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Editorial Reviews

It's been a good long while since there's been a truly great recording of Rachmaninov's "Trio elegaique" -- the last truly great performance was the Borodin Trio's recording from 1983 -- and, thankfully, this recording is truly great. While the trio, made up of violinist Dmitri Makhtin, pianist Boris Berezovsky, and cellist Alexander Kniazev, does not have the smooth ensemble of the Borodin Trio, the virtuosity, the impetuosity, and most of all the passionate commitment to the music equals and maybe even exceeds the Borodin. Indeed, compared with the reserved mourning of the Borodin's performance, the passionate grief of Makhtin, Berezovsky, and Kniazev is overwhelming. Like the very greatest performances, this one does not bear repeated listenings. But, like the very greatest performances, one listening is so devastating that repeated listenings are probably not advisable anyway.

It hasn't been nearly so long since there's been a truly great recording of Shostakovich's "Piano Trio in E minor" -- the last truly great performance was the Kremer, Argerich, and Maisky recording from 1998 -- but, thankfully, this recording is still truly great. While the Makhtin, Berezovsky, and Kniazev trio does not have the preternatural brilliance of the Kremer, Argerich, and Maisky trio, they do have the strength, the sensitivity, and perhaps even more energy. While one could hardly describe the Kremer, Argerich, and Maisky trio as restrained, the Makhtin, Berezovsky, and Kniazev trio has even less reserve and the finale has as much pain and agony as the greatest recording of the work ever made -- the 1946 recording with Shostakovich himself at the piano. Warner Classics' sound is perhaps a bit too reverberant but it is still incredibly effective. James Leonard, All Music Guide

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