Schubert: Piano Trio in E flat

The Florestan Trio released a fine account of Schubert's B flat Piano Trio last autumn, and they complete the pairing with an equally satisfying account of its slighter and slightly less well-known companion piece. The E flat Trio alone may seem meagre value on a full-price disc, but the Florestan includes two versions of the finale. The familiar one comes first, followed by the original, nearly two minutes longer. Schubert himself cut two sections, 98 bars in all, from the development section. The first omission merely reworks previously heard material, but the other is more of a loss, as it winningly combines the finale's second theme with the main melody of the Andante. The Florestan allow listeners to make their own choice, in a performance full of intelligent musicality and an uncomplicated directness that almost belies the accomplishment of the playing.