[.ca] Pno Trios/Cello Sons/Vln Sons

From Amazon.com:
In the main, the youthful Beethoven chamber music collaborations between Daniel Barenboim, Pinchas Zuckerman, and the late Jacqueline du Pré are characterized by broad, liberally fluctuating tempos, ripeness of tone, and a tendency to place expression ahead of stylistic considerations. Zuckerman's sweet vibrato, for instance, seems misplaced in Beethoven's terse, combative syntax (the earlier trios and violin sonatas, for example). Likewise, du Pré's throbbing solo lines impose a late-Romantic patina on the music that some listeners will find more appropriate to Arensky or Glazunov. More often than not, Daniel Barenboim's piano provides the decisive voice, by way of setting tempos and effecting transitions. While the leaner, more economically expressive Abegg Trio (Tacet) and Vienna Piano Trio (Nimbus) Beethoven Trio offerings better reflect the composer's headlong brio and nervous energy, the Barenboim-Zuckerman-Du Pré team oozes sheer musicality and involvement in every bar. For this reason, one might well prefer Zuckerman and Barenboim's overwrought rapport in the Violin Sonatas to the violinist's tighter RCA remakes with Marc Neikrug at the piano. Du Pré's tragic illness prevented her and Barenboim from tackling the Cello Sonatas in the studio. Happily, their exciting, communicative live 1970 Edinburgh Festival traversals (plus the variation sets) were broadcast by the BBC and captured in excellent sound. So was a touchingly indulgent Tchaikovsky Trio preserved from one of Du Pré's final concerts, included as both a bonus and a memento. Tully Potter's excellent booklet notes give equal time to music and artists, and rightly discuss the performances in the context of their time. It's good to have these recordings gathered in a budget-priced, space-saving box. --Jed Distler

With minor reservations, "excellent":
As noted above, this 9 CD set resulted from the youthful collaboration of Barenboim, du Pre (soon to wed Barenboim) and Zukerman. Clearly Barenboim is the driving force. As the info booklet asks: "Would Beethoven have approved of what Barenboim does here? Perhaps not, although he would surely have applauded the young man's courage". Sadly, du Pre's illness (she had MS, forcing her retirement in 1973 and ultimately causing her untimely death) seriously limited the collaboration. Because her illness prevented a studio recording, the cello sonatas are from 1970 live recordings taped by the BBC. The audience noise is distracting, and I simply cannot understand why the coughs and chair scrapings could not have been edited out. Barenboim and co really do drag out the slow movements; sometimes to good effect, and sometimes too much in my view. For example, the third movement of the Archduke Trio goes for 12:07 on the Naxos recording but extends to 16:02 here (but this one is still a better rendition). To fill out the last CD, EMI includes Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio Op 50 (taped from a live performance in Tel Aviv in 1972), which is not in the same league as Beethoven's (but I guess they had to do something with the space). My main complaint is that the thick 3-language info booklet is devoted entirely to the history of the performers and includes not a single word about the music itself! That said, I am still very glad that I bought this set.

