How do you like your Shostakovich?

 

In general, I prefer modern music to sound modern, not smoothed over nor Romanticized.

And that is the selling point of this recording; its modern stance on a very familiar program of Shostakovich.

Odd too, since I tend towards liking Romantic tendencies in music, where modernism is hit and miss. Perhaps that is why the Piano Trio no. 1 is my preference of the two. The work is also rather brief in its one-movement format, reminding me of Rachmaninov's Trio Élégiaque, another Romantic piano trio.

Piano Trio no. 2 and the Seven Romances on Poems by Alexander Blok are more typically Shostakovich in comparison. Spare, yet complex settings, with the addition of German soprano Gun-Brit Barkmin in the Romances.

As mentioned before, the Zurich Piano Trio approach this music with a modern edge, much to my preferences in music such as this, yet they are also rather pacy, taking these trios at a broad tempo. It still stands as a very fine recording, and I set it in equal measure with the Florestan Trio on Hyperion

A review from 2024

Shostakovich’s two Piano Trios are really quite beautiful creatures.

I love how the first, with its long, gorgeous Romantic melody, gets carried away faster and faster into the composer’s more familiar musical world and abruptly stops, only to return to the lovely melody, and then get wound up once again.

The second is more complex, but I never found its music overly difficult. If anything, Shostakovich’s little motivic cells are amplified into easier listening. The musical moods are wider ranging and more confidently developed, and I must say I am rather enthusiastic over both works.

As with many recordings of the piano trios, this includes the Seven Blok Romances for soprano and piano trio. This is sparer music, where Shostakovich’s musical structures are so interesting. He has the piano trio appear as separate soloists with the soprano at a first, then they duet with her, and finally they all appear together. There are some truly haunting textures and moods created, and Shostakovich’s choice of texts are always interesting.

I find myself often wanting to return to the piano trios and this recording in particular. The Zurich Piano Trio is muscular and sharp with Shostakovich, yet sometimes they take his music at a rather broad pace. This compares to the fleeter, smoother-sounding Florestan Trio on Hyperion, although that too is a fine recording.

The Zurich Trio on Claves is an excellent choice, who showcase the unbuffed edges of Shostakovich’s Piano Trios, even if they are overshadowed by starrier labels and well-known ensembles.

 

Listen on YouTube

 

 

Works
Piano Trio 1 (13.44)
Piano Trio 2 (28.35)
Seven Blok Romances (24.45)

Performers
Zurich Piano Trio
    Gabriel Adorhán, violin
    Joël Marosi, cello
    Christiane Frucht, piano
Gun-Brit Barkmin, soprano

Label: Claves
Year: 2006
Total Timing: 67.15

 

 

 

Shostakovich's Piano Trios are wonderful works, ones I enjoy greatly.

This program is far from new on record, but the Zurich Piano Trio's approach to Shostakovich, amidst fine Claves sonics, gooses this recording up to an excellent one.