BEETHOVEN: String Trios - Kogan, Barshai, Rostropovich (2 CDs)

“And there's freedom aplenty in these vigorous, highly charged performances…These are strong-jawed readings with a great sense of purpose…Another asset to this set is the violinist himself, Leonid Kogan, whose tone is searing in its intensity…this new release captures a compelling moment in history: it must have been some evening!“
Gramophone, August 2011

Ludwig van Beethoven - Trio in G major, Op. 9 No. 1; Trio in C minor, Op. 9 No. 3; Trio in E flat major, Op. 3

Recorded at the 1960 Prague Spring

Leonid Kogan - violin, Rudolf Barshai - viola, Mstislav Rostropovich - cello

This CD, the latest title within the acclaimed Russian Masters series, presents three towering Russian musicians. At a superb 1960 Prague Spring festival concert, Kogan, Barshai and Rostropovich performed together three of Beethoven's four string trios. These pieces are seldom played in combination since they require from the musicians a rare combination of virtuosity and humility, as well as mutual respect between the chamber players. There is no doubt as to the sheer virtuosity of these musicians; at their previous concerts at that year's Prague Spring all three of them had presented themselves as superlative soloists (at the festival, Rostropovich also performed in Czech premiere Shostakovich's first cello concerto). Leonid Kogan - one of the most distinguished representatives of the Russian violin school; the violist Rudolf Barshai - co-founder of the celebrated Borodin Quartet and later on a renowned conductor; Mstislav Rostropovich - simply a phenomenal cellist... Three soloists whose encounter on a single stage was a veritable feast for chamber-music lovers and one of the apices of the Prague Spring. Now, half a century later, you too can savour this remarkable concert.
Three legends on one stage - a precious encounter you can again enjoy, half a century on!

CD 1
Ludwig van Beethoven
Trio for Violin, Viola and Cello in G major, Op. 9, No. 1
1. Adagio - Allegro con brio 09:12
2. Adagio, ma non tanto, e cantabile 07:25
3. Scherzo. Allegro 02:42
4. Presto 05:33
Ludwig van Beethoven
Trio for Violin, Viola and Cello in C minor, Op.9, No. 3
5. Allegro con spirito 07:09
6. Adagio con espressione 05:53
7. Scherzo. Allegro molto e vivace 02:59
8. Finale. Presto 05:54

CD 2
Ludwig van Beethoven
Trio for Violin, Viola and Celllo in E flat major, Op. 3
1. Allegro con brio 10:03
2. Andante 05:08
3. Menuetto. Allegretto 03:14
4. Adagio 07:21
5. Menuetto. Moderato 03:29
6. Finale. Allegro 06:39