Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Mozartean Players :: Mozart: Piano Trios, Vol. 1

File this under "civilized discourse." Mozart didn't attempt to reach his highest level of profundity in his Trios, but they are calm delights. These performances are exactly what you want to hear in the music. Flawlessly played on period instruments, they are full of subtleties to match Mozart's music. Only when you listen carefully can you hear the little adjustments of tempo and dynamics the players make to make Mozart's musical points clearly; these emphases work, but they don't call attention to themselves. The balance is also uncommonly fine, with the often submerged cello lines standing out clearly here. There is one complaint about this reissue, though. Considering that nearly everyone who hears this disc will want Vol. 2 also, and that at this price the CDs cost less than half the price of the originals, Classical Express could have saved us all some shelf space by issuing the two discs together as a set. Otherwise, it's hard to imagine how this issue could be improved. Even the analog sound holds up beautifully. --Leslie Gerber