Search - William [composer] Walton, Konstantin Stoianov, Bryden Thomson :: William Walton: Cello Concerto; Partita; Improvisations on an Impromptu of Benjamin Britten

Splendid

David Saemann | 06/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After hearing Bryden Thomson conduct Bax, Vaughan Williams, and Harty, it is a bit of surprise to hear him conduct Walton so well, given the difference in the idiom. The performance of the Cello Concerto is absolutely lovely. Raphael Wallfisch has all the technical skills required, but he makes the whole thing sound easy. Wallfisch plays with astonishing lyricism, such that you come to believe that this is one of the great cello concertos. The Improvisations on an Impromptu of Benjamin Britten is a coolly elegant work, which Thomson conducts with thrilling incisiveness. The Passacaglia for Solo Cello, written for Rostropovich, receives a lucid and compelling reading. Lastly, the Partita for Orchestra, commissioned by the Cleveland Orchestra, summons all the virtuosity one would expect from that ensemble. The London Philharmonic is up to the task, and plays beautifully throughout the disc. The sound engineering is clear and warm, some of the best I've heard. For those who feel that late Walton is second rate, this CD should prove a corrective."