haydn’s difficult, high-lying runs.
The A-flat and E-flat trios count among Haydn’s most inventive, and the performances abound with eloquent, stylish phrasing and subtle adjustments in balance between the pianist’s left hand and the cellist’s lines. Other salient qualities that distinguish this trio’s first Haydn disc apply here too: the discreet and purposeful string vibrato, the timbral variety, and the Bösendorfer grand piano’s diverse tonal characteristics from register to register, not unlike a classical-era fortepiano. The selfish collector in me regrets that these three musicians did not go on to complete the Haydn Trio cycle. But at least we have this release and Volume 1 available again, and all Haydn lovers should add these modestly priced discs to their collection. [3/28/2005]
