Pascal Rogé heads up this thoughtful disc of French trios. He has described his gods as Bach, Beethoven and Schumann, with Poulenc, Debussy and Satie as his friends. And so, too, are Ravel and Chausson, to judge by his finely sensitive performances.
Ravel's swaying, insinuating opening theme could hardly be played more lucidly or affectionately and its final return is full of hushed magic, a far cry from smarter, more metropolitan and impersonal readings. The Pantoum is vivacious rather than aggressive and the entire performance, even in moments of heightened drama and intensity, is unforced, its sparkle gentle rather than metallic or self-consciously virtuosic.
Chausson's early Trio is remote from such ultra- Gallic refinement and sophistication, its opening Pas trop lent romantically troubled in a style clearly deriving from César Franck's recently completed Piano Quintet. The second movement Vite, on the other hand, falls like manna from heaven after so much chromatic turbulence. Both here and in the finale Chausson breaks out into a reassuring lightness which has its origins in Saint- Saëns. Such alternating solace and despair are beautifully realised by Rogéacute; and his colleagues.
The warm and fluid Onyx sound reflects performances of a quiet but unmistakable authority.