The opulent sound of this disc is ideal for Chausson; it especially suits the impassioned early Trio. Devoyon plays the demanding piano part in the grand style, yet the strings are never swamped. In particular, Philippe Graffin’s sensuous, unforced tone sails above the texture without any of the strenuous feeling we experience even in the Beaux Arts’ otherwise excellent, well-balanced performance. All three players sound completely at home, whether in the rhetorical gestures of the work’s big moments, or the poised delicacy of the second movement. This Trio, though an early work, is already fully characteristic of Chausson – the way the carefree, day-in-the-country atmosphere at the start of the finale is gradually overtaken by tragic portents very strongly shows his melancholic nature. The Andante et Allegro is less individual, but here, too, the performance rises to the occasion – and beyond. Neidich’s playing is quite remarkable for its breadth of expression in the Andante as well as for the extraordinarily brilliantly articulated Allegro. Hoffman and Devoyon are equally convincing in the beautiful, dreamy Piece for cello and piano.
The most novel aspect of the disc, paradoxically, concerns the most familiar music: this is the first recording of a newly rediscovered version of the Poeme, with string quartet and piano accompaniment. As a chamber work, the music’s essentially intimate tone is felt more strongly, and Graffin gives a plangent account of the solo part, with something of that sense of freedom that Ysaye, the work’s sponsor, would certainly have conveyed. The only trouble with the arrangement is the loss of perspective between the soloist and an ‘orchestra’ led by another solo violin. But the Chilingirian and Devoyon play the sustained ‘tutti’ music beautifully. I’d be surprised if next year’s Chausson centenary brings many issues of this quality.'