There's good news and bad news with this recording. The good news is that the
Trio Poseidon has delivered fresh and affecting performances of
Beethoven's Triple Concerto and
Brahms' Double Concerto that stand among the finest ever recorded. With a tight ensemble, buoyant tempos, and unabashed joy, the Swedish piano trio has caught the spirit of
Beethoven's unique concerto, as well as fulfilling its technical demands. With searing lyricism, unrelenting intensity, and fervent interpretation, violinist Sara Trobäck Hesselink and cellist
Claes Gunnarsson turn in a performance of
Brahms' equally unique concerto that makes it sound as compelling as the most passionate vocal duet. The bad news is that the
Trio Poseidon could, in a metaphorical sense, sue conductor
Neeme Järvi for desertion. With the
Gothenburg Symphony at his command,
Järvi leads a performance so bland, blank, and faceless that it makes one wonder if he was there at all. When one compares
Järvi's conducting here with the Triple Concerto
Herbert von Karajan recorded with
David Oistrakh,
Mstislav Rostropovich, and
Sviatoslav Richter, or
George Szell's Double Concerto with the same violinist and cellist, one is left with the unhappy conclusion that the
Trio Poseidon was left waiting at the altar. Chandos' digital sound is rich, ripe, and thankfully focused on the soloists.