Mendelssohn Piano Trio, Understated Beethoven

Charles T. Downey, Mendelssohn Piano Trio studies Beethoven
Washington Post, May 13, 2014

Beethoven, Piano Trios, opp. 70/2, 97, I. Faust, J.-G. Queyras, A. Melnikov (Harmonia Mundi, 2014)

The Mendelssohn Piano Trio plans to perform all of Beethoven’s piano trios during the next three years, a journey that began Sunday afternoon at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Steinway Series. Each of these concerts promised to include a work from the composer’s early, middle and late periods. This could offer insight into Beethoven’s lifelong interest in the piano trio, but although the group’s performance was competent, this was a curiously somnolent concert.

Much of this seemed to come down to the reticent playing style of cellist Fiona Thompson, who was often so self-effacing that she could barely be heard. This was less of a problem in the earlier pieces, where the cello part is often doubled by the pianist’s left hand... [Continue reading]

Mendelssohn Piano Trio
Music of Beethoven
Steinway Series
Smithsonian American Art Museum