It's not so weird a coupling, really. Aside from the odd time signatures and the disembodied modernisms,
Adès' Piano Quintet is a fairly straightforward piece of music that is more or less comprehensible in terms of classical compositional techniques and tonal forms. Aside from the classical compositional techniques and tonal forms,
Schubert's "Trout" Piano Quintet is a fairly eccentric piece of music with quirky themes and unexpected harmonies. Aside from the scoring, the biggest difference between the two pieces is that
Schubert's quintet is lyrical, enjoyable, and instantly memorable, while
Adès' quintet is silly, sappy, and probably forgotten before it's over.
The performances are both a bit weird but both are first-rate. The
Arditti Quartet plays
Adès' quintet with dedication, energy, and virtuosity while members of the
Belcea Quartet plus double bassist Corin Long play
Schubert's quintet with affection, enthusiasm, and commitment. As a pianist,
Thomas Adès is more than persuasive in his own quintet and quite engaging in
Schubert's quintet. While this shouldn't be the only recording of
Schubert's quintet one hears, it will be a pleasant 41 minutes while it lasts. EMI's sound is clear and deep.