Of the two concertos on this disc, the D major was until the 1960s
regarded as “the” Haydn cello concerto. Then in 1961 the C major
concerto was discovered in the National Museum in Prague. It is thought to
predate the D major concerto by about twenty years, and is of a quite
different character, being much more animated and outgoing. The D major is
actually the more difficult, with a high-lying solo part that is a real test
of a cellist’s intonation. Along with the Boccherini and Leonardo Leo
concertos - and, slightly later, those by Romberg - these concertos are
major works in a period when the cello was just coming into its own as a
solo instrument. They are performed here by the young Dutch cellist Harriet
Krijgh with the Vienna Kammerphilharmonie. Cello tragics will take special
note of her instrument, made in 1690 by Hendrik Jacobs in Amsterdam.
The C major concerto sets off at a near ideal tempo, calm yet
playful, and the orchestral playing generally is crisp and poised. Although
there is no indication that period instruments are used, the influence of
the historically-informed approach can be heard in the careful delineation
of the rests and finely graduated dynamics. Krijgh has a warm, woody tone
which is attractive. The slow movement has an intimate address, rising to an
intense climax. Krijgh’s bow changes are delightfully smooth and her
intonation secure throughout. The solo part in the lively finale features
cleanly played chords and agile bowing. The orchestra plays an ideal support
role, staying in the picture but never drowning the solo line.
Had the D major concerto been on the same level this disc would have
been a winner, but unfortunately it is a bit of a let-down. The
Allegro
moderato feels a bit sluggish, and gives the impression that the soloist
is not really engaging with the music. Krijgh’s phrasing is again
finely sculpted, and she varies her tone in the extended arpeggio passages
by bowing closer to the bridge. Her technique is more than up to the
challenges this work poses, but her upper strings seem to lack projection in
the finale. The orchestral contribution is again finely done. The recording
is a bit distant, adding to an occasionally rather disengaged feeling.
I went back to a couple of old favourites for comparison. Jacqueline
du Pré recorded these concertos in the 1960s with the English Chamber
Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Barenboim. The C major work was the only one
released at the time, coupled with the dated Grützmacher
“arrangement” of the Boccherini Concerto in B flat. EMI released
both Haydn concertos in an economical box set in the 1980s, with other
standard repertoire including her classic Elgar concerto with Barbirolli.
The present Capriccio version has a lot going for it; du Pré plays
with her usual conviction, and the accompaniment is stylish, with an
attractive bloom on the recorded sound. Pierre Fournier’s recording of
the D major concerto with the Festival Strings Lucerne shows that it is
possible to invest this unassuming work with personality. This impression is
borne out by the timings, with Fournier getting through the first movement
over a minute quicker than Krijgh. The backward wind balances and heftier
orchestral playing mark this out as a performance from the pre-HIP era, but
Fournier’s solo has great humanity.
The C major concerto is excellent, but the D major lacks
personality.
Guy Aron
