10/10 Reference Recording - This one
"The Abegg Trio is a terrific group, and its recordings for Tacet have been almost uniformly outstanding. This Dvorák CD is no exception. They play with scrupulous attention to detail, excellent balances, gorgeous tone, and most importantly (for the "Dumky" Trio particularly), a welcome lightness of texture and enlivening sense of rhythm. The problem with the "Dumky" is one of differentiation: its six movements can take on a monotonous sameness if the players fail to make the most of the contrasts within each. Fortunately, the ABEGG Trio seems to be aware of this pitfall--while adopting swift tempos overall, the ensemble leaves plenty of margin not only between quick and slow tempos within a movement, but also between them. Thus, the first movement and finale′s Lento maestoso isn′t the same as the second movement′s Poco adagio, or the third movement′s Andante. The Trio in B-flat, Dvorák′s first, is one of his most successful early chamber works, full of good tunes effectively scored for the three players. Once again the ABEGGs turn in performances that are second to none. They′re particularly effective in the second movement′s Adagio molto e mesto (sad), which has a tender poignancy that never becomes maudlin. Sonics are, as always with Tacet, state of the art."
David Hurwitz
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"The Abegg Trio is a terrific group, and its recordings for Tacet have been almost uniformly outstanding. This Dvorák CD is no exception. They play with scrupulous attention to detail, excellent balances, gorgeous tone, and most importantly (for the "Dumky" Trio particularly), a welcome lightness of texture and enlivening sense of rhythm. The problem with the "Dumky" is one of differentiation: its six movements can take on a monotonous sameness if the players fail to make the most of the contrasts within each. Fortunately, the ABEGG Trio seems to be aware of this pitfall--while adopting swift tempos overall, the ensemble leaves plenty of margin not only between quick and slow tempos within a movement, but also between them. Thus, the first movement and finale′s Lento maestoso isn′t the same as the second movement′s Poco adagio, or the third movement′s Andante. The Trio in B-flat, Dvorák′s first, is one of his most successful early chamber works, full of good tunes effectively scored for the three players. Once again the ABEGGs turn in performances that are second to none. They′re particularly effective in the second movement′s Adagio molto e mesto (sad), which has a tender poignancy that never becomes maudlin. Sonics are, as always with Tacet, state of the art."
David Hurwitz
<< back