Information
Composer: Robert Volkmann; Albert Dietrich; Friedrich Gernsheim; Robert Schumann
Alban Gerhardt, cello
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin
Hannu Lintu, conductor
Date: 2007
Label: Hyperion
https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67583
- (01) Volkmann - Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 33
- (02) Dietrich - Cello Concerto in G minor, Op. 32
- (05) Gernsheim - Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 78
- (08) Schumann - Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129
Alban Gerhardt, cello
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin
Hannu Lintu, conductor
Date: 2007
Label: Hyperion
https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67583
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The first volume in this series—featuring exceptional performances of more-or-less neglected works by d’Albert, Dohnányi, and Enescu—was justly praised by Richard A. Kaplan in 29:4. Now Gerhardt returns with the second installment; and if the effect is not quite so revelatory, the fault lies not with the cellist—who plays with the same winning combination of the nimble and the ardent throughout—but with the repertoire, which (the Schumann excepted) has earned its obscurity honestly.
I don’t mean to suggest that this is in any way slapdash or awkward music. On the contrary, Dietrich (best remembered for his contribution to the Violin Sonata he composed with Brahms and Schumann to honor Joachim), Gernsheim, and especially Volkmann all write idiomatically for the instrument, turning out concertos with plenty of opportunity for both lyricism and for virtuoso display. Still, it would be hard to find much evidence of emotional depth here: despite the prevalence of minor keys, there’s little romantic Angst or self-exploration, even in the Gernsheim, composed in 1906, when Strauss was working on Elektra and Mahler premiering his Sixth Symphony. It would be harder still to find much evidence of originality or even of the composers’ attempts to stretch themselves: the music is all harmonically and rhythmically conservative, melodically unmemorable, and orchestrated in a fairly utilitarian manner. There is a half-century spread here (the Volkmann was composed in the early 1850s)—but all three concertos share much the same unchallenging aesthetic.
Still, while it rarely startles, the music is unfailingly attractive, especially in these delightful performances, which refuse to milk the slow passages and refuse to wring more from the climaxes than they have to offer. Certainly, the Volkmann—both the most engaging and the most virtuosic of the three—sounds far more winsome here than it does, say, in the more heavy-breathing performance by Jörg Baumann (Schwann Musica Mundi 11628). As for the Schumann: if you like this Concerto played as a Big Statement in the manner of, say, Du Pré or Rostropovich, you may find Gerhardt too brisk and lightweight; but if, like me, you’ve always found this one of Schumann’s most viscous works, you may well prefer this unpretentious approach, which clarifies the textures and sharpens the motivic profile. Sound is good throughout, and Calum MacDonald’s notes are informative. Warmly recommended to those with large collections.
-- Peter J. Rabinowitz, FANFARE
I don’t mean to suggest that this is in any way slapdash or awkward music. On the contrary, Dietrich (best remembered for his contribution to the Violin Sonata he composed with Brahms and Schumann to honor Joachim), Gernsheim, and especially Volkmann all write idiomatically for the instrument, turning out concertos with plenty of opportunity for both lyricism and for virtuoso display. Still, it would be hard to find much evidence of emotional depth here: despite the prevalence of minor keys, there’s little romantic Angst or self-exploration, even in the Gernsheim, composed in 1906, when Strauss was working on Elektra and Mahler premiering his Sixth Symphony. It would be harder still to find much evidence of originality or even of the composers’ attempts to stretch themselves: the music is all harmonically and rhythmically conservative, melodically unmemorable, and orchestrated in a fairly utilitarian manner. There is a half-century spread here (the Volkmann was composed in the early 1850s)—but all three concertos share much the same unchallenging aesthetic.
Still, while it rarely startles, the music is unfailingly attractive, especially in these delightful performances, which refuse to milk the slow passages and refuse to wring more from the climaxes than they have to offer. Certainly, the Volkmann—both the most engaging and the most virtuosic of the three—sounds far more winsome here than it does, say, in the more heavy-breathing performance by Jörg Baumann (Schwann Musica Mundi 11628). As for the Schumann: if you like this Concerto played as a Big Statement in the manner of, say, Du Pré or Rostropovich, you may find Gerhardt too brisk and lightweight; but if, like me, you’ve always found this one of Schumann’s most viscous works, you may well prefer this unpretentious approach, which clarifies the textures and sharpens the motivic profile. Sound is good throughout, and Calum MacDonald’s notes are informative. Warmly recommended to those with large collections.
-- Peter J. Rabinowitz, FANFARE
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Alban Gerhardt (born 1969 in Berlin) is a German cellist. His father, Axel Gerhardt, was a second violinist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for over 40 years. He studied with Markus Nyikos, who he credits with much of his success. Gerhardt won top prizes in several competitions in the early 1990s. Gerhardt has won three ECHO Klassik Awards, ICMA and MIDEM Classic awards, as well as BBC Music Magazine Award in 2015. He has made several commercial records for Hyperion and Chandos Records. He plays a cello made by Matteo Gofriller in 1710; the instrument previously belonged to Benito Mussolini.
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