CHAN 9949 Front.qxd 18/7/07 10:57 am Page 1 CHAN 9949 CHANDOS FINZI & LEIGHTON CELLO CONCERTOS Raphael Wallfisch Raphael Wallfisch Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra • Vernon Handley Royal Scottish National Orchestra • Bryden Thomson CHAN 9949 BOOK.qxd 18/7/07 11:04 am Page 2 Gerald Finzi (1901–1956) Cello Concerto, Op. 40 39:03 in A minor • in a-Moll • en la mineur 1 I Allegro moderato 15:51 2 II Andante quieto 13:34 3 III Rondo: Adagio – Allegro giocoso 9:38 Lebrecht Collection Lebrecht Raphael Wallfisch cello Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Malcolm Stewart leader Vernon Handley Kenneth Leighton (1929–1988) Cello Concerto, Op. 31 32:24 4 I Allegro con moto – Meno mosso 12:32 5 II Scherzo and Trio: Allegro molto e ritmico (il più presto possibile) – Moderato e dolce 9:35 6 III Lentissimo: molto sostenuto 10:14 TT 71:32 Raphael Wallfisch cello Gerald Finzi Royal Scottish National Orchestra Edwin Paling leader Bryden Thomson 3 CHAN 9949 BOOK.qxd 18/7/07 11:04 am Page 4 Leighton: Cello Concerto, Op. 31 the second subject. The climax subsides, and Finzi/Leighton: Cello Concertos The Cello Concerto, Leighton’s seventh towards the end the solo cello’s inward reverie concertante work, was begun in Naples during is hauntingly coloured by the sul ponticello (on the summer of 1955 and was completed the the bridge) string tremolandi which underpin Finzi: Cello Concerto, Op. 40 swinging the harmony round in its second bar following spring. Leighton uses a brilliant it. Ultimately the movement dies away to Finzi completed this work for the Cheltenham to a major chord; with this reaching out, and orchestral pallette, tending to write for nothing, the strings muted. Festival of 1955. He had long had a cello the fierce trills, scotch-snap rhythms, and up- contrasting blocks of colour and merging The music runs straight into the central concerto in mind, and some of it already thrusting shape, the theme sets up a restless them for his climaxes. He is not afraid to write scherzo, as the strings, now without mutes, composed, when Sir John Barbirolli asked him energy. The second subject is a gentler simple harmonies, or even octaves and underline the rhythm, pizzicato. The cello for a major work; so the first performance was cantabile, but the movement ends stormily, unisons where they are effective. The second enters, molto ritmico, with an effect that is given by Christopher Bunting and The Hallé gathered into a cadenza and then despatched movement follows the first without a break, exuberant and light-hearted before the Orchestra under Barbirolli on 19 July 1955. with four great hammer-blows. and ideas from the first movement inform orchestra quickly takes over, driving the music Those who know Finzi only from his more The slow movement opens in a mood of those in the last. on. A climax on the brass then cuts off to lyrical songs, perhaps even from his Clarinet shy rapture, the song-melody beautifully The cello launches into the passionate first leave the soloist very lightly accompanied, Concerto as well, may be surprised at the unwinding in diatonic security over a theme in the second bar, and it is sustained until again the orchestra regains momentum. breadth and power of this work. But songs persistent tread. But the quieto of the over twenty-four bars. The opening phrase The soloist has introduced two principal such as ‘