Originally released in 1999 on the Doremi label,
Ensemble Vivant's album Chamber Suite features rarely performed works for piano and strings. The disc opens with
Mendelssohn's Sextet, Op. 110, one of the few works in the chamber literature to incorporate the double bass. Why this composition is so infrequently played is a mystery. While it may not possess any deeply profound moments, it is still replete with characteristic Mendelssohnian wit and charm.
Ensemble Vivant's performance here is nice; balance between the six instruments is surprisingly well-executed and the musicians -- who do not frequently all play together -- do a nice job of producing a tight, convincing chamber performance. Sound quality of the piano in its upper registers is disappointingly dry and twangy. The program continues with a world-premiere recording of Srul Irving Glick's provocative, engaging Quintet for Piano and Strings, "The Old Toronto Klezmer Suite." Again incorporating the double bass (nicely executed by
Joel Quarrington), this piece alone makes this album worth checking out. Balance and clarity between the instruments is less reliable here as in the
Mendelssohn, but the group still convincingly premieres this work. The final work on the program is Max Bruch's Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 5. Regrettably, this is by far the least appealing performance on the album. Pianist
Catherine Wilson is joined by her customary trio partners -- violinist Mark Skazinetsky and cellist Jack Mendelsohn -- who were not heard in the previous works. Intonation here is a constant problem, as is sound quality and ensemble cohesiveness.