Haydn: Piano Trios Vol. 7—Oberlin Trio (Naxos 574385)
Three members of the Oberlin Conservatory faculty founded the Oberlin Trio in 1982. They were Stephen Clapp, violin; Andor Toth Jr., cello; and Joseph Schwartz, piano. The Trio’s current configuration features pianist Haewon Song, violinist David Bowlin, and cellist Dmitry Kouzov, They have toured across the United States and in South Korea offering traditional repertoire and contemporary works. Recent concerts have presented music by the American composer George Walker and Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu. This new CD samples Haydn’s piano trios from his very first, written around 1765 to his 33 rd, composed about 30 years later. Fanfare magazine said of these performances, “...The Oberlin Trio’s playing of these works is nothing short of fetching. The piano still has most of the heavy lifting to do, but taking that into account, the recording is justly balanced, allowing the violin and cello their fair due. Felicity, finesse, and good cheer are hallmarks of these performances.”