Hugo Stahle was one of the most promising of his generation of composers, widely admired for the fluency and charm of his music. He died in 1848 of meningitis at the age of only 22, leaving behind him quite a respectable amount of music that includes an opera and a symphony as well as quite a few songs and chamber works. On the evidence of this piece, he deserved the popularity his brief career brought him. The idiom is close to Mendelssohn, with touches of Schumann and the young Brahms; there is not that strong an individual voice, but the piece is delightfully well written and filled with fresh, exuberant music. The opening movement works its captivating opening theme a little hard; Stahle seems more easily himself in the gentle slow movement and in the nimble, very Mendelssohnian scherzo and trio; he also produces a cheerful, enlivening finale. It is clearly the music of a very gifted young man who has a natural technique and a quick ear, but who has yet to find a more personal voice.
The Mozart Piano Quartet evidently relish their discovery, and give the piece a clear, attractive, well-balanced performance. They also do well for Dvorak's quartet, making good sense of the rather problematic finale and finding their best form in the Variations, which they play with a delicacy that explores with great sensitivity the music the composer draws from his melody.'