Boccherini: Cello Concertos, Vol 1

Advantages: Some powerfully exciting music
Disadvantages: Recording can't do it complete justice

...of the two timpanists here. Timpani are those huge drums otherwise known as kettle-drums, which can be tuned so that it is possible to play a tune on them if you have enough of them. In this works there are fourteen of the brutes, which take two players to cope with them. The other timpanist is Evelyn Glennie, one of Britain’s best-loved musicians. It should be enough to say that about her without mentioning anything else but going against political correctness, I’ll add here for anyone who hasn’t heard of her that she is profoundly deaf. If you’ve ever heard her play “Flight Of The Bumblebee” on the xylophone you’ll know what an astonishingly brilliant performer she is, regardless of her handicap. This just increases one’s admiration and astonishment. *** Track By Track *** 1 Cello Concerto: Movement 1.This opens with a darkly... Read review

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Advantages: Gorgeous music, played with much passion
Disadvantages: None really

...and this is evident here right from the start. There is some beautiful dialogue between solo cellist and orchestra in particular with the 1st clarinet - very well played by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Most of the time Carlos Kalmar keeps them on a tight leash, enabling clear and transparent textures, yet always allowing the soloist to sing through, but at one point where there is a fortissimo climax leading up to an ecstatic statement of the main theme - he lets the orchestra loose - and one can hear them revelling in the moment! Great climax which makes you wish you were playing! Listening to this easily accessible and instantly enjoyable piece, one wonders why on earth it is not more often played or heard. Perhaps it is because it has the most exquisitely subtle ending where the cello flies upwards into the heaven... Read review

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Advantages: The Best Recording Ever
Disadvantages: None

...listen (and I’m on my third consecutive playing as I type!) Written much earlier than the Cello Concerto, in 1899, the Sea Pictures are scored for full orchestra and alto voice, in this case, Dame Janet Baker. There are 5 pieces, all of which summon up the sea quite effectively, while maintaining Elgar’s distinctive ‘English’ sound. 1. Sea-Slumber song. The first song in the set is lilting and low, and Janet Baker’s bell-like like alto voice is gentle and passionate, well-balanced at both ends of the spectrum. All the songs are in English and the CD booklet provides the words, so you could have a go a singing along yourself. But you’ll sound pants- Baker makes it sound easy, but of course it isn’t. 2. In Haven. Are you feeling safe? This is a simple, plaintive melody. Baker sings with a delicately... Read review

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