With the exception of , the most famous composers of the Spanish golden age of the late 19th and early 20th centuries avoided classical forms, seeking new formal parameters for Spanish-inspired material. However, they had contemporaries who, while by no means rejecting the nationalist impulse, merged it with more conventional forms. The four piano trios performed here by the offer excellent examples of the riches to be found, and only the impassioned , of , is all common on concert programs. The 's performances are impressive. All its members are of Russian background, but the deeply lyrical mode works well in this repertory, which would seem to have gems aplenty to offer. Consider the opening of , composed in 1886. Each movement features a Spanish dance, respectively a Bolero, Habanera, and a group of Seguidillas gitanas. preceded with his Habanera by a few years, but ' trio has all the feeling of freshness one could desire. The is a seriously virtuosic work. is all but unknown these days, but his intriguingly combine impressions of regional scenes with one of . Another major draw is the sound from the reliably strong engineering team of , here working at Skywalker Sound in California; the famed had a hand in it. Physical album buyers get an extensive booklet with lots of background, but one should hear this release in whatever format may be available. ~ James Manheim