The main appeal of Schobert's music lies in its wide emotional range and the rich variety of its forms and textures. Mozart warmly admired his work and the skilled musical invention in the four trios on this disc makes it easy to see why.
These are period instrument performances, using D'Alembert's tuning with A=415, and the matching of mood and theme to the characteristics of the keys in which they are written makes an immediate impact. Contrast the deeply felt Andante poco adagio first movement of the second Trio in C minor with the much brighter opening Andante of the third Trio in D major.
Alert phrasing combined with freshness and spontaneity from the Concerto Rococo contributes effectively to interpretations which capture the individual character of each piece. They respond with appropriate robustness to the bold, direct expression of the First Trio, while the greater emotional intensity of the C minor Trio's opening movement is engagingly contrasted with cheerfulness and wit in both its Minuet and final Allegro. In addition to their vivid characterization, this group also displays a remarkable ability to exploit the textural variety of these pieces. In the finale of the D major Trio, for example, they produce a remarkably full, orchestral sound, while they achieve an affecting intimacy in the fluid expression of the F major Trio's opening Andante.
With clear, naturally balanced recorded sound this issue offers an excellent opportunity to sample music which deserves to be better known.'