The latest release in Bridge’s Library of Congress series joins the Budapest String Quartet with one of their favorite pianists, Artur Balsam. The performance of Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet is from a concert given in the Coolidge Auditorium on April 26, 1956. The Budapests and Balsam are joined by bass player Julius Levine in this lovely reading of Schubert’s masterpiece. The Franck Quintet, from a December 18, 1953 concert is given a reading of burning intensity by Balsam and the Budapests. Disc annotator Harris Goldsmith writes that “Balsam was a paragon- a marvel of relaxed professionalism; he was, as many of his colleagues and disciples attest, an instrumentalist of awesome facility and accomplishment and a sight-reader of almost unparalleled quickness. Hearing his masterly phrasing and luminous tone is sufficient aural testimony to place Balsam in the highest artistic echelon.” The restoration of these performances, released for the first time, was by Grammy-winning producer, Adam Abeshouse.

These Artur Balsam/Budapest String Quartet recordings are available on Bridge:

Rachmaninoff: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2; Trio Élégiaque, Op. 9; BRIDGE 9063
Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 1, Op. 25; Schumann: Piano Quintet, Op. 44 BRIDGE 9110 
Hindemith: Sonata, Op. 11, No. 4; Brahms: Horn Trio, Op. 44; Shostakovich: Piano Quintet, Op. 57 BRIDGE 9175