Britten: Violin Concerto; Cello Symphony

Advantages: Everything you could ever want from a classical CD
Disadvantages: none

...I have purchased and listened to many types of music and as a classical pianist always like to explore new CD's. This album has so many classics on it and is delightful to listen to. Did you know that opening music in 2001 - A Space Odyssey was from Also Sprach Zarathustra by Strauss or that the background music in the British Airways TV commercial was the Flower Duet from the opera Lakme? This compilation album is perfect whether you are a lover of classical music or just interested to find out what it is all about. The track listing shows what can be expected on this wonderful CD. 1. Canon and Gigue in D Composed by Johann Pachelbel 2. 12 Concertos for Violin and Strings Composed by Antonio Vivaldi 3. Adagio in G minor Composed by Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni 4. Symphony No. 6, 'Pastoral' in F Composed by Ludwig van... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Highly burnished, engaging, musically intelligent and emotionally mature playing; beautiful tone is never saccharine.
Disadvantages: Nil.

...It would be one of the most daunting works to take on for any musician, given the history of its recording, yet British cellist Natalie Clein decided to do it. It took her some ten years to get to the point where she felt ready to tackle it again for posterity, and this CD gives her good reason to be proud. ELGAR'S CELLO CONCERTO AND DU PRÉ So what's so intimidating about Edward Elgar's Cello Concerto? Besides its call in the performer for technical virtuosity and a mature musical understanding of the piece, the concerto has also been inextricably linked with Jacqueline du Pré (1945 - 1987), cellist extraordinaire, who was tragically struck down at the prime of life by multiple sclerosis. Her landmark 1965 recording, made when she was just twenty (with John Barbirolli conducting the London Symphony Orchestra), is still hallowed by many... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: It is simply one of the finest pieces of music ever written
Disadvantages: How dare you ask of any disadvantges!?!

...and Circumstance March, and an Organ Sonata in B flat major. Apart from those there is nothing outside of sketches for some larger scale works, most notably a Piano Concerto, an opera "The Spanish Lady" and a Third Symphony (which has been masterfully elaborated by Anthony Payne to a full-length work). Apart from those works, Elgar was silent, and spent most of his time between 1919 and his death in 1934 in the recording studios, where he also gave the world the best performance of his Violin Concerto with the 15-year-old Yehudi Menuhin in 1932. As to the Cello Concerto, Elgar never lived to see its success, but perhaps he never needed to. Perhaps he already knew its value himself to care much. If anything, the Elgar Concerto is among my top ten all time favourite compositions ever, though it doesn't quite surpass the Dvorak Cello Concerto from being my... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful