I like the programme
of this ABC double. It makes inter-connections
between composers and charts an enlightened
path through the chosen repertoire that
is not so common a one that we should
pass it by. The Australian Trio are
particularly convincing exponents of
Hummel whose First and Fourth Trios
they essay. Both are in three movements
and owe much to Mozart but both strike
individual sparks as Hummel does so
often and so attractively and impressively.
The elegant gentility of the opening
movement of the Op. 65 is conveyed with
commensurate elevation by the Australians
who prove masters of the deft felicities
of the Andante grazioso. They don’t
make too much of the more emotive moments
and apply discreet vibrato to the more
expressive contours and corners of the
music. The finale is deft and fanciful.
The Op. 12 Trio shares many of the characteristics
of the later work. The elegant Mozartian
opening movement has fine moments for
the cello and violin, both taken with
aplomb. Could the trio have taken it
at just a more agitato tempo, as marked?
The Australian Trio captures the elegance
and stylishness of these works with
care and discretion.
The Saint-Saëns
trio is bold and ebullient with strongly
idiomatic writing (of course. from this
well-known pianist) for the piano. It’s
lyrical and clearly designed and full
of wit and humour. They take the Andante
at a good flowing tempo, with amusing
rhythmic catches; they maintain an attractive
ensemble and manage to bring out the
veiled tristesse as well, which they
do with imaginative discretion. They
deadpan the rhythmic vivacity of the
Scherzo and I particularly liked the
way Michael Brimer explores the rippling
piano figuration at the start of the
finale. The Australian Trio certainly
doesn’t go in for outsize gestures and
obvious point making – thankfully –
because it allows them to point the
frolicsome wit at the end of the trio
all the more convincingly. The first
disc concludes with the Smetana, his
tragic G minor. They play it with suitable
drama but one that’s not over scaled.
The elegy is presented with explicit
understanding but the passagework is
clean whilst they are characterfully
inflective in the second movement. I
enjoyed the grim exchanges by the strings
in the finale and the intoning piano
lines. It’s an attractive performance
all round.
The early Debussy Trio
plays into this trio’s hands because
they are very good at characterful whimsy
(Scherzo-Intermezzo) as indeed they
are at style (Andantino). I like their
vitality in the finale. Neither Donald
Hazelwood, the violinist nor cellist
Catherine Hewgill has a particularly
big tone (which matters more in the
Smetana than the Debussy) but they deploy
them artfully. Arensky’s Trio is also
a lament and it’s full of energy and
lyricism. One can note Hazelwood’s impressive
intimacy of tonal expression at such
moments in the opening movement and
the way they collectively sustain the
good and flexible tempo in the Elegia
third movement.
The notes are thoughtful
and full of good things and sound quality,
as is usually the case from this source,
is attractive and warm. The Australian
Trio will win friends with this handy
double.
Jonathan Woolf
The Australian Trio 