This 12-disc set does indeed contain all of Brahms' acknowledged chamber works (the original version of the first Piano Trio and the possibly spurious-possibly authentic Fourth Piano Quartet are left out). And although the standard caveats for box sets holds here - the quality of the performers is mixed and better performances of all the works are available on single discs - there is no denying that this is a superlative set. Among the best performances are the Raphael Ensemble's warmly soulful interpretations of the string sextets and string quintets, Thea King's richly lyrical accounts of the clarinet sonatas and quintet, and Lawrence Power's deeply affecting readings of the viola sonatas and trio. But the Florestan Trio's performances of the piano trios have plenty of power and nuance, the New Budapest Quartet's take on the string quartets is filled with strength and subtlety, and Krysia Osostowicz's interpretations of the violin sonatas have nearly as much light and beauty as the best performances of the past. Some listeners might wish that Steven Isserlis' accounts of the cello sonatas were more reserved or that Marc-Andre Hamelin and the Leopold String Trio's readings of the piano quartets had less of an "all-star" and more of a "team player" feel. But even these performances come off as more committed and more musical than most available. In sum, then, if you could have only one box set of Brahms' complete chamber, this one is well worth considering. Recorded between 1983 and 2006, Hyperion's digital sound is consistently clear, cool, and deep. ~ James Leonard, Rovi
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