Beaux Arts Trio - Beethoven: Piano Trios - "Archduke" & "Ghost" (2013)

The Beaux Arts Trio's 1964 recordings of Ludwig van Beethoven's "Archduke" and "Ghost" trios have long been staples in the catalog, despite being superseded in 1979 by more polished recordings. To avoid confusion, the 2013 reissue in the Virtuoso series on Decca is merely a repackaging of the 1964 Philips sessions, which also include the early "Gassenhauer" Trio. In the older recordings, the ensemble consisted of the founding members, violinist Daniel Guillet, cellist Bernard Greenhouse, and pianist Menahem Pressler, and the group's playing was light and engaging, though it had a certain dryness and scratchiness of tone, most likely due to close microphone placement. However, the recorded sound left much to be desired, and even in the digital remastering, some remnants of the analog tape hiss are evident. In contrast, the later recordings (with Isidore Cohen replacing Guillet) have a much cleaner and spacious sound, and improvements in recording technology made it a superior version. Both recordings have been available in modern digital formats, so listeners can sample each to decide which is preferable, though there aren't vast differences between the interpretations.