Vieuxtemps: Cello concertos

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

...symphonic aspirations. Eugene d'Albert (1864-1932) - Cello concerto in C major Op. 20: Despite his name d'Albert was actually a Glaswegian by birth! He started his career as a pianist and was regarded by Liszt as one of his best pupils. Like Dohnányi, d'Albert was very much a Brahmsian when it came to his compositions and Brahms also greatly admired the young man's work. D'Albert only wrote one cello concerto, which he completed in 1899. Again it is a work in one movement with 3 distinct sections as in traditional concerto form. As with the Dohnányi it has an absolutely gorgeous main theme, which reappears in different guises throughout the work, culminating eventually in a wonderfully exuberant ending - much enjoyed by the orchestra in this recording. One of the big selling points in this performance to any potential buyer... Read review

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

..., and wrote a melody in 9/8 time. In May, Elgar, his wife Alice, and daughter Carice went to their summer residence of Brinkwells, a cottage in Sussex, for some rural relaxation and healing (Elgar loved the countryside). Finally, in August, he suddenly was attacked by a great surge of creativity. He had his piano taken out of storage and wrote a Violin Sonata in E minor, Op.82, which was soon followed by the String Quartet in E minor, Op.83 and Piano Quintet in A minor, Op.84. This sudden surge showed a new streak of creative development in Elgar's music that was more elusive, economical and a million miles away from his bombastic past. The three works were premiered in May 1919, after which Elgar set out on his great summation of this new style (as well as career): the Cello Concerto in E minor, Op.85. There is not much documentation... Read review

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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... Read review

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