BEETHOVEN Piano Trios: No 1 in E♭; No 3 in c • Peabody Tr • ARTEK 38 (64:12)

For those unfamiliar with this fine group (formed in 1989), it should be noted that it is currently the “resident ensemble” at the Peabody Institute. This CD marks its second in what apparently is to be a cycle of these trios, the previous one, which I have not heard, being devoted to the op. 70 pair. In the main, the Peabodys are very much attuned to the spirit of these bold assertive scores that suggest the young lion composer flexing his muscles and asserting himself with a freshness that, for all its individuality, never turns its back on tradition. Outer movements crackle with energy, slow movements are never unduly expansive, and the ensemble, as one would expect, is technically adroit. Refreshing, too is Seth Knopp’s Hamburg Steinway, a less brilliant and brittle instrument than its American counterparts, yet one that, owing to the pianist perhaps, seems a tad closer to the piano of Beethoven’s day. The only trait one might object to consists of a few instances of breath pauses—perfectly appropriate in the hall, to be sure—but possibly wearisome when heard repeatedly. In this regard, the accounts of the Parnassus Trio, often similar to these in many respects, may, in their freedom from such features, have more staying power. Both versions are first-rate. Like the Parnassus, the Peabody observes all exposition repeats. Incidentally this release benefits from one of Manhattan’s better kept secrets, the superb acoustics of the auditorium of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a favorite venue of the widely respected producer Judith Sherman, who oversaw this release.

FANFARE: Mortimer H. Frank