This second installment of the Vienna Piano Trio’s Beethoven cycle turns to the composer’s second two works in the genre. The playing is all we can wish for: polished yet passionate, attuned to both Beethoven’s thunder and tenderness, and unfailingly expressive without the least bit of indulgence. Soft passages pull you toward the edge of your seat, while loud tuttis convey ferocity without losing fullness of tone. The composer’s trademark subito dynamics are carried out to an almost militant degree, and provide the perfect antidote for complacent listening habits. Nimbus offers luminous sound and faithful balances, although I warm toward the closer miking and ambient intimacy distinguishing the Abegg Trio’s Beethoven cycle for Tacet. All in all, a most distinguished release.
