Beethoven for Three: Symphony No. 4 and Op. 97 "Archduke"

by Emanuel Ax, Yo-Yo Ma, Leonidas Kavakos

Overview

The "Beethoven for Three" series, featuring piano trio arrangements of Beethoven's symphonies, offers one or more symphonies together with one of the composer's actual piano trios. The three performers, violinist Leonidas Kavakos, pianist Emanuel Ax, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, could probably have sold albums on name recognition alone, but they deliver performances worthy of their names. Certainly, arrangements of Beethoven's symphonies for smaller forces were common enough in the 19th century, but the ones here, by composer Shai Wosner, are new and frequently quite artful; hear the delicate slow introduction to the first movement of the Symphony No. 4, Op. 60, where Wosner interprets the original rather than straining to duplicate it. The highlight on this volume may come with the masterful reading of the Piano Trio in B flat major, Op. 97 ("Archduke"), where the players' familiarity with each other really shows. Sample the Scherzo, where there is not a note that isn't distinctively articulated in some way, and the fascinatingly deliberate opening to the finale. Sony Classical contributes impressive engineering from a new studio venue at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in upstate New York. This album breathes new life into the all-star format, and it made classical best-seller lists in the spring of 2024. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	03/15/2024
Label:	Sony Classical
UPC:	0196588816420
Rank:	20856

Tracks

1. Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 60~Adagio - Allegro Vivace
2. Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 60~Adagio
3. Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 60~Allegro Vivace
4. Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 60~Allegro ma non troppo
5. Piano Trio No. 7 in B-flat Majro, Op. 97 Archduke~Allegro Moderato
6. Piano Trio No. 7 in B-flat Majro, Op. 97 Archduke~Scherzo. Allegro
7. Piano Trio No. 7 in B-flat Majro, Op. 97 Archduke~Andante Cantabile, Ma Però con moto
8. Piano Trio No. 7 in B-flat Majro, Op. 97 Archduke~Allegro moderato

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Yo-Yo Ma   Primary Artist,Piano
Leonidas Kavakos   Primary Artist,Piano
Emanuel Ax   Primary Artist,Piano

Technical Credits

Rick Jacobsohn   Assistant Engineer
Ron Jaramillo   Creative Director
Shai Wosner   Arranger
Steven Epstein   Producer
Barbara Pease Renner   Piano Technician
Jennifer Chen   Production Director
Julie Chencinski   Design
Lawrence Sumulong   Photography
Ben Mandelkern   Executive Producer
Jonathan Bays   Executive Producer
Erik Diehl   Piano Technician
Rick Jacobson   Assistant Engineer
Justine Hong   Production Manager
Richard King   Engineer
Ludwig van Beethoven   Composer