Perlman/Ma/Ax: Mendelssohn Piano Trios Nos. 1 & 2 - Sony 88697 52192 2 (DDD)

MINT / made in the USA Wrote the splendid critic Burton Rothleder for Fanfare: "In a previous review, I wrote, referring to two performances, “[These discs] provide the proverbial truth and beauty of these Mendelssohn trios, at least for now. Something new and better is always possible in the future.” Well, the future has arrived, and sooner than I imagined. Ax, Perlman, and Ma provide ensemble balance, clarity of inner part-writing, drama, lyricism, and phrase shaping of the highest order, almost unimaginably so. These performances have now become my present benchmarks, supplanting my D-Minor (No. 1) Istomin-Stern-Rose Trio benchmark. Even more important is the observation that these artists have said something new, interesting, and relevant in terms of phrasing and dynamics of these trios. "Ax, Perlman, and Ma first performed these trios as a group at Carnegie Hall in March 2009, and then during a Live from Lincoln Center telecast in February 2010. The present studio recording i