Piano Trios Nos, 1, 2, : Beaux Arts Trio (1978, 1987)

FRANZ SCHUBERT:
Piano Trio in B flat, D898
Piano Trio in E flat, D929

Beaux Arts Trio;
Menahem Pressler, piano
Isidore Cohen, violin
Bernard Greenhouse, cello

SIGNET LIBRARY, EDINBURGH, 21 NOVEMBER 1978 (D929) & 13 DECEMBER 1987 (D898)

The filming of the B flat Trio was one of the Beaux Arts Trio’s last activities with Bernard Greenhouse who retired shortly afterwards. Both performances here are deeply expressive, with unexpected shadows in the sunny B flat Trio, revealing hidden depths to Schubert’s work.
The Trio has won many distinguished awards for its recordings, including the Prix Mondial du Disque, three Grand Prix du Disque, the Union de la Presse Musicale Belge Caecilia Award, the Gramophone Record of the Year, and the Stereo

Review Record of the Year Award.
“I haven’t heard such playing since Cortot, Thibaud and Casals” . the distinguished French conductor, Charles Munch, on the original Trio following their first concert. Both concerts are beautifully filmed in Edinburgh’s elegant Signet Library

Reviews of the Trio’s audio recordings of these works:
“The performances provide impeccable ensemble with the pianist Menahem Pressler, always sharply imaginative and the cellist, Bernard Greenhouse, bringing simple dedication to key passages” (Penguin Classics review of The Schubert Trios on Philips)
“The Beaux Arts cellist [Bernard Greenhouse] brings lovely phrasing and a true simplicity of line, so right for Schubert . memorably in the lovely slow movement melody of the Trio No 2 in E flat.” (Gramophone Classical Music Guide) ( ICA Classics )