BEETHOVEN Trio in D, op. 70/1, 'Ghost." PART Adagio. BLOCH 3 Nocturnes. PIAZZOLLA La muerte del angel. BRAHMS Trio No. I in B Maj. op. 8
Fleur De Son FDS 57957 

A single compact disc can hold a complete concert, and this one is very much worth hearing. Among trios for piano, violin, and cello, Beethoven's Fifth, aptly nicknamed "Ghost," is fairly popular, and Brahms's First (1854, revised 1890) is quite deservedly among the most popular of all. But how often do any of us attend concerts by piano trios, or hear them on FM broadcasts, or see and hear them on PBS? Thanks only to recordings, these masterpieces are old friends. But even my large, record collection has so far been without the three shorter offerings here, and they are very much worth hearing, and hearing again. Arvo Part's characteristically arresting work is based on the Adagio of Mozart's Piano Sonata in F, K. 280, and plays out in about six minutes. Ernest Bloch's Three Nocturnes (1924) are melodious, emotional, and richly scored. The three movements are marked Andante, Andante quieto, and finally Tempesto-Calmo-Maestoso-Con moto; playing time is eight minutes. Astor Piazzolla's La muerte del angel ( 1970) is one of his concert tangos. Though no more than three and one-half minutes in length, it is no mere miniature, but a powerful, original statement.

The present members of the New Arts Trio are talented professionals with decades of experience: They are Rebecca Penneys, piano; Jacques Israelievitch, violin; and Arie Lipsky, cello. Together they have a distinctive performing personality, discovering the drama, atmosphere, and, if one will allow for non-verbal meanings, the deeper tales these expressive pieces have to tell us. So I will excuse myself from comparing the Beethoven and Brahms to the usual suspects, and cannot compare the performances of the three shorter works, all new to me. Instead, I'll affirm that this is one of the most interesting and exciting discs of piano trios, or any chamber music, or any classical music I have ever heard.