Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, opus 67; Rachmaninov: Piano Trio in D minor, Trio élégiaque, opus 9.
Dmitri Makhtin (violin), Boris Berezovsky (piano), Alexander Kniazev (cello).
Warner Classics 2564 61937-2. DDD. TT 79:28.
Recorded in the Singelkerk, Amsterdam, 12-14 October 2004.

The three musicians on this CD are nowhere on the cover or in the notes labelled as a practicing trio; indeed, they do not play as one - there are differences and difficulties of balance, tempo and phrasing throughout, spoiling the reading of both works. This is most evident in the Scherzo of the Shostakovich Trio, where the interpretation is never settled - the players sound undecided whether the music here is charm or sarcasm or something else.

Each musician seems strong enough individually, but even here there are problems. The Trio's treacherous opening cello harmonics, posed high above the violin, are played with non-deliberate uncertainty and there are other intonation issues for each of the players, notably at the beginning of the Largo, with a clunker in the piano's declamatory chords and several unsure notes from the violin.

After the opening, the Andante is treated as little of consequence. The Largo's passacaglia is played softly, without strength of meaning or an indication of the intense sorrow Shostakovich felt at the loss of his friend Sollertinsky. The Jewish themes are well emphasised in the finale, but even here the playing is much too tentative. The climactic build-up to the release in the piano's flowing runs is underplayed and there is little continuity between the various sections of the Allegretto-Adagio.

Overall, this recording gives the impression that this was a run-through or rehearsal for a later performance. With so many finer versions of this popular work available, this is not one to turn to.
 
The quality of the playing in the Rachmaninov is similar to the Shostakovich. At least the very brief notes by Jeremy Siepmann are nicely done, and the recorded sound has appropriate ambiance.

Richard Pleak
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