In reaction to negative criticism on his compositions, German composer Max Reger reacted: Ich sitze in dem kleinsten Zimmer in meinem Hause. Ich habe Ihre Kritik vor mir. Im nächsten Augenblick wird sie hinter mir sein! (I am sitting in the smallest room of my house. I have your review before me. In a moment it will be behind me!). When I was reading this I was myself sitting in one of those rooms.
Reger wrote his first string trio in 1904, and his second a couple of months from his untimely death, in 1915. I admit I sometimes see string trios as quartets with a missing second violin. The unbalanced nature of these compositions feels like these are broken quartets. I also had some trouble with this recording, interesting as the subject might be.