Piano trios have cause to be grateful that Brahms’s loyal friend Theodor Kirchner (1823-1903) did such a thoroughly professional job arranging the two string sextets for violin, cello and piano. Brahms himself approved. … so skilful are the transcriptions that I suspect most listeners new to this music would hardly guess that it wasn’t originally composed for piano trio.
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In both works the Gould are … responsive to Brahms’s frequent requests for dolce, tranquillo and piano espressivo. And their pianist, Benjamin Frith, is … sensitive and refined in touch …
“for any Brahms lover who wants the sextets in their trio incarnation, the Gould are a clear first choice.”
