Brahms keenly sensed the shadow of Beethoven, saying ‘You do not know what it is like, hearing his footsteps constantly behind one’. The 2nd and 3rd Piano Trios show that Brahms had already achieved complete maturity and his unique voice was established: No.2 dates from 1880; No.3 from 1886. The three musicians on this album have enjoyed playing together for many years and this is the first album in a series that will see all the Brahms Piano Trios recorded as well as an album exploring Armenian chamber music. Mikayel Hakhnazaryan is cellist with the Kuss Quartet.