Elgar, Walton: Cello Concertos

Edward Elgar (Composer), William Walton (Composer), Andre Previn (Conductor), London Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Yo-Yo Ma (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Yo-Yo Ma
• Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Andre Previn
• Composer: Edward Elgar, William Walton
• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: CBS Masterworks 1985 (Digitally Recorded)
• ASIN: B00000260Z
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #141,662 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85: Adagio - Moderato

2. Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85: Lento - Allegro Molto

3. Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85: Adagio

4. Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85: Allegro - Moderato - Allegro Ma Non Troppo

5. Cello Concerto: Moderato

6. Cello Concerto: Allegro appassionato

7. Cello Concerto: Tema ed improvvisazioni: Lento; Allegro moderato

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording

Elgar's Cello Concerto gives most British listeners the "weepies," associated as it is with the life of the late Jacqueline Du Pré, who played it magnificently. That doesn't mean, however, that there isn't room for other interpretations, especially when they are as fine as this one. The coupling, Walton's brittle, bittersweet concerto for cello and orchestra, is both logical and nicely contrasting. Check out Ma's quicksilver fingerwork in the zippy middle movement for a truly dazzling virtuoso display. You may not forget Du Pré, but this is one of Ma's best recordings nevertheless. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Digital Era, April 20, 2000

By 

KH (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elgar, Walton: Cello Concertos (Audio CD)

After DuPre's performance of the Elgar cello concerto (EMI/Angel), this is my next favorite performance. It boasts first class digital sound, a conductor and orchestra highly experienced in this kind of repertory, and the man who is arguably the best living cellist. It is less extroverted and fierce than the DuPre, but played with a deep, soulful insight into the music; everyone involved obviously felt the deep sorrow and longing in this music when they made this recording.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Digital Recording Of Elgar's Cello Concerto, December 18, 2001

By 

John Kwok (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Elgar, Walton: Cello Concertos (Audio CD)

Ma gives passionate performances of both Elgar's and Walton's cello concertos, worthy of recognition for both his brilliant technical skills as well as his lyrical playing. I believe I have heard a recent recording of these works with Julian Lloyd Webber as soloist; unfortunately, Webber's playing doesn't resound with the passion coming from Ma. I don't know whether Ma's interpretation of Elgar is better than Du Pre's, but it is still wonderful in its own right (Yet I would not go as far as one previous reviewer in recognizing Ma as our finest living cellist; that honor still belongs to Rostropovich.). Previn and the London Symphony Orchestra give warm, spirited performances of both works, showing their familiarity with these scores.

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is how it started, August 3, 2000

By 

Mark McCue (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elgar, Walton: Cello Concertos (Audio CD)

This Ma performance of the Elgar lets you in on what it was like before the artist started playing the work too much and subjecting it to so many maulings and stages it got sickening. Here we find him sticking fairly close to the composer, and Previn is enough of a disciplinarian that the work's structure as a whole isn't sacrificed to maudlin detail. We get a good, solid, committed, communicative performance, something Ma hasn't been giving us too much lately. If you heard that awful PBS concert of this with the Chicago and Barenboim joining Ma in all the posturing, you'll find this quite refreshing. It won't make you want to junk your supremely eloquent and heartfelt Tortelier, though. And if you're old enough to have the Anthony Pini's around, you're not tossing it either. Some things just can't be bettered.

The Walton here is very fine, wonderfully played, with color, insight, spritz and tingle. Ma gives it an appropriate, straight-ahead freshness that only adds to its stature as one of the greatest works for the instrument. I won't trade in my Piatagorsky, but I'll keep this around as a very good-sounding alternative.

Overall, this is a very worthwhile release which shows honestly why Ma gained all his celebrity.