Stanford - Stanford: Piano Music

Stanford's chamber music occupies an important position in his oeuvre, and this recording unearths more rarities. Piano Trio No. 1 was dedicated to the great Hans von Bulow and is an impressively large-scaled and lyrical work, exuding both elegance and vigour. Piano Quartet No. 2 was revived by the Gould Trio after long neglect in 2010. It too is an exceptional work, melodically profuse, including folkloric elements and balancing its clement and turbulent aspects with utter assurance. The violin pieces supply appealing qualities of tuneful playfulness. The performance is absolutely first-class and, with sound that is at once intimate and true, this valuable anthology can be welcomed with open arms. Naxos's absurdly modest asking-price is the icing on the cake!GramophoneNaxos continue their Stanford survey with this attractive release... The high quality of Stanford's writing continues to shine like a beaconMusicWeb