These are good times to love the Dvorák piano trios. In addition to the
classic recordings by Czech groups like the Suk Trio and Guarneri Trio
Prague, recent years have brought us a terrific
Dumky from
Jean-Guihen Queyras, Isabelle Faust, and Alexander Melnikov; a new Trio No.
3 from Sitkovetsky & Co. last year; and a truly outstanding coupling of
the two works from the American
Trio Solisti. That last one was very nearly one of my 2013
Recordings of the Year. Now Naxos is wandering into territory that's even
more crowded.
The results are plenty good, though not great. The Tempest Trio represents
violinist Ilya Kaler's happy settling-down into chamber music after decades
of recording solo. He's an experienced, usually golden-toned player, and he
is the best part of the trio, although pianist Alon Goldstein is also a
capable performer, though less strong a personality. There may be
reservations about cellist Amit Peled or maybe there is a problem with the
balance: in some big climaxes of the Brahmsian Trio No. 3, he becomes
inaudible, muffled by the other two musicians.
These players are consistently capable, and their music-making is always
pretty. However, it lacks urgency: that electric energy which charges
through your ears when you're hearing the Trio Solisti or another classic
account. The Third Trio should be taut with drama, as tightly coiled as
Brahms, while the Fourth can do with being relaxed but that's simply not how
I prefer it. It's a good interpretation for what it is, but for me the music
can reveal more, even if it is "just" a suite of folk-style pieces. There's
a fine line between good and great, and no doubt on which side of the line
this album lies.
Brian Reinhart
