Sir Edward Elgar
(1857-1934) wrote his Cello Concerto
relatively late in his career, 1919, and because it appeared just after the
devastation of the First World War, much of it sounds rather solemn and
melancholy. Regardless, it quickly became one of the composer’s most-cherished
compositions. Although the 1965 EMI recording by cellist Jacqueline du Pre and
conductor John Barbirolli is still my benchmark in the work, the award-winning
cellist Sol Gabetta puts in a fine performance in this 2012 RCA release with
conductor Mario Venzago and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra.
Interestingly, Ms.
Gabetta was only a few years older than Ms. du Pre when she recorded the work.
Critics in 1965 initially faulted Ms. du Pre for putting too much spirit, too
much energy, into her interpretation, but Sir John, one of the world’s première
Elgarians, defended her saying that such exuberance was necessary; besides,
Elgar himself once remarked that he preferred vigorous readings of his works
because “I am not an austere man.” In any case, in the present recording Ms.
Gabetta walks a clear line between exuberance and somberness; perhaps one could
call it a lively, though gentle, solemnity.
The first and third
movements of the Concerto are
especially noteworthy for their wistful, nostalgic look back at a calmer, more
tranquil world before the Great War, and it is here that no one can accuse Ms.
Gabetta of being too spirited; she is, in fact, quite at peace with the world
in a heartfelt performance that commands one’s respect from start to finish.
The opening Adagio has a big, bold part for the
cello that starts immediately, although it strikes a rather solemn tone, taken
at a grave pace by Ms. Gabetta and Maestro Vengazo. Nevertheless, we also see
from the start that Ms. Gabetta is infusing the work with an appropriately
lyrical melancholy.
The second-movement Scherzo takes up almost immediately but
requires a moment or two to develop. Once underway, Ms. Gabetta provides a
virtuosic display of musicianship as she and her part in the proceedings
playfully banter back and forth with the orchestra. While the movement almost
appears out of place in the context of the rest of the piece, Ms. Gabetta does
her best to integrate it effectively.
The Adagio is the soul of the work, and Ms.
Gabetta delivers a moving rendition of it, reminding us of the seriousness of
Elgar’s intent. Its relationship to the first movement comes through more
obviously than ever.
The finale is the
most exuberant section of the music, yet Ms. Gabetta reminds us, subtly, of
what the piece is all about. It ends on a solidly positive note while still
being contemplative on the whole. Ms. Gabetta never overdramatizes the piece
nor sentimentalizes it. She steers a pretty straight course, keeping the
emotional side of the music well grounded in reality yet still conveying plenty
of emotion. If that sounds contradictory, Elgar meant the work to be as
conflicting as it sounds, part grave, part celebratory. The Great War had been
devastating, but it was over. There were new opportunities on the horizon, new
lives to live, a new world to make. Ms. Gabetta would seem to understand this.
Because the Cello Concerto is a short work, under
half an hour, the folks at Sony generously fill out the disc with a number of
shorter pieces for cello and orchestra of similar tone from Elgar, Dvorak, and
Respighi. Elgar’s Sospiri is touching
in its plaintive longing; the popular, light, and beautiful Salut d’amour seems notwithstanding
tinged with a degree of anxiety; and La
capricieuse sounds sweet and Romantic as Ms. Gabetta dances gently through
it.
The works by Dvorak
and Respighi are equally appealing in Ms. Gabetta’s hands. She maintains a
graceful, casual, flowing, and forceful mood throughout, each piece of music
always complementing the others.
RCA recorded the
album in November of 2009 at the Koncerthuset DR Byen, Copenhagen, Denmark,
with generally pleasing results. Although the sound is fairly close-up, with a
diminished sense of depth and space, it is not at all bright, hard, edgy, or
particularly compartmentalized. It comes across quite smoothly, with a
pleasantly lifelike warmth. The cello appears much closer than the rest of the
orchestra, which is perhaps its only real shortcoming; yet as this is a
concerto, after all, maybe it’s fitting that the soloist get as much as attention
as possible.
To hear a brief excerpt from this album, click here:
JJP
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