There is really not a whole lot to say here. They don't play like this any more. The Beethoven sounds more like Schubert. The playing offers, "Cortot's tonal subtlety, Thibaud's refinement and elegance, and Casal's powerful attack and nobility of phrase – which neverless fused together into a remarkable unanimity…" as offered by Lionel Slater in his notes.
The sound is, of course, monaural, and the 1926 Schubert is slightly more distant than the 1928 Beethoven recording. There are no comparisons, however, for this is the real thing. The players here are making music, not just playing it. Nuff said.
Copyright © 2000, Robert Stumpf II