The Florestan Trio is now firmly established as one of Britain's—indeed the world's—most distinguished ensembles, and their Hyperion recordings of Schubert, Schumann, Dvorák and Brahms have received universal praise. Now, having completed recordings of all of Schubert's music for piano trio, they embark on a series of the Beethoven trios which it is estimated will fill four CDs, to be recorded and issued over the next two or three years. The discs will include not only the well-known 'ops' (1, 70, 97) but also the less familiar chippings from the master's workshop. This first CD includes the two Opus 70 works (one of them the celebrated 'Ghost' Trio) as well as the Allegretto in B flat written three years later in 1812. -------------------------------------- TOP 20 DISCS OF 2003 (BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE / RADIO 3 CD REVIEW) RECOMMENDATION OF THE MONTH, CHAMBER (BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE) 'For an exhilarating sense of live music-making, of players constantly challenging and coaxing each other to new insights, these irresistible performances make this one of the discs of the year' (BBC Music Magazine) 'This is playing of quite extraordinary sensitivity and depth. I can hardly wait until the next volume' (The Independent) 'Hugely enjoyable' (The Sunday Times) 'A recording that immediately, from the first impetuous bars of Op 70 No 1, feels just right' (Gramophone) 'This new Florestan account of the two Op. 70 trios is outstanding in every way. The playing is quite gripping and masterly, and the sound is vivid and well balanced. These are arguably the most satisfying accounts in the catalogue, and certainly the best we have had in recent years' (The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs) 'The Florestan Trio plays them with great immediacy and vigour; everything is beautifully balanced and argued out' (Classic FM Magazine) 'Susan Tomes' controlled, musical piano playing is a constant source of delight’ (The Strad) 'This is a highly auspicious beginning to the Florestans’ survey of the Beethoven piano trios … Totally convincing' (The Guardian) 'should grab even the most casual listener … a real winner' (The Times) 'The Florestan embark on the complete Beethoven piano trios, the first release pointing to a cycle that is going to be very special. The playing is unfailingly perceptive and full of musical insights … However many times you have these works in your collection, this is an essential purchase' (The Yorkshire Post) 'I can’t say I have ever heard better' (Fanfare, USA) 'Hyperion’s ability to pick outstanding musicians from the universal crop has rarely been better directed than in the case of the Florestan Trio' (Music Week) 'dash, energy, exuberance, tempered by an acute awareness of each other ... a highly enjoyable disc' (Pianist) 'There’s such unanimity of purpose here, three minds united in their common musical goal, and yet able to realise it without surrendering their individual character … buy this now, and wait impatiently for Beethoven volume 2' (BBCi) 'no current trio conveys such a spontaneous sense of enthusiasm and discovery as The Florestan … The performers bounce ideas off one another, stimulating and persuading each to reveal fresh insights and creating a wonderful sense of live music making. With very good engineering this now has to be the first choice among recordings of these works' (Hi-Fi Plus)