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Building a Library: Helen Wallace compares recordings of Walton's Concerto for Cello and Orchestra and makes a personal recommendation.
Walton's Cello Concerto dates from the time he lived on the Italian island of Ischia and shares with other works from this late period in his compositional career an air of relaxation and fun. But although it has escaped the extreme tension of his much earlier Viola Concerto, as with so many of Walton's works there is an undercurrent of restlessness. The composer had at last reached a point where he was comfortable eschewing standard forms; the concerto ends slowly and quietly prompting the dedicatee Gregor Piatigorsky, who commissioned and premiered the work, to request a change of ending.
Available versions:
Erling Blondal Bengtsson, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Zuohuang Chen
Robert Cohen, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Litton
Lynn Harrell, Lorin Maazel
Lynn Harrell, CBSO, Sir Simon Rattle
Tim Hugh, English Northern Philharmonia, Paul Daniel
Ralph Kirshbaum, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Alexander Gibson
Mark Kosower, Oregon Symphony Orchestra, James DePriest
Julian Lloyd Webber, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner
Yo Yo Ma, London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn
Daniel Müller-Schott, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, André Previn
Gregor Piatigorsky, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch
Gregor Piatigorsky, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent
Christian Poltéra, São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, Frank Shipway
Li-Wei Qin, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Zhang Yi
Pieter Wispelwey, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Jeffrey Tate
Raphael Wallfisch, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bryden Thomson (download)
Jamie Walton, Philharmonia Orchestra, Alexander Briger (including 1975 revised ending)
Paul Watkins, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner
Building a Library: Helen Wallace compares recordings of Walton's Concerto for Cello and Orchestra and makes a personal recommendation.
Walton's Cello Concerto dates from the time he lived on the Italian island of Ischia and shares with other works from this late period in his compositional career an air of relaxation and fun. But although it has escaped the extreme tension of his much earlier Viola Concerto, as with so many of Walton's works there is an undercurrent of restlessness. The composer had at last reached a point where he was comfortable eschewing standard forms; the concerto ends slowly and quietly prompting the dedicatee Gregor Piatigorsky, who commissioned and premiered the work, to request a change of ending.
Available versions:
Erling Blondal Bengtsson, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Zuohuang Chen
Robert Cohen, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Andrew Litton
Lynn Harrell, Lorin Maazel
Lynn Harrell, CBSO, Sir Simon Rattle
Tim Hugh, English Northern Philharmonia, Paul Daniel
Ralph Kirshbaum, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Alexander Gibson
Mark Kosower, Oregon Symphony Orchestra, James DePriest
Julian Lloyd Webber, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner
Yo Yo Ma, London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn
Daniel Müller-Schott, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, André Previn
Gregor Piatigorsky, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch
Gregor Piatigorsky, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Malcolm Sargent
Christian Poltéra, São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, Frank Shipway
Li-Wei Qin, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Zhang Yi
Pieter Wispelwey, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Jeffrey Tate
Raphael Wallfisch, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bryden Thomson (download)
Jamie Walton, Philharmonia Orchestra, Alexander Briger (including 1975 revised ending)
Paul Watkins, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner
at about 60€ ! I have it on an EMI 'Double Forté' of Walton works. And besides which, I think that only 'in print' CDs should be considered (by all means deleted ones can be mentioned) as theoretically, every recording exists somewhere on the planet - even if only in private hands...
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