The Benvenue Fortepiano Trio (and friends) tear into the opening of Schumann’s Quintet with gusto, making the most of the composer’s Allegro brillante marking, then pull hard on the brakes for the lyrical second theme, whose beauty is enhanced by some exquisitely applied portamento. Not all the sounds are so attractive, however. There are various spots of iffy intonation (at 2'05", for example) and the tone of the upper strings can be gratingly whiny in high-lying passages.

I’m troubled, too, by the use of rubato in the second movement; while musical in its own right, it works against the march-like feeling Schumann specifies. A more convincing balance between pliant phrasing and metric stability is achieved by the musicians of La Gaia Scienza (Winter & Winter, 5/06). The Italian ensemble’s exuberant interpretation of the Scherzo is also more pleasurable than the Benvenue’s foursquare, étude-like reading. But, honestly, neither account of Schumann’s Quintet can hold a candle to Martha Argerich’s enthralling 1994 concert recording (EMI, 1/96), particularly in the finale’s magnificent fugal coda, where both period instrument groups sound relatively pedantic.

Much the same can be said for the two duo works. I rather like the ghostly sotto voce viola player Jodi Levitz employs in the last of the Märchenbilder, but in general both she and cellist Tanya Tomkins convey a feeling that’s far more effortful than fantastical. Eric Zivian’s heavily accented fortepiano-playing doesn’t help much, either, I’m afraid.