Search - Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Salerno-Sonnenberg :: Piano Trio / Horn Trio

PASSION

GEORGE RANNIE | DENVER, COLORADO United States | 01/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I own many recordings of these two sublime Trios; they are two of my very favorite chamber works. I find this recording to be the most passionate of any recording that I own. Listen to the last movement of the Tchaikovsky. In that movement these performers start that movement with a ferocious tempo and when the mood "crashes and burns" to utter despair, they play it with gut wrenching emotion. There are times I feel Solerno-Sollenberg's violin just might ignite with the rest of the team matching her note for note(The piano and cello too seemed as if they would burst into flames at any minute!)) -WOW!

The Brahms is lovely too. It is also played with much passion and emotion.

If you love Romantic chamber music, as I do, and want some passion in your life, buy this disc. It truly is awesome!

"

The "good Nadja" in two great chamber works

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 07/02/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I find Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg a hard one to listen to when she is playing solo. Her wayward, self-centered brand of music-making is strictly for the pop crossover crowd. But there's a good Nadja who fights for the cause of chamber music, often from a summer base in Aspen. Here she leads readings of the Tchaikovsky Piano Trio and Brahms Horn Trio that might win new converts for two very attractive pieces. Besides the violinist, both works feature Cecile Licad as a romantic powerhouse pianist who gives NSS a run for the spotlight.



If any work can stand two divas elbowing each ohter to see who can swoon the most, the Tchaikovsky trio is a prime contender. There's nothing subtle about this performance, and there doesn't need to be. The first movement, with its gorgeous melody and slapdahs construction, and the finale, with its racing piano part made for thrills, suit these two perfectly, and the cellist, poor guy, does his best to keep up. Four stars.



The Brahms suffers by comparison. To play it well, you have to possess some sense of classical style, and NSS is fairly lacking in that department. Suddenly her playing turns lackluster and tame. Licad also finds herself hamstrung with no fireworks to display, and as a esult, despite the excellent horn playing of John Cerminaro (miked louder than the piano), the performance is shapeless--one phrase follows another without any destination in sight. The finale is taken with exciting speed, but the classic recording from Marlboro with Rudolf Serkin and Myron Bloom hasn't got much to fear."