It was very brave of the Smetana Trio to release this recording of Mendelssohn's ravishing trio in D minor just weeks after Emanuel Ax, Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma version. But, whereas the latter is all starry virtuosity, the Smetana Trio's is more considered, more controlled and altogether more of an ensemble interpretation. Both albums are, however, immensely pleasing for very different reasons. Schumann compared the work to Schubert's No 2 in E flat major, which the Smetana Trio choose to complete their very fine recording. Again, ensemble is everything; the players serving the music, rather than the music serving the players.