A lively, polished account of the Trout Quintet. In each movement the tempo is well chosen (the Presto Scherzo is daringly fast), the rhythms are excellently controlled and the phrasing is stylish and sensitive. You may find that this approach is ideal for such a sprightly, light-hearted work, but in places I did long for something more soulful, more deeply expressive. This is exactly what we get on a Philips recording from 1994 with Alfred Brendel and a string ensemble led by Thomas Zehetmair. Though that performance is only a couple of minutes longer overall, the effect is of much greater spaciousness, with time available to make the point of every phrase. In the second variation of the ‘Trout’ movement, Kenneth Sillito’s florid violin part is beautifully balanced against the viola melody, but with Zehetmair the line is more than purely ornamental, providing an intensification of the movement’s gently lyrical character.

Similarly, in the following variation, Hamish Milne’s tastefully restrained virtuosity is topped by Brendel, whose ringing tone and decisive shaping of the passagework is certainly more compelling. If the ASMF performance seems a little too restrained, this may partially be due to the recording, which, though perfectly well balanced, has a slightly ‘glassy’ quality, lacking in warmth and strong impact.

The playing of the Adagio and Rondo is well judged and pleasing. Milne’s account of the Rondo, in effect a piano concerto movement, is highly assured, the fast passages really sparkling. But in this work, too, there would have been room for some phrases to be more sharply characterised, for a greater sense of mystery to attend the remote modulations.