Originally released in 1977, this recording by The George Malcolm Trio is published here on CD for the first time, and fittingly in Beethoven 2020 year. These are fresh, bold and musically great performances. The George Malcolm Piano Trio only lasted three years before the trio’s cellist Kenneth Heath died; this is their only recording and is a true testament of a wondeful ensemble partnership, full of verve and humour.

Beethoven’s Op.1 Piano Trios are startling in their freshness and forcefulness, but there is a lot more to them than that. For one thing, they teem with witty touches, something that is brought out by performances like these, by three friends. The senior player, who gave his name to the group, was George Malcolm (1917- 1997), studied the piano at the Royal College of Music and attended Balliol College, Oxford, before the war, during which he was an RAF bandmaster. Self-taught as a harpsichordist, he became best known for that avocation and for his work as a conductor and organist choirmaster – he was Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral (1947-1959).

The distinguished cellist Kenneth Heath (1919-1977) studied at the Northern College of Music (now part of the RNCM) in Manchester and later with Pierre Fournier in Paris. He was in the Hallé Orchestra in 1939, then following war service he was a member of the LSO (1946-1952) before becoming principal at Covent Garden (1952-1958), the LSO (1958-1963), the BBC SO (1963-1965) and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, with whom he made more than 150 recordings.

Christopher Hirons (born 1941), who studied with Clifford Knowles at the Royal Manchester College of Music and later with Kat Havas in London. He has spent his career leading one or other of Britain’s chamber orchestras.

“There cannot be a better Op.1 by any composer, and the George Malcolm Piano Trio conveys the attractions of these two works with skill and intelligence... You could not fail to enjoy this record.” – Gramophone, 1977