• Pno Trio in E flat, Op.1 No.1: I. Allegro
• Pno Trio in E flat, Op.1 No.1: II. Adagio Cantabile
• Pno Trio in E flat, Op.1 No.1: III. Scherzo: Allegro Assai - Trio
• Pno Trio in E flat, Op.1 No.1: IV. Finale: Presto
• Pno Trio in G, Op.1 No.2: I. Adagio - Allegro Vivace
• Pno Trio in G, Op.1 No.2: II. Largo Con Espressione
• Pno Trio in G, Op.1 No.2: III. Scherzo: Allegro - Trio
• Pno Trio in G, Op.1 No.2: IV. Finale: Presto
• Vars On Dittersdorf's 'Ja, Ich Muss Mich Von Ihr Scheiden' in E flat, Op.44
• Pno Trio in c, Op.1 No.3: I. Allegro Con Brio
• Pno Trio in c, Op.1 No.3: II. Andante Con Brio
• Pno Trio in c, Op.1 No.3: III. Menuetto: Quasi Allegro - Trio
• Pno Trio in c, Op.1 No.3: IV. Finale: Prestissimo
• Pno Trio in B flat, Op.97 'Archduke': I. Allegro Moderato
• Pno Trio in B flat, Op.97 'Archduke': II. Scherzo: Allegro - Trio
• Pno Trio in B flat, Op.97 'Archduke': III. Andante Cantabile Ma Pero Con Moto - Poco Piu Adagio...
• Pno Trio in B flat, Op.97 'Archduke': IV. Allegro Moderato - Presto
• Allegretto in B flat, WoO 39
• Allegretto in E flat, Hess 48
• Pno Trio in D, Op.70 No.1 'Ghost': I. Allegro Vivace Con Brio
• Pno Trio in D, Op.70 No.1 'Ghost': II. Largo Assai Ed Espressivo
• Pno Trio in D, Op.70 No.1 'Ghost': III. Presto
• Pno Trio in E flat, Op.70 No.2: I. Poco Sostenuto - Allegro, Ma Non Troppo - Tempo I - Tempo II
• Pno Trio in E flat, Op.70 No.2: II. Allegretto
• Pno Trio in E flat, Op.70 No.2: III. Allegretto, Ma Non Troppo
• Pno Trio in E flat, Op.70 No.2: IV. Finale: Allegro
• Vars On Muller's 'Ich Bin Der Schneider Kakadu' in G, Op.121a: Intro: Adagio Assai - Tema: ...
• Vc Son No.1 in F, Op.5 No.1: I. Adagio Sostenuto -
• Vc Son No.1 in F, Op.5 No.1: Allegro - Adagio - Presto - Tempo I. (Allegro)
• Vc Son No.1 in F, Op.5 No.1: II. Allegro Vivace
• Vc Son No.2 in g, Op.5 No.2: I. Adagio Sostenuto Ed Espressivo -
• Vc Son No.2 in g, Op.5 No.2: Allegro Molto Piu Tosto Presto
• Vc Son No.2 in g, Op.5 No.2: II. Rondo: Allegro
• Vc Son No.3 in A, Op.69: I. Allegro, Ma Non Tanto
• Vc Son No.3 in A, Op.69: II. Scherzo: Allegro Molto
• Vc Son No.3 in A, Op.69: III. Adagio Cantabile - Allegro Vivace
• Vc Son No.4 in C, Op.102 No.1: I. Andante - Allegro Vivace
• Vc Son No.4 in C, Op.102 No.1: II. Adagio - Tempo D'andante - Allegro Vivace
• Vc Son No.5 in D, Op.102 No.2: I. Allegro Con Brio
• Vc Son No.5 in D, Op.102 No.2: II. Adagio Con Molto Sentimento D'affetto -
• Vc Son No.5 in D, Op.102 No.2: III. Allegro - Allegro Fugato
• Vars On Handel's 'See The Conqu'ring Hero Comes' in G, WoO 45
• Vars On Mozart's 'Bei Mannern, Welche Liebe Fuhlen in E flat, WoO 46
• Vars On Mozart's 'Ein Madchen Oder Weibchen' in F, Op.66
• Vn Son No.1 in D, Op.12 No.1: I. Allegro Con Brio
• Vn Son No.1 in D, Op.12 No.1: II. Tema Con Var: Andante Con Moto
• Vn Son No.1 in D, Op.12 No.1: III. Rondo: Allegro
• Vn Son No.2 in A, Op.12 No.2: I. Allegro Vivace
• Vn Son No.2 in A, Op.12 No.2: II. Andante, Piu Tosto Allegretto
• Vn Son No.2 in A, Op.12 No.2: III. Allegro Piacevole
• Vn Son No.3 in E flat, Op.12 No.3: I. Allegro Con Spirito
• Vn Son No.3 in E flat, Op.12 No.3: II. Adagio Con Molt'espressione
• Vn Son No.3 in E flat, Op.12 No.3: III. Rondo: Allegro Molto
• Vn Son No.4 in a, Op.23: I. Presto
• Vn Son No.4 in a, Op.23: II. Andante Scherzoso Piu Allegretto
• Vn Son No.4 in a, Op.23: III. Allegro Molto
• Vn Son No.5 in F, Op.24 ('Spring'): I. Allegro
• Vn Son No.5 in F, Op.24 ('Spring'): II. Andante Scherzoso Piu Allegretto
• Vn Son No.5 in F, Op.24 ('Spring'): III. Allegro Molto
• Vn Son No.5 in F, Op.24 ('Spring'): IV. Rondo: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
• Vn Son No.6 in A, Op.30 No.1: I. Allegro
• Vn Son No.6 in A, Op.30 No.1: II. Adagio Molto Espressivo
• Vn Son No.6 in A, Op.30 No.1: III. Allegretto Con Var
• Vn Son No.7 in c, Op.30 No.2: I. Allegro Con Brio
• Vn Son No.7 in c, Op.30 No.2: II. Adagio Cantabile
• Vn Son No.7 in c, Op.30 No.2: III. Scherzo: Allegro - Trio
• Vn Son No.7 in c, Op.30 No.2: IV. Finale: Allegro
• Vn Son No.8 in G, Op.30 No.3: I. Allegro Assai
• Vn Son No.8 in G, Op.30 No.3: II. Tempo Di Minuetto, Ma Molto Moderato E Grazioso
• Vn Son No.8 in G, Op.30 No.3: III. Allegro Vivace
• Vn Son No.10 in G, Op.96: I. Allegro Moderato
• Vn Son No.10 in G, Op.96: II. Adagio Espressivo -
• Vn Son No.10 in G, Op.96: III. Scherzo: Allegro - Trio
• Vn Son No.10 in G, Op.96: IV. Poco Allegretto - Adagio - Tempo I. - Allegro - Poco Adagio - Presto
• Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 ('Kreutzer'): I. Adagio Sostenuto - Presto
• Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 ('Kreutzer'): II. Andante Con Var
• Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 ('Kreutzer'): III. Finale: Presto
• Pno Trio in a, Op.50: I. Pezzo elegiaco: Moderato Assai - Allegro Giusto - Adagio Con Duole E ...
• Pno Trio in a, Op.50: IIA. Tema Con Var: Andante Con Moto - Piu Mosso - Allegro Moderato - Tempo...