Saint-Saens: Cello Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 and other works
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CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS
Saint-Saens: Cello Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 and other works
Truls Mørk (cello) Louis Lortie (piano), Hélène Mercier (piano) & Alasdair Malloy (glass harmonica) / Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Neeme Järvi
[ Chandos SACD / Hybrid SACD ]
Release Date: Sunday 10 January 2016
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The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Neeme Järvi present this unusual collection of popular works by Saint-Saëns, for orchestra and piano or cello.
Truls Mørk, this season Artist in Residence with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, is the soloist in the two contrasted cello concertos. His 'seemingly flawless technical command' is tested in the suave, expressive, famous No. 1 as well as in the many taxing solo passages, huge leaps, and double-stopping flourishes of No. 2.
The indefatigable duo Louis Lortie and Hélène Mercier join in the posthumously published Carnival of the Animals, after a highly successful recording of Concertos by Poulenc with Edward Gardner, Disc of the Week in The Sunday Times. They offer the original version, which features a glass harmonica (normally substituted by a glockenspiel). Louis Lortie is also the soloist in the entertaining fantasia Africa, which incorporates folk tunes of the different countries in which it was composed and which is brought off with consummate zest, as well as in the most characteristic and probably challenging of the composer's keyboard pieces, the Caprice-Valse Wedding-cake, written for the second wedding of the composer's virtuosic pianist friend Caroline Montigny-Rémaury.
"This is one of those recordings where it seems invidious to look for faults and which just encourages you to sit back, relax, listen and wallow. Mørk brings his characteristic incisiveness and mountain-spring tone to the concertos...The Grande fantaisie zoologique receives one of its most successful performances on disc (sans narrator) with just the right balance of instrumental virtuosity, sensitive musicianship and, where the opportunity presents itself, fun." (Editor's Choice Gramophone Jan 2016)
"Truls Mørk is the soloist in both cello concertos. Mørk is a wonderful performer and no part of either concerto phases him for one moment. With a lively and cleanly articulated accompaniment from Neeme Järvi and the Bergen Philharmonic, recorded in the lovely acoustic of the Grieghallen, both pieces are a joy to hear. The recording is a Chandos-best. The clarity and spaciousness are exemplary, giving the icing on this very appealing musical cake. It should be bought immediately by everyone." (MusicWeb Feb 2016)
"This typically generous, 76-minute, Chandos album is almost two for the price of one: You get both of Saint-Saëns's thoroughly engaging cello concertos from veteran Norwegian cellist Truls Mørk, of whom we hear too little these days, and then the pianists take over. The Bergen Philharmonic yet again puts on a five-star show under the hugely experienced Neeme Järvi. Not to be missed by anyone who likes lively romantic music with big tunes." (ClassicFM)
Tracks:
Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 33
Truls Mørk (cello)
Cello Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 119
Truls Mørk (cello)
Le carnaval des animaux
Louis Lortie (piano), Hélène Mercier (piano) & Alasdair Malloy (glass harmonica)
Africa - Fantasie for piano & orchestra Op. 89
Louis Lortie (piano)
Wedding Cake - Valse-Caprice for piano & strings, Op. 76
Louis Lortie (piano)
