Its sunny disposition and melodic abundance has made Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet among his most popular chamber works. It’s had many fine recordings, and here’s another. The suave ensemble plays well and is extremely well recorded, but one shortcoming–politeness–keeps it from breaking into the winner’s circle. Politeness is something to be admired in a society sadly lacking in civility, but while the group’s laid-back quality on this disc may appeal to many listeners, I find it more relaxed than necessary. In the Trout Quintet a bit more edge is needed to spice up this lyric piece, a touch more thrust in the final movement, less of a wallow in the Andante’s middle section.
But such emphasis on lyricism is hardly fatal in this work, especially when there’s so much else to admire. Paul Lewis’ fluent pianism is a distinct plus; his rounded tone and precise articulation reflect his solid Schubertian credentials. Other pluses include the warmth and poetry of the interpretation, the tonal beauty of the strings, and the detailed characterization of each of the variations of the “Trout” theme, a byproduct of the ensemble’s more relaxed tempo–and the transparent recording quality will be an additional attraction for some listeners.
Among recent “Trout” recordings, Braley on Virgin and Zacharias on MDG supply the missing energy; but a more apt comparison is with the Grumiaux Trio on Philips, which duplicates the contents of this release and has what it lacks–more imaginatively inflected phrasing, flowing tempos, and pointed rhythms. The same can be said of the Grumiaux Trio’s coupling of the pair of Schubert’s early string trios, the Haydnesque second of which is a substantial 20-minute piece whose Rondo, rustic-flavored in the hands of the Grumiaux, becomes a more polite courtly dance in the Leopold Trio’s version. For all my carping though, this CD’s virtues easily balance its flaws, and those who prefer a sunlit stroll by this trout’s brook will prefer it to more vigorous rivals.
