These are elegant, suave performances of some of Haydn’s loveliest music. The piano trios lack the backbone and structure of his symphonies and string quartets, and that difference is emphasized here, for better and for worse: we are enveloped by charm and beauty, but at a cost in spirit and élan. Is this making the most of the music’s inherent qualities, or does it short-change us by moving even farther from Haydn’s essential character? Each of us must decide this for her or himself. I find that individual movements can be mesmerizing—the long opening Andante of the E♭ Trio, Hob XV:31, is gorgeous beyond words—but seldom is an entire trio as satisfying. The “complete set” phenomenon comes into play here: each trio should be heard by itself, in isolation, but the reviewer’s duty is to hear everything, and I found myself liking these performances more and more as I proceeded through them over the course of a few days. Each of these discs mixes early, middle, and late trios, but the Eisenstadt does not distinguish each era as clearly as have some other (usually period-instrument) performances. For the record, the 1760 Trios are Hob XV: 1 and 3441; the 1780s works are Hob XV:5–17; the so-called “London” Trios of the mid 1790s are Hob XV:18–32 (No. 30 was written after he returned to Vienna).

The playing by all (Harald Kosik, piano; Verena Stourzh, violin; Hannes Gradwohl, cello) is expert and effortless. Kosik’s Steinway D is warm and brilliant, but he holds it within reasonable 18th-century bounds. The overall results are similar to those of the Beaux Arts Trio, although the Eisenstadt usually chooses more relaxed tempos for Allegros (their Vivaces and Prestos are fully up to pace); both groups ignore a repeat here and there, which may be a matter of the scores they follow. The apparent ease of these performances may contribute to the sense that a few movements succumb to routine, as the pearly tones roll along. The (studio) recordings, made during the annual Haydn Festspiele Eisentstadt from 1998 to 2007 in the now familiar Haydnsaal of Schloss Esterházy, reflect that hall’s lovely acoustic, including its excess reverberance, which is at times too much for the piano. Nevertheless, the instruments have a more distinct presence than those in the admirable 1970s Philips recordings of the Beaux Arts. That group put 43 trios (in as close to chronological order as was then known) on nine CDs. Some have fallen victim to the authenticity mavens; the Eisenstadt plays 39 trios on these eight CDs…Phoenix Edition includes a generous 68-page booklet that discusses each and every trio in some detail, all in German, English, and French.

Despite the Eisenstadt’s occasional lack of élan, I am captured by the charm and friendliness of its performances. If you are looking for a modern-instrument set of Haydn piano trios, I recommend this one, which may be found on the Internet for about four dollars a disc.

The 39 piano trios recorded on this eight CD set are a substantial part of [Haydn’s] voluminous chamber music.

The diversity of form, texture, character, and expression is extraordinary. These works are full of surprises, like deceptive cadences and recapitulations that are really second developments. The modulations are pure magic, sometimes gradual, sometimes sudden with a leap into a new, wildly remote key after a long pause.

The performances on this recording are splendid in every way: texturally clear, tonally pure and beautiful, constantly expressive. The phrasing is elegant; repeats are meticulously observed and discreetly embellished; the passagework sparkles; the melodies sing and soar. The pianist is not only a consummate virtuoso but a sensitive partner. The players bring out Haydn’s seriousness and humor, drama and serenity, grandeur and simplicity. Read complete review

Founded in 1992, the Haydn Trio has had many years to hone its interpretations of the 39 trios they put forth as canonical. Far from sounding rushed onto the market to capitalize on Papa’s 200th death-a-versary, these performances, shaped at the annual Haydn Festival in Eisenstadt, sound like they’ve been held back for that purpose…I found myself making new discoveries in old favorites, hearing the interplay of the instruments more clearly…These recordings do a better job of expanding appreciation of Haydn’s trios than igniting it. Still, if you’ve never heard the trios, this new recording is a richly satisfying introduction that will not soon be eclipsed.