CD4/2009

CD4/2009

The Czech Trio

Ivan Štraus, violin

Saša Večtomov, ’cello

Josef Páleníček, piano

The Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

Recording: 15th October 1972
 A special Chamber Music addition to our catalogue

MusicWeb International

“There is potency and vivid pleasure throughout the performance … This [recording] fills a real need and catches [The Czech Trio] on the wing, on tour, and on splendid form. The recording is equally vivid and allows one to hear considerable detail without detracting in any way from the ensemble sureties on show. It goes to show how immediate, and yet sympathetic, good microphone placement can be. This excellent disc earns my warm admiration.”
Jonathan Woolf, MusicWeb International, January 2010

American Record Guide

“This performance [of the Dumky Trio] is perhaps the finest that I have heard. It has the proper Czech lilt. The notes reprint some of the reviews of the concert that appeared in the newspapers in the days that followed, and they concur that the Dumky was superbly played.”

“The Beethoven Trio was also well played … Overall, it is one of the finest performances of this work that I know.”

“The Martinů is the encore. It’s too bad that the whole trio wasn’t performed as it, too, is very well played.”
Carl Bauman, American Record Guide , July/August 2010

Personal feedback

“[…] artists are often most inspired when playing live, as opposed to the cold loneliness of the recording studio. And I must say I find your recording very good and am very happy to own it now. I will certainly recommend it.”
Jean-Gaspard Páleníček (grandson of the pianist), private correspondence, 14th October 2010

Track listingTime
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Trio no 5 in D major, op 70 no 1 (Ghost)22' 52"
1  I Allegro vivace e con brio6' 57"
2 II Largo assai ed espressivo9' 51"
3III Presto6' 04"
Antonín Dvořák: Piano Trio no 4 in E minor, op 90 (Dumky)31' 39"
4  I Lento mæstoso*4' 29"
5 II Poco adagio7' 05"
6III Andante6' 13"
7 IV Andante moderato (quasi Tempo di Marcia)4' 45"
8  V Allegro3' 52"
9 VI Lento mæstoso5' 15"
Encore: Bohuslav Martinů: Piano Trio no 2 in D minor, H3274' 34"
10III Allegro4' 34"
Total time:59' 06"

*Sample extract (control with the Sound Sample tab at the top of the page)

†This track may be heard on the Sampler CD