The Piano Trios

Mendelssohn's two piano trios are not only among the best works ever written for this difficult combination of instruments, but they are also immensely popular as shown by the sales of our recording of these works with the Guarneri Trio (GLO 6030), where they are played on modern instruments. This recording, however, features original instruments, especially the Erard Grand Piano, superbly played here by Julian Reynolds: this is exactly the same instrument that Mendelssohn himself owned; it was not only the composer's favourite piano, but also the instrument for which these pieces were conceived. As a result we finally hear in these performances the perfect balance between the piano and the two string instruments which is very hard to achieve on modern instruments. And the perfor-mances themselves can only be qualified as 'exciting'!