DAVID FINCKEL AND WU HAN TO RELEASE

THE COMPLETE PIANO TRIOS OF BEETHOVEN

Six leading violinists bring distinct voices

to the new ArtistLed recording

Benjamin Beilman · Chad Hoopes · Paul Huang

Kristin Lee · Arnaud Sussmann · Danbi Um

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

New York, NY — (September 9, 2026) Acclaimed musicians David Finckel and Wu Han announce the September 9 release of Beethoven's Piano Trios, a landmark new recording project bringing together six of today’s leading violinists — Benjamin Beilman, Chad Hoopes, Paul Huang, Kristin Lee, Arnaud Sussmann and Danbi Um — in a richly collaborative exploration of the composer’s complete works for piano trio. Inspired by the extraordinary individuality and evolution of Beethoven’s musical voice, the new ArtistLed recording traces the composer’s artistic journey.

The Artistic Decision: Six Violinists

David Finckel and Wu Han commented, “Many extraordinary qualities set Beethoven apart from other composers, but perhaps none is more remarkable than his refusal to repeat himself. Having played much Beethoven between the two of us, we still find ourselves inspired and challenged by every movement he composed. No two are alike, and no two works inhabit the same expressive world. Rehearsing and performing Beethoven’s six piano trios is indeed like coming to know six distinct individuals.

"This realization became the catalyst for this project’s conception: recording the trios with six different violinists. Each of them is more than a great instrumentalist. They are musicians with intelligence, passion, and unwavering commitment to artistic excellence, and their playing on these recordings is world-class."

The project’s spirit of collaboration continued throughout the production process. Each violinist took up residence at David Finckel and Wu Han’s Westchester County, New York home and recording studio. In collaboration with ArtistLed recording engineer and producer Da-Hong Seetoo, the musicians recorded one trio at a time, involving each guest artist in every stage of production and post-production to ensure a shared artistic vision for the finished recording."

David Finckel and Wu Han view this shared creative process as a hallmark of the ArtistLed approach that has defined their recordings for nearly three decades.

Beethoven Piano Trios

The piano trios recorded here span from Op. 1 - Ludwig van Beethoven’s first published works - to the monumental Op. 97 “Archduke” Trio of 1811, composed at the close of his “heroic” period and near the end of his career as a performing pianist. Even within the three Op. 1 trios, Beethoven reveals remarkably distinct expressive worlds, revealing a creative voice in constant evolution. The contrasting Op. 70 trios reflect a composer transformed by both artistic ambition and personal crisis, while the “Archduke” Trio points toward the expansiveness and emotional depth of Beethoven’s late style, honoring Classical tradition even as it anticipates the future. The result is a set of Beethoven trio recordings unlike any other, in which the distinct character of each work is mirrored by the individual artistry of its featured violinist, creating performances that are at once deeply personal and unified in vision.

Purchase & Streaming Info

RELEASE DATE: Sept. 9

LABEL: ArtistLed

FORMATS:

Digital, CD, and High-Resolution Audio

CAT ID: 26090-2

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

Physical CDs:

ArtistLed.com and select music retailers

Streaming:

Available on all major streaming platforms, including

Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and others

The Artists

From left to right: cellist David Finckel, pianist Wu Han and violinists Benjamin Beilman, Chad Hoopes, Paul Huang, Kristin Lee, Arnaud Sussmann and Danbi Um.

The violinists selected by David Finckel and Wu Han for this project have performed extensively with the duo throughout the United States and abroad in a broad range of repertoire, including Beethoven’s piano trios. Acclaimed as both soloists and chamber musicians, all are alumni of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Bowers Program and have since assumed prominent roles among the Society’s distinguished roster of artists.

Featured Violinists · Instruments

Click names below for biographical info on the artists

David Finckel and Wu Han

As preeminent concert artists, cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han are recognized worldwide for their exceptional performances, innovative programming and recording projects, and their deep commitment to fostering young talent in classical music. In recognition of their exceptional artistry and leadership, they jointly received Musical America’s Musician of the Year Award for their transformative impact on the field of chamber music. From New York stages to the premier concert halls across the United States, Europe and Asia, they have captivated audiences around the globe. Their repertoire spans the classical canon for cello and piano, includes commissioned works, and embraces the full breadth of chamber music literature for their instruments. Their wide-ranging musical activities include the establishment of Music@Menlo, Silicon Valley’s innovative chamber music festival where they have served as Artistic Co-Directors for 24 seasons. In addition, Wu Han serves as artistic director of several other major arts organizations, including La Musica in Sarasota and the Society of Four Arts in Palm Beach. Together they collaboratively curate more than 300 concerts annually. Since 2004, they have led the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center as Artistic Co-Directors, expanding its reach through performances, touring, educational initiatives, satellite series, and media projects; their contract was just renewed through 2032. Most recently, they were appointed Artistic Co-Directors of South Mountain Concerts in Massachusetts, one of the nation’s most historic and cherished chamber music series. Through their distinguished careers and their 40-year marriage, they have built audiences and shaped a new wave of musicians, igniting the industry and lifting chamber music more prominently to the national stage.

ArtistLed, an independent recording company established by cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han in 1997, evolved out of the desire of two musicians to produce recordings in an environment free from constraints: artistic, commercial, technical and procedural. ArtistLed is not as much a company as a means for musicians to record what they want the way they want, and to offer their records directly to the public. The musicians are controlling participants in every aspect of the recording process, from selecting the repertoire and recording venue to setting the sound, running the sessions, constructing the edits, and determining the final mix. The result is a performance which combines the excitement and spontaneity of a live concert with the sonic and musical perfection expected of a studio recording. To date, ArtistLed has released 24 recordings, all to critical acclaim.

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