Beethoven: Triple Concerto, Op. 56; Piano Trio, Op. 11.

Beethoven: Triple Concerto, Op. 56; Piano Trio, Op. 11. The Eroica Trio, the Prague Chamber Orchestra. EM172435-62655-2.

How do you make beautiful music even more beautiful? You could start by having it played by three exceptionally beautiful people. But beyond the obvious physical appeal of the Eroica Trio's membership--pianist Erika Nickrenz, violinist Adela Pena, and cellist Sara Sant'Ambrogio--there is playing of utmost care, fluidity, and sophistication. Performing together since they were children and formalizing their group well over a decade ago, these three artists have perfected their style in a graceful give-and-take of musicianship. Their work with the Triple Concerto is a delight.

The first thing one notices about the performance, however, is not necessarily the easygoing refinement of their presentation, but the fact that they're being accompanied by the Prague Chamber Orchestra. This means a lighter, airier interpretation than one normally hears. Indeed, my being used to hearing the more grandiose Berlin Philharmonic under Karajan, with stars David Oistrakh, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Sviatoslav Richter (EMI GROC), it took a few minutes for the ear to adjust. But adjust I did, in time to appreciate the quiet elegance these ladies exude throughout their rendering. And since the Triple Concerto allows for a supple interplay of soloists and orchestra, as well as sporadically highlighting each solo instrument individually, the piece allows the Eroica Trio to display all their warmth and charm together and separately. The big piece is accompanied on the disc by Beethoven's smaller, earlier, and more playful Piano Trio, a captivating little work of surprisingly complementary design.

EMI's sound tends to emphasize the three soloists more than it does the orchestra, but that's as it should be, I suppose. The sonics are warm and smooth, with a degree of definition and bite lacking, perhaps, but compensated for by the affability of the performance. The disc makes a good companion to, but not a replacement for, the classic EMI recording mentioned above.