Eugen D'Albert: Cellokonzert C-dur op.20 auf CD

Product-Information:

Hyperion is delighted to introduce the highly sought-after German cellist Alban Gerhardt to the label with these dazzling performances of three cello concertos written within the span of five years either side of the close of the nineteenth century. This disc is a fitting start to Hyperion's new series of Romantic Cello Concertos; a follow-up to the highly successful Romantic Piano
Concerto series and Romantic Violin Concerto series. The Slovak-born Dohnányi grew up with the sound of the cello in his ears – his father was an excellent amateur cellist – and his understanding of instrument shows in his Konzertstück Op 12; its lyricism and emotional urgency suggest an acquaintance with Mahler's music but there is also more than a hint of Brahms and a splashing of Hungarian folksong. The Symphonie concertante, Op 8 is an astonishingly assured composition produced by the Romanian-born George Enescu in his late teens. The piece is an innovative and virtuosic masterpiece, with luminous orchestral textures. The talented composer was also a fine cellist. D'Albert was born in Glasgow in 1864 into a prestigious family. His ancestors included the composer Domenico Alberti, after whom the Alberti bass takes its name, and his paternal grandfather was an adjutant to Napoleon I. He was taught composition by Arthur Sullivan and his pianistic skills were hailed by none other than Liszt when he went to study with the great master in Vienna. His cello concerto, written in 1899, is unusual in that it opens with the principal theme played by the oboe and then clarinet before finally passing to the soloist. Interestingly all three composers use the single-movement structure subdivided into sections of differing tempi created by Liszt in his symphonic poems. As befits a solo instrument of such vocal quality, long lines of unfolding melody are common to all the works, and all are beautifully ›sung‹ by the soloist accompanied by stalwarts of the
Concerto repertoire, the BBCSSO, on top form as ever.

Rezensionen

»The lush lyricism and engaging virtuosity of the idiomatic solo writing is graced by a quite superb soloist of whom I hope we shall be hearing much more« (Classic FM Magazine)

»Enescu's Symphonie Concertante predictably provides sturdier pleasure, with its unstoppable torrents of cello song, intermittent Romanian colouring, and music of symphonic fibre« (The Times)

»Alban Gerhardt is the superb soloist in the lovely Dohnanyi piece, and he introduces the no less impressive
Concerto by d'Albert and Enescu's early Symphonie concertante« (The Independent)

»Gerhardt's playing, with its richly hued tone, gets right to the heart of this music and brilliantly ignites the fireworks that the Enescu and d'Albert pieces have up their sleeves« (The Daily Telegraph)

Rezensionen

»Gerhardt bringt alles mit, was Cellospielen aufregend macht: einen anziehenden vibrierenden Ton, profunde Musikalität und ein überlegenes technisches Können, das wirkliche gestalterische Freiheit ermöglicht.​ Gerhardt weiß immer, was er tut, phrasiert auf den Punkt und ›erklärt‹ die Musik.​ Nur gut, dass er sich dabei auch auf Dirigent und Orchester verlassen kann.​« (FonoForum, Dezember 2005)
»Neben wundervoll melodiösen Passagen stellt das Cellokonzert in C-Dur derart virtuos-aufregende Anforderungen an den Solisten, dass einem Hören und Sehen vergeht.​ Alban Gerhardt meistert dieses Konzert übrigens mit einer atemberaubenden Bravour.​ Abgerundet wird d’Alberts Konzert mit zwei nicht minder spannenden Neuentdeckungen vom Ungarn Ernst von Dohnányi und dem rumänischen Nationalkomponisten George Enescu.​ Eine wahre Fundgrube also für unbeirrbare Romantiker und ein Glücksfall, dass sich Hyperion bei Vol.​ 1 des romantischen Cellokonzertes für Alban Gerhardt entschieden hat.​« (CLASS aktuell, März 2015)