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In a nutshell:• If you like the lighter chamber music of Dvorak and Grieg, these string trios are guaranteed to please. I would recommend instead starting with the Champs Hill survey, specifically Vol. 2 in order to test the waters.• These string trios were written for private consumption at home with Röntgen’s friends and family. They’re generally pastoral, optimistic, contrapuntal, and frequently indulge pizzicato. A few movements plunge into depths of melancholy or reflect sober moods.• String Trio No. 13 in A major is sunny, rustic, and features tender duets between violin and viola.• String Trio No. 14 in C minor (1928) is serious with moments of melancholy, expressive lyricism, and neo-Baroque counterpoint.• String Trio No. 15 in C minor "Auto Trio" (1929) is special and unique. Its “Finale automobilistico” movement evokes Röntgen’s exhilarating ride in a Fiat 509A Torpedo car. This mock-intense finale has syncopated rhythms, ostinatos, and a cute gesture mimicking a car horn.• Performances by Offenburg String Trio are serviceable, but noticeably weaker than the Lendvai String Trio. Their intonation is poorer and their tonal quality is no match for the creamy blend of Lendvai.• Dry and poor spatial acoustics. Recorded sound is a step down when compared to Champs Hill records.Curiously, Naxos planned this recording project so closely on the heels of the ongoing survey of Röntgen’s complete string trios by the Lendvai String Trio on Champs Hill. Their four-volume series started in 2013 and finishes in 2017. Yet Naxos felt the need to get in on the action, beating Champs Hill to the punch with world-premiere recordings of the last four string trios. At least, that's what it looks like. In any event, Julius Röntgen’s (1855-1932) string trios are a pleasant byway, though not the best introduction to the composer’s talents; for that I’d suggest his heavier piano trios and cello sonatas.The String Trio No. 13 in A major (1925) delves into a wide range of emotions, beginning with a sunny “Con moto” of classical ease and grace, interrupted by serious interludes. This is followed by an “Andante tranquillo” in a pensive minor key with an insistent cello ostinato while the violin and viola engage in a wistful duet. In the “Allegro vivo e giocoso,” Röntgen imitates bagpipes through droning fifths and herky-jerky rhythms. The mood of the trio swings drastically in the final “Allegro,” which opens with a mournful dirge and a sad cello cantilena. The String Trio No. 14 in C minor (1928) is more sober, starting with an “Allegro” of serious purpose and mystery. A unison statement in the strings serves as a germinal idea from which all other material is derived. After a melancholy and lyrical “Andantino” comes a more harmonically daring and rhythmic “Allegro deciso.” The “Finale fugato” is the capstone of the work, abundant with rich expressive writing, neo-Baroque counterpoint, and inspired variations that play with dynamics, accents, timbre, and chromaticism. The fugato is a dense affair of forward motion and accumulation of energy.The String Trio No. 15 in C minor "Auto Trio" (1929) is quite the novelty owing to its “Finale automobilistico” movement: a musical picture of Röntgen’s exhilarating ride in a Fiat 509A Torpedo car, depicted in a photograph in the liner notes. This mock-intense finale is teeming with syncopated rhythms, ostinato figures, and stark accents and dissonance. Persistent baying repeated notes from the viola mimic honking sounds; a cute touch. The opening “Moderato” may suggest calmer moments during the car ride. Each instrument gets its turn as leader in the ensemble. Startling depth is reached in the “Andante,” a questioning and expressive piece reminding me of late Beethoven. The final String Trio No. 16 in C-sharp minor (1930) is much like its predecessors without much stylistic evolution. After an elegant "Andante tranquillo" reminiscent of late Beethoven, the “Lento ma non troppo” highlights a songful viola melody in a relaxed soundscape. There are spurts of tension and a recurring idea that sounds uncannily like a theme from Brahms’s First Symphony. The “Allegro passionato” finale is stormy and interrupted by weird rockets of whole-tone scales (Röntgen was more tonally adventurous by 1930).While the Offenburg String Trio gives adequate performances, they aren't as imposing as the Lendvai String Trio. For starters, Offenburg’s playing suffers from dry and poor spatial acoustics. The recorded sound is a step down when compared to Champs Hill records. Secondly, Offenburg is not as fluid as Lendvai. Their dynamics are too flat, in some instances their intonation is rough, and their tonal quality is no match for Lendvai's creamy blend.
