Raphael Trio @ Phillips

Charles T. Downey, The Raphael Trio at the Phillips Collection
Washington Post, January 14, 2014

Brahms, Piano Trios, vol. 2, Vienna Piano Trio (1994)

The Raphael Trio is approaching the 40th anniversary of its founding and, perhaps surprisingly, is still at it. As it has done regularly for many years now, the ensemble appeared on the concert series of the Phillips Collection on Sunday afternoon. The performance was slightly rough and uninspired, and sometimes worse than that.

Two of the piano trios of Brahms brought out the least subtle inclinations of the musicians in terms of balance. Pianist Daniel Epstein hammered away far too often, driving violinist Andy Simionescu to attempt to fight back in terms of sound, with strident results, while cellist Susan Salm was mostly lost in the mix. [Continue reading]

Raphael Trio
Music of Brahms, Merryman
Phillips Collection