Beaux Arts Trio & Walter Trampler - Johannes Brahms: Complete Piano Quartets, Op. 25, 26, 60; Piano Trio in A (1996) 2CDs

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Beaux Arts Trio & Walter Trampler - Johannes Brahms: Complete Piano Quartets, Op. 25, 26, 60; Piano Trio in A (1996) 2CDs

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Thoughtful, sensitive playing in slow movements, lively tempi in allegros, characteristic musicianship plus spontaneity combine to make these recordings highly recommendable throughout…

The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs & DVDs [2003/4 edition]

You probably won't find an album of Brahms' complete piano quartets that is finer than this one. There are many alternatives, but I chose the Beaux Arts Trio with Walter Trampler. The Beaux Arts Trio is a group well-respected for their musical excellence, as is amply demonstrated in the performances here. The piano playing is a natural extension of the other moving parts of the quartet. They do an awesome job of interpreting Brahms, almost as well as they did in interpreting Mozart's piano quartets. All said, this purchase demonstrates excellent performances, and I highly recommend this album.

Review by M. Bishop, ArkivMusic.com

After Bach, I think the compositional style of Johannes Brahms must be the most individually recognisable - at least in respect of his mature works; less so in the case of earlier compositions like the string sextets. However, these Piano Quartets are chock-full of typically Brahmsian melody and harmonic invention so that almost from the first bar, we readily are able to establish the composer's identity.

Another reviewer has mentioned the density of Brahms's writing. Nowhere is this more evident than in these works which have absolutely no fat or padding on them; every note has a particular purpose within the structure of the whole. Nevertheless, in most of these quartets, Brahms does hint at the exposition of a subject which might become one of his grand melodic set-pieces but after only a passing nod at development, the idea fizzles out. But before we can sense any disappointment, we are caught up in his next scheme. This is so very characteristic of this great composer.

Given that after the death of his friend Robert Schumann and the failure of his clandestine engagement to Agathe von Siebold, Brahms's emotions must have been at a low ebb so it is perhaps surprising that these quartets, with the notable exception of the C minor, generally are boisterous and optimistic. I particularly like the Andante third movement of the G minor quartet - this conjures visions of a drawing room performance of a broad melodic piece suddenly interrupted by the passing of a military band outside the open window. The platoon and music heads away towards the barracks and the calm of the original material returns. At least that's my fantasy - what Brahms had in mind, I have no idea. It's a curious and seemingly unrelated inclusion made even stranger by being in 3/4 time but it's great fun.

The Beaux Arts Trio, ably augmented by Walter Trampler's viola, play to their customarily high standard with the recordings (from 1973) also being good.

Very highly recommended.

Review by Dermot Elworthy, Amazon.com

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Beaux Arts Trio & Walter Trampler - Johannes Brahms: Complete Piano Quartets, Op. 25, 26, 60; Piano Trio in A (1996) 2CDs

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Beaux Arts Trio & Walter Trampler - Johannes Brahms: Complete Piano Quartets, Op. 25, 26, 60; Piano Trio in A (1996) 2CDs

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Beaux Arts Trio & Walter Trampler - Johannes Brahms: Complete Piano Quartets, Op. 25, 26, 60; Piano Trio in A (1996) 2CDs

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