Spanning three CDs and providing hours of fascinating listening, this compilation surveys an important facet of the Russian school through detailing one of the lesserknown areas of its output: piano trios.

The compilation begins with Tchaikovsky's famous A minor Trio Op.50, a work that effectively initiated the in memoriam trio and which pays homage to the late death of the composer's friend Rubinstein through its virtuoso pianism. From Glinka's offering, a terse and cyclic piece that draws on the Italian cantilena and displays elements of the Weber-esque leitmotif, to Rimsky-Korsakov's C minor Trio -- a rarity among the composer's mature works -- the set also details Taneyev's symphonically-scaled Trio in D Op.22, modelled on Tchaikovsky's work and which recalls elements of the master's style through its use of eleven variations. Rachmaninoff's Trio élégiaque No.2 follows, written in response to the death of Tchaikovsky, and Shebalin's work, composed 1907, completes the set.

All of these works are performed the acclaimed Oistrakh trio, which for nearly a quarter of a century was the elite ensemble of its kind in the USSR. Though the recordings were made during 1948--57, the raw energy and authority of the group's playing remain as strong as ever: a valuable set that comprises a worthy addition to the historic collector's and piano aficionado's
library.

Other information:
- Recorded 1948--1957: A selection from the 10-CD set issued on Brilliant Classics, featuring one of the most remarkable piano trios in history: the Oistrakh Trio, with David Oistrakh, Sviatoslav Knushevitsky and Lev Oborin.
- These three Russian souls pour out their hearts in these piano trios by Russian composers, such as the great Tchaikovsky, Taneyev, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninoff, Glinka and Shebalin.
- The 10CD set of the Oistrakh Trio received a prestigious Diapason d'Or in France (BC 9101).
- Includes comprehensive booklet notes on each composer and their work.