This new disc showcasing the considerable cellistic talent of
German-Canadian soloist Johannes Moser follows hot on the heels
of a Hänssler CD of concertos by Martinů, Hindemith
and Honegger - see review.
Why these two items? Apart from the fact that Britten and Shostakovich
were close contemporaries and unlikely friends, both works,
close contemporaries themselves, were written for the great
Russian soloist Mstislav Rostropovich.
In the Shostakovich Concerto Moser has plenty of stiff competition.
Rostropovich himself with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene
Ormandy just reissued on Regis is an absolute bargain (RRC 1385),
enhanced still further by its coupling with David Oistrakh and
Mravinsky's Leningrad Philharmonic in the First Violin Concerto,
that Oistrakh recording also available on a bumper 6-CD Shostakovich
commemoration together with Alexander Ivashkin's recording of
the First Cello Concerto with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra
under Valeri Polyansky (Brilliant 8860) - the star-studded set
costing little more than a single full-price CD. In the mid-price
range the Rostropovich can be had in an all-Ormandy programme
coupled with the cracking First Symphony on a recent Sony Classics
re-release (88697858322). Daniel Müller-Schott on Orfeo
(C659081A) is a more recent and expensive, but true, contender,
coupled this time with the Second Cello Concerto. There are
a hatful more, many released or reissued in the last two or
three years.
Moser has described the Shostakovich Concerto as his "most important
musical companion since my teenage years", and such familiarity
is validated not only by the light he makes of the barrage of
technical difficulties, but by his authoritative, passionate
playing. By most measures, nevertheless, Britten's Cello Symphony
is the greater work: in size, originality, lyricism, and in
almost mystical depth. It too is very well served by top recordings,
including Rostropovich's classic performance on Decca with the
English Chamber Orchestra or on EMI with the Moscow Philharmonic,
in both cases conducted by Britten himself. Both are available
in numerous Britten- or Rostropovich-themed boxed sets, but
also on older, cheaper single discs, including as a pair on
this
one. There are also several very decent newer recordings.
At any rate, Moser gives an eloquent, rich-toned, enchanting
account of both works, holding the listener particularly in
thrall in the Cello Symphony cadenza. With the support of WDR
Sinfonieorchester Köln, unsung but one of Germany's finest
orchestras, and Pietari Inkinen, young but an experienced conductor
of several other great German orchestras, Moser need not worry
about these recordings being compared with those of Rostropovich
- musically, these are in most regards as good as any.
Sound quality is pretty good, though not quite immaculate -
there is a minor lack of definition in the strings, only really
noticeable in the Shostakovich. Moser's breathing is occasionally
audible, though again fairly negligible. In the Britten, the
cello is given soloist prominence by the engineers in a way
that is possibly not entirely in the dialogic spirit Britten
intended for this work, but at least it makes it easier to focus
on Moser's compelling playing. The German-English booklet is
attractive with plenty of detail, including notes by the German
musicologist Eckardt van den Hoogen, thankfully not in controversial
form today, though still liable to typical affectation.
Byzantion
Collected reviews and contact at reviews.gramma.co.uk
Johannes Moser (cello) 