Saint-Saens - Cello Concerto 1 [Haimovitz/ Levine-Chicago Symphony Orchestra] 

Another new disc getting its first outing [and incredibly this Saint-Saens Cello Concerto makes its debut in my Blog too!], i remember way back i had a tape of several Cello Concertos, i believe it was Schumann / Lalo / Saint-Saens, or Offenbach, something like that, and i didn't like it, they didn't seem to fit the mould of Dvorak and Elgar, but now i've fallen for these Cello Concertos, and it means i'm always on the lookout for other worthy versions, hence the entrance of this disc, i like the programme, i like the idea of the Bruch piece, a work that i don't know well, and yes i enjoyed its acquaintance today [very much like some of his Scottish Fantasy], and on first listen i find it hard to pinpoint any uniqueness from any other disc of the same music, so the jury is out, and it's always the Composer / work i listen to foremost on first go, and then later i can start listening to Artists / interpretations, so today was just basking in this lovely music, listening to Saint-Saens rather than Haimovitz / Levine.

Matt Haimovitz is Israeli i guess, born in 1970, making him 42 today, but his parents moved to America when he was five, and i now believe he lives in Canada, he made this recording in 1988 when he was only 17, and you can see the boyish looks in the photograph [by Christian Steiner], a nice inventive shot of Haimovitz and Levine, with the cello between them, the black background lends a spotlit quality to the shot, nice colours.

Schumann - Cello Concerto [Brantelid/ Schonwandt-Danish National Symphony Orchestra] 

At one time i didn't think much of Cello Concertos outside of Dvorak and Elgar, and it's only been somewhat recently that i've changed my mind, Schumann / Saint-Saens / Lalo all bring something exciting to the table, so it's good to hear these works again through a new disc from a young Cellist, this comes on EMI's 'Debut' series, showcasing new talent that don't normally get the opportunity to record a disc, and then made available to the public at a medium price to tempt buyers to explore, as well as hopefully launch a recording career, Schumann's Cello Concerto is a strong work, not as good as his Piano Concerto, but certainly stronger than his Violin Concerto, there's some great tunes lurking around every corner in this Concerto, and i played this exact disc / work in 2011 [14th October 2011].

Andreas Brantelid is Scandinavian, i think he's Danish, i guess he's now 25, very much a youngster still, and he recorded this work in 2007 at 20 years old, the photography throughout is truly excellent [by Christoffer Askman], showing Brantelid on a couch, lovely pose, bow in hand, but it's the colour schemes that bring the whole thing to life, red and purple really make the colours sing, and it all looks visually appealing.

It's amazing how Schumann can create a Concerto which is not well known like a Violin or Piano Concerto, and yet still be chock full of good tunes, on this disc this Concerto lasts nearly 24 minutes, and yet this 'significant' central movement only last just over 4 minutes, but it's the significant glue that binds the first and last movements together, the whole Concerto is played without a break, it's this little 'Langsam' imp that i just loved today, it's hard to officially know where it begins, there's a sort of slow bridge at the end of the first movement, which prepares us for the second movement proper, gently pulsing pizzicato from the strings, create the backdrop for the cello to to spin it's lyrical song in F Major [0:00-0:50], the pizzicatos remain a feature throughout, then there comes a central section where Brantelid duets with the principle Cellist [1:39-2:20], at the end you can hear the music is preparing for the final movement, and it gets more stormy, the movement is a lovely oasis in the middle of a large desert, how amazing something so major can be achieved in 4 minutes.

Here's Andreas Brantelid playing the Schumann Concerto on YouTube, the second movement starts at [11:10].

Schumann - Cello Concerto [Harrell/ Marriner-The Cleveland Orchestra] 

As far as Cello Concerto 'compilations' go, this is a real favourite of mine, three great Cello Concertos on one disc, and if you leave behind probably the greatest two Cello Concertos [Dvorak & Elgar], then these are the three main candidates in the Romantic era, and what a great instrument the cello is, it's a shame Composers like Beethoven / Vaughan Williams / Sibelius etc didn't write Cello Concertos [i guess the same applies to Guitar Concertos], with Lynn Harrell in great form, and a superb booklet picture, this is a disc to play again and again, and a disc to treasure, starting to develop a regularity in my Blog, appearing twice before [21st November 2011 & 6th July 2010].

Lynn Harrell is American, he is now 68, he recorded this Concerto in 1981, and like i've said before, the Decca Eclipse issue is one hell of a stunning picture, i'm sure there's a warm filter to enhance those field of poppies, over half of the picture is of the field, and a small part of the picture is of the farmhouse, but it all works perfectly, one of the most stunning disc booklet pictures, and enhances the music no end.

Out of these three Concertos on this disc, it was the Schumann which got me the most excited, it's not as good as his Piano Concerto, but i believe it's very underrated, the beautiful slow movement is gorgeous, a lovely meditation, on this recording the whole Concerto is given one track on the disc, roughly the first movement is the first half of the work, and the movements are roughly split up as 12 / 4 / 8, and it's this short four, maybe five minutes that is a treasure, it starts at [11:12], the cello singing a melancholy low tune, while the strings are a slow pizzicato [11:12-12:06], i love the way the cello plays so entrancingly, bowing more than one string at once [13:02-13:54], the opening slow movement theme comes back, and then with slightly faster and louder music, it creates a bridge which leads into the third movement [15:51+], a lovely short central section of this very inventive Concerto.

Here's Mischa Maisky playing the slow movement on YouTube, Leonard Bernstein conducting.

Lalo - Cello Concerto [Rolland/Varga-BBC Philharmonic] 

This is a lovely disc, a well chosen programme, and a well thought out visual presentation, Cello Concerto's don't get the same rap as either their piano or violin counterparts, unless of course you're Dvorak or Elgar, and of course the 'theme' of this disc is French Composers, there are so many other Cello Concerto's out there i have yet to taste, but it's good to delve into these deeper, very rewarding indeed, the recording isn't great, it needs more transparency, it's too close and dull, there's a hint of mono-ness to it.

Sophie Rolland is Canadian, she's now 51, she recorded this disc in 1993, the booklet photograph [by Julian Easten] is what first brought my attention to this disc, a superb idea for a portrait, full body height shot showing the cello, the lovely wisp of movement shown in the trailing dress, and the back heel, the highlights in the wood of the cello and the polished floor really add some sheen to the shot, and the open draped windows looking out onto the decorative wall, topping it all is the light coloured box with the lettering in, which is opaque to see the background through, though the cello remains in bold over it, a very well thought out booklet indeed, and it just makes an excellent disc of music into something altogether greater.

Well it's the first movement which is full of dramatic intensity, the beginning sounds sinister, with strong orchestral forte exclamations throughout [0:00-0:29], it certainly has you on the edge of your seat, and one after another there's five of these forte 'full stops' in a row [1:16-1:20], however there's also hints of something more softer and sweeter trying to poke through the anger, and this takes on full blown proportions like a slow movement within the first movement [3:17-4:51], loads of tenderness and gentleness here, the music however much it tries to escape, keeps coming back to the opening phrases, the aching tender cello strains return [7:37+], the first movement is more like a Fantasy for Cello and Orchestra, it's like a love / hate relationship in a marriage, there's anger and sweetness interspersed, like a couple that have a blazing row, then kiss and make up, only to row and kiss again, and again and again, the movement ends on a serious note of dramatic yelling! [12:55-13:15], very powerful extremes of light and dark, i love it, oh, and it's in D Minor, my key of 'death'. 

Here's Rocco Filippini playing the first movement on YouTube.

Dvorak - Cello Concerto [Maisky/Mehta-Berliner Philharmoniker] 

A regular disc in my Blog [19th April 2011 & 7th May 2010], and this disc is becoming quite a treasure to me, the Strauss work is not one i immediately warm to, so while it's attached to a work that i love, it means that it gets played in my life, and i'm starting to find my way around there, the Dvorak is chock a block full of good tunes, and Maisky is very individual, playing this work hundreds of times live, and the Berliner Philharmoniker is lush, there's a great ambiance in the recording too, a work which i love to hear again and again.

Mischa Maisky is Latvian, born in 1948, he's 64 now, he recorded this live performance in 2002, the front [and back] cover [by Susesch Bayat] is excellent, showing Maisky and Mehta outside the Berlin Philharmonie, i like the way it's a cream background, with the dark clothing, it creates a perfect place for the lettering, the Composers are in bold white, the works in bold grey, and the performers in smaller lettering, i like the way it's all laid out.

The Adagio second movement is akin to Dvorak's slow movement in his Ninth Symphony, sounds like they're cut from the same cloth, the woodwinds [especially the clarinet] start with a wistful yet soothing refrain [0:00-0:32], what a lovely introduction, and after the initial notes of the cello, these same forces come back even more wistful [0:55+], and the cello joins in with a dialogue, there's a perfect feel to the whole thing, there's an enormous great thunder of a forte [2:38-2:51], nicely shocks you out of your seat, and Dvorak's writing when things cool down is superb [2:52+], a tremendous flow to the cello line, and busy muted violins, there's lovely use of oboe throughout, certainly Dvorak knows how to add just the right texture of a woodwind to create melancholy, about halfway through the horns play a low serenade [5:36-6:31], something that Bruckner would have been proud of, it lasts nearly a minute, and leads into a sort of cello cadenza, but there's the odd flute bird twitter, then it gets really nostalgic, the woodwinds are almost in tears of sadness [7:57-8:21], it's a beautiful moment, toward the end there's a sort of coda, reminds me of the way Bruckner closes down the Adagio of the Eighth, lots of delicacy and regret, one of Dvorak's greatest creations.

Here's Jian Wang playing the slow second movement on YouTube, Gustavo Dudamel conducting.

Lalo - Cello Concerto [Chang/Pappano-Orchestra Dell Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia] 

A disc that's easy to miss in the plethora of discs on the market, this is another issue that makes its first appearance in my Blog, as well as its first appearance in my disc player, the major problem i find with this disc is, that it's neither a true recital disc, with say 10 concertante pieces, neither is it a Concerto disc, with possibly 3 Cello Concertos, it's a bit of one, and a part of the other, i like recital discs as you can slap them on random, and listen to the next piece that you're not sure what you're going to get next, with a Concerto in the mix, you can't really do that, but that aside, there's some great music to be had here.

Han-Na Chang is South Korean, she will be 30 this year, how quickly she has grown up, a child prodigy, she won the Fifth Rostropovich International Cello Competition when she was 11 years old, she made this live Concerto recording in 2006, the front cover photograph is cute [by Sheila Rock], the main lettering in light pink, while her dress is in dark pink, lovely colours, and just look at those dimples!.

Here's William Molina Cestari playing the first movement on YouTube, with Gustavo Dudamel conducting.

Schumann - Cello Concerto [Harrell/ Marriner-The Cleveland Orchestra]

This is fast becoming a charming Cello Concerto for me, i think Dvorak reigns supreme, but this is a joy getting to know this, i played this last year during the summer [6th July 2010], and it's becoming quite a favourite, after the Elgar and Dvorak, this triptych makes a fine collection for what's on offer next, and it's good that the Harrell's interpretations are gathered together all on one disc.

Lynn Harrell is American, now 67 years old, he recorded this work in 1981, the front cover is simply gorgeous [by P Ingrand], i take it a filter was used to bring out the strong colours, 60% of the picture consists of a poppy field, nicely weighted, the eye is drawn to the villa, all couched in a summer glow, this is probably the best picture in Decca's Eclipse series.

Well it was the middle slow movement that i liked the best, it's the shortest movement, here it's just under 4 minutes, or roughly 16% of this Concerto, but it's like an oasis that refreshes the other two longer 'droughts' either side!, Harrell makes some heartfelt pleadings in this middle, sadly the tracklisting makes the whole Concerto just one long mammoth single track of over 25 minutes, the slow movement appears at 10:46, and almost out of nowhere brakes are placed on the proceedings, there's a wonderful tune on the cello [11:13-12:06], with accompanying pizzicato strings, very gentle and heartfelt sounds come from the cello, delicate and pleading [13:03-13:54], some of the very best things are within the central section of this these pages, the opening tune of the slow movement reappears [13:56-14:50], of which the movement ends with, there's compassion mixed with sorrowful tears, it's just sheerly beautiful.

Here's Luca Franzetti playing the second movement on YouTube.