Great Moments... - CC1006

"Great Moments in Cello Playing"

Some of the finest recordings ever made on the cello including several rare examples not heard before on CD.

CC1006

A personal selection by the renowned cellist and collector, Keith Harvey, of some of the most spectacular and treasured recordings of the last century. While some of the artists represented will be familiar to many, there are also several included whose work will astonish afficionados of string playing of the highest order. This is the second in Cello Classics’ historical series.

• Zara Nelsova - Emanuel Moor    Prelude Op.123 
• Pablo Casals - Haydn/Piatti    Minuett and Variations    
• Arnold Földesy - Popper    Spinning Song
• Emanuel Feuermann - Haydn/Klengel    Concerto in D Op. 102: Cadenza
• Maurice Marechal - Caix d'Hervelois    Plainte
• Samuel Mayes - J.S. Bach    St. John Passion :"All is Fulfilled"
• Anthony Pini - Elgar    Concerto: Final part of Mvt. 4    
• Daniil Shafran - Ibert    Le Petit Âne Blanc (Little White Donkey)   
• Ennio Bolognini - Bolognini    Serenata del Gaucho   
• Gregor Piatigorsky - Schubert    Introduction, Theme & Variations
• Pierre Fournier - Debussy    Rêverie
• Maurice Gendron - Moszkowski    Guitare Op. 45. No. 2
• George Neikrug - Ravel    Kaddisch
• Janos Starker - Popper    Etude Op.73 No. 28 in A
• Alexandre Gotgelf  - Shaporin    Scherzo
• Mischa Maisky - Tschaikovsky    Eugen Onegin: Lensky's Aria
• Alexander Rudin - Rimsky-Korsakov    Fantasy on "Le Coq d'Or"
  

"(This) collection provides an impressive variety of cellistic possibilities, with both lyrical and dazzling playing. For instance, Ennio Bolognini's own composition - Serenata del Gaucho - demonstrates what pizzicato is all about, while the bold and heroic melody in Emmanuel Moor's Prelude is admirably served by Zara Nelsova's glorious tone qualities. Equally impressive in their technical wizardry are Arnold Földesy - Popper's pupil - who is near to arrogant with his fluent accomplishment of of the master's Spinning Song, while Alexandrer Gotgelf's rendition of Shaporin's Scherzo is technically awesome. of the more recent items, Alexander Rudin sparkles in the fiendishly difficult transcription of Rimsky-Korsakov's Fantasy on Le Coq D'or recorded in 1983. With recordings stretching from 1916 to 1997, the sound quality is variable but the plethora of gold nuggets makes this an interesting CD."
Joanne Talbot   The Strad   March 2002