Composed in 1906, Grechaninov’s First Piano Trio is a typical product of Russia’s ‘Silver Age’: typical in its expert, school-of-Rimsky craftsmanship, typical in its languishing lyricism, typical in its fundamental complacency. The first movement draws heavily on the figurations from Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony but divests them of all emotional immediacy or dangerous intensity. This makes for a pleasant, undemanding listening experience, and throws into relief the achievements of Rachmaninov, Scriabin and Stravinsky. But don’t expect any more than that.
Grechaninov is one of several candidates for the label of ‘the Russian Brahms’. That fits him as unsatisfactorily as it does Taneyev or Glazunov or anyone else it has been applied to, but the finale of his Second Trio at least shows why its sticks. This playful, yet sturdy and always well-crafted music has a feel of 1881 rather 1931. Composed in California, at two removes from the Russia its composer had left once and for all six years earlier, its childlike escapism is undoubtedly touching, and its sounds agreeable and rewarding to play.
Strong, enjoyable, upfront performances from the talented Bekova sisters; Chandos’s recording is well lubricated with resonance, but not absurdly so.'