It was, therefore, rather surprising that the arch-Romantic Robert Schumann should have decided, in 1850, to essay his Cello Concerto in A minor, Op 129. (Those of the respected Hamburg composer and cello virtuoso Bernhard Romberg (1767–1841), whose cello works were studied by Brahms, are worth investigation.) The reason for the genre’s eclipse has much to do with the growth in size and dynamic power of the orchestra, to a point where it was considered that the cello, with its modest tone and predominantly middle-to-low tessitura, would be unable to project itself effectively against the powerful, colourful massed voices of the Romantic orchestra. And though important composers continued to write important cello sonatas, very few concertos were written until the middle of the nineteenth century, and none of note have survived in the repertoire. Mozart wrote nothing of consequence for solo cello Beethoven, his great sonatas for the instrument notwithstanding, scrupled to pit it against an orchestra except in the modest role it takes in his Triple Concerto. But when the opening bars of the Schumann concerto spread their magic and Alban Gerhardt articulates the insatiable longing of the theme, then Volkmann, Dietrich and Gernsheim cannot but move to the back row“ (Süddeutsche Zeitung, Germany)Īfter a promising beginning in the later eighteenth century at the hands of such masters as Haydn and Boccherini, the cello concerto as a genre languished for many decades. The accompaniment of the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra under Hannu Lintu is very emphatic. He realises the works of Brahms’s three friends with vital virtuosity and an intensity of playing that raises them to pieces of a high rank. The fact that thoughts of this kind come up at all, that one is so fascinated by the difference as well as the similarity of the sound languages, is due to Alban Gerhardt’s brilliant cello approach. With its network of symphonic style it might remind one of Brahms or, no less, of Elgar. Now, to the Schumann work, he has added three others that were composed in the circle around Schumann and Brahms … Volkmann’s virtuoso a-minor concerto, in its key and single-movement form, reminds one, rather distantly, of Schumann’s both familiar and alienating miracle in sound … the concerto in C minor by Gernsheim was published in 1907. On the first he presented works by Ernst von Dohnányi, Eugène d’Albert and George Enescu. „Alban Gerhardt, one of the most inquisitive, versatile and, above all, best cello virtuosos of our times has now recorded a second CD with romantic works for his instrument. Having to play the same five or six pieces constantly leads to burnout for most soloists’ (Der Tagesspiegel, Germany) To this extent, Gerhardt’s spirit of discovery is also a strategy of frustration avoidance. In case someone misunderstands: of course Schumann is the better composer, but the very thin canon of first-rate cello concerti could do with some expansion. On this voyage of discovery Alban Gerhardt again proves to be a skilled storyteller and a superb musical cicerone … a showpiece for collectors, and proof of the intelligence and far-sightedness of a cellist who combines virtuosity and content with a touch of genius … on the CD, The Romantic Cello Concerto, Gerhard couples it with the Gernsheim concerto and the also forgotten cello concerti of Brahms’ contemporaries Albert Dietrich and Robert Volkmann. The music becomes light and sanguine: qualities that can be praised on this CD as a whole … with neck-breaking thrills, Alban Gerhardt reaps musical acrobatic effects from this. The greatest discovery is probably the E minor Concerto by Friedrich Gernsheim … Alban Gerhardt plays this short work with voluptuous delicacy and lyric rapture. Read more: Yo-Yo Ma on how Bach’s Cello Suite No.‘Alban Gerhardt flourishes with cello personality, radiant colour and untiring eloquence in all of the concerti collected on this CD. They are remarkable not only for the way Bach makes his solo line dance and move, but also for their human quality, with every movement feeling like an exploration and a deep emotional journey.Īll six suites are incredible, and can be enjoyed as a set – but it’s the flowing, story-telling broken chords of the Prelude to the first suite which hold a unique power over players and listeners alike. Each suite is for solo cello and comprises a prelude followed by movements based on Baroque dance forms. These six extraordinary works tower over the entire cello repertoire and are both the starting point and the musical zenith, for any solo cellist.īaroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach wrote these works between 17, at a time of great artistic happiness while Kapellmeister in Köthen. What are the best works written for cello? Step this way for the most striking, stirring and inspiring works ever written for this beautiful instrument.
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