Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Eliahu Inbal, Trio Fontenay :: Beethoven: Triple Concerto / Ghost Trio

Lacks Distinction.

Jeffrey Lee | Asheville area, NC USA | 03/08/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is a nicely played, lyrical, serene performance of the Triple Concerto. I just find it possesses too much of a sense of sameness throughout. Clearly, the more spirited and dynamic first and third movements should sound distinctly different in style from the lovely middle movement largo. But in the hands of the Fontenay this doesn't happen. Their entire performance sounds too settled. Though I have no complaints about their execution on technical grounds, I don't hear much in terms of Beethovian snap and vitality. Nor are they helped much by the rather tepid leadership of conductor Inbal, who also fails to move the accompanying Philharmonia Orchestra beyond sounding merely pleasant. Overall, I like things fleshed out on a little bigger scale, though, I suppose, some will find this softer, rather chamber-like approach more appealing. My favorite Triple is the superbly musical Schneiderhan/Fournier/Anda/Fricsay account, (currently available on a DG double cd set with Schneiderhan's glowing conception of the Beethoven Violin Concerto, etc.). I also like the distinguished trio of Oistrakh, Richter and Rostropovich with Karajan conducting as well as the very nicely played and sometimes exciting presentation of Mutter, Ma, Zeltser and Karajan. Incidentally, a number of years ago Inbal and the Philharmonia made a recording of this piece with Szeryng, Starker and Arrau (currently not available). It was clearly preferable to this one with the Fontenay Trio....The other piece on this cd, the Ghost Trio, is given a decent performance, however I experience considerably more enjoyment listening to the Stern, Istomin, Rose Trio as part of their complete set of the Beethoven Piano Trios."