Trout Quintet / Death & The Maiden
The Trout Quintet takes its name from its variation movement, in which Schubert plays with the principal tune from his song of the same name. The piece actually belongs to the long, illustrious tradition of the Viennese serenade, a fact indicated by Schubert's somewhat eccentric scoring for piano and strings, including a double bass. This largest member of the string family rarely appears in classical chamber music, since it's so difficult to balance its tone against that of the other instruments. Here it offers solid reinforcement of the piano's bass line, while occasionally surfacing to offer some musical comment of its own. This classic performance has recently been reissued at midprice, and along with the excellent version of the "Death and the Maiden" quartet, makes a welcome return to the catalog.--David Hurwitz