The Parnassus Trio’s record of Hummel’s seven piano trios explored some very interesting and enjoyable music by a composer whose creative life extended from the 1780s, when as a boy he was Mozart’s favoured pupil in Vienna, to 1830s Weimar, where visitors would feel their journey complete only if they had heard him play and caught a glimpse of Goethe. The piano trios reflect this, coming out of the world of Mozart and (with Op. 12 of 1804) crossing Beethoven territory and finally entering romantic regions. Enthusiasts will want the Parnassus set; collectors with more general interests may well be satisfied with the Borodin Trio’s selection.
In general, the Borodins emphasize the music’s more romantic aspects, not always to its advantage. In Op. 12, they begin more reflectively than the Parnassus, and in the Andante the strings’ soft textures set against a quasi-pizzicato effect on the piano discover something which eludes the faster, lighter Parnassus reading. However, in Op. 83 of 1819, the Borodins’ emphatic manner in the Rondo misses something which is delightfully caught by the Parnassus, who have a spring in their step with their bright tempo and gay rhythm. In general, the Borodins stress the weight and seriousness of the music, sometimes going more deeply into the music but also sometimes missing the brightness and fun which is part of it. However, anyone interested in a sample of this skilful and entertaining composer, whose strongest music is capable of real emotional power, will find satisfaction in the Chandos performance, not least for a recording sensitive to Hummel’s often highly original textures.'