HAN-NA CHANG, THE LCO, AND VIVALDI CONCERTOs: A REMARKABLE M
RBSProds | Deep in the heart of Texas | 01/13/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Five REMARKABLE Stars!! A match made in baroque musical heaven! Award-winning cellist Han-Na Chang continues her remarkable cello ascendancy with another wonderful CD: this time playing the music of Antonio Vivaldi. A child prodigy, she astounded the musical world by studing at Julliard at age 10 and winning the Fifth Rostropovich International Cello Competition at age 11 against stiff competition, prompting Maestro Rostropovich to oversee and conduct her first recording. Since then the 26 year old, globe-trotting Ms Chang has steadily expanded her musical universe, this time taking on 7 cello concertos by the 'Red Priest' (none of which were performed during his lifetime): the early A Minor, RV 420 with its continuo solo exposition; C, RV 400; C Minor, RV 401; E-Flat Major, RV 408; B Minor, RV 424; D Major, RV 403; and A Minor, RV 418 concertos; many characterized by more than one brisk 'Allegro' or 'Allegro" variation within a concerto and many tending towards the mid and lower cello registers. All pieces are wonderfully buoyed by Maestro Christopher Warren-Green, leader Rosemary Furniss, and the London Chamber Orchestra: continuo: cello, double bass, harpsichord & organ, theorbo (lute) & baroque guitar. (Ms Chang jokingly describes the continuo in a YouTube interview as "the rhythm section" and at times, it is.) She totally understands Vivaldi, his music, and influence: then and now.
The 'best of the best' begins with the urgent Allegro movement of the A Minor concerto: my favorite of the CD and now on my iPod. Then there is the challenging bowing of the largo movement of the Concerto in C which Chang dispatches with much elegant ease and verve. The E-Flat Major dirge-like Largo and the super-charged Allegro non Molto are superb allowing Chang to express her lyricism and unleash her bowed fireworks. The kinetic Allegro movement of the D Major concerto is swirling beauty played very energetically. One minor note is that the harpsichord, while clearly evident in many instances, seems at times sonically farther back than necessary while playing a pivotal role in the continuo. This is a generous CD with lots of Vivaldi and in each concerto Ms Chang and the LCO create soaring, emotional, energetic music. Highly Recommended. Five ENJOYABLE Stars. (This review is based on an iTunes download with digital booklet: 67.41 total time.)"
Track Listings (7) - Disc #1