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Beethoven Triple Concerto & Piano Trio op. 11 Eroica Trio Eroica Trio Performs Beethoven. Triple Concerto in C Major, Op. 56, with the Prague Chamber Orchestra; Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 11. (Angel/EMI Classics 5 62655 2) Beethoven's Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano is generally not considered one of the composer's most winning works in the chamber music canon. It has a reputation for stiffness and formality and is often regarded as the stepchild of the more imposing works that Beethoven composed around the same time, including Fidelio, the Fourth Piano Concerto, the Piano Sonata No. 23 ("Appassionata"), and the Violin Concerto. This doesn't faze the Eroica Trio, which claims the distinction of playing "the Triple" more times than any other ensemble. In the Eroica's hands, we're less inclined to dwell on the work's shortcomings—the somewhat clunky development sections and lack of a showy cadenza—and more on Beethoven's subtle effects for the soloists and their interaction with the orchestra. We also appreciate what a workout this piece is for the performers. Cellist Sara Sant'Ambrogio brings intensity and focus to the rapid passagework in the rondo finale and a singing tone to the largo movement. Her colleagues--pianist Erika Nickrenz and violinist Adela Pena--keep pace, culminating in an electrifying finale. If a surplus of impetuosity leads to an occasional forced phrase or scraped note, it is refreshing in an era of canned, overly polished studio recordings. It's worth noting that the Eroica's sense of teamwork has its roots at Juilliard, where its members, as students at the School in the mid-1980s, decided to join forces as the Eroica Trio. The Grammy-nominated ensemble went on to win the prestigious Naumburg Chamber Music award in 1991, and signed with EMI Classics in 1997. This is their sixth release on that label, and it features the Prague Chamber Orchestra, a conductorless ensemble steeped in the old European performance tradition. As a bonus, the disc features a thoroughly enjoyable account of the early B-flat Trio, Op. 11. Brian Wise is a producer at WNYC radio and writes about music for The New York Times, Time Out New York, Opera News, and other publications. Publisher/Manufacturer: Emi Angel Imprint: Emi Angel Cover: 62655 ISBN/ID: 724356265523 onhand: 3 Price: $ 16.99