PENGUIN GUIDE TO COMPACT DISCS (Yearbook 2006/7):
These performances originate from the mid-1950s DG label, where they appeared in the then customary austere presentation of a simple yellow banner title, flanked by white borders. They are particularly strong accounts, tautly held together, sensitive and intelligent and, as far as we know, they have never been reissued before. The Geistertrio is even better than we remembered it. All three are wonderful players, and in particular the aristocratic cellist, Massimo Amfitheathof. The pianist Ornello Puliti Santoliquido is vital and imaginative, as is their violinist, Arrigo Pelliccia. Distinguished playing which it good to have after half a century’s absence from the catalogue.
Ivan March

GRAMOPHONE:
The new “historic” label Divine Art places us in its debt with a generally excellent reissue of Beethoven piano trio recordings by the superb Trio Santoliquido Op. 1 No 3 from 1942 and Opp 70 no 1 and 121a from 10 years later.

Unfortunate that Op. 1 No. 3’s first 78 side-break* (at about 3’10”) caught Divine’s transfer people off their guard. In 78 terms, the chord that ends “side one” is the same chord that opens “side two”; it shouldn’t occur twice, and there shouldn’t be a gap. But aside from that hiccup, the transfers are excellent.
Rob Cowan

CLASSIC RECORD COLLECTOR:
The Trio Santoliquido was founded in Rome in 1942 and from 1956 also played as the Quartetto di Roma with violist Bruno Giuranna. The group suffered from being overshadowed by the Trio di Trieste, perhaps because its members had other musical interests. All three taught and were soloists; the violinist took part in the Quintetto Boccherini and played viola; and the Russian-born cellist was equally busy.

The recording of the C minor trio, new to me, is delectable and more fine-boned than the contemporary one by the BBN Trio from Paris. The pianist is a classicist to her fingertips, throwing off pearl-like runs of notes with a consistently lovely tone, and her artistry is fully matched by her colleagues. The recording is also superb for 1942.

The “Ghost” will be more familiar to more readers, as it was re-issued on Heliodor. It is as splendid as I remember it, with a heartfelt slow movement. The players do not make as much of the introduction to the “Kakadu” Variations as some groups do, but give a very enjoyable performance. The early LP sound is slightly less agreeable than that from 78 rpm. This lovely disc carries an unequivocal recommendation.
Tully Potter

THE CULTURE MAGAZINE:
Recorded between 1942 -1952, Beethoven’s Piano Trios, numbers 3, 5 and 11 come in dynamically propelled and sensitively shaped performances testifying to why the Trio Santoliquido were regarded as among the finest of their day, too
Tom Hall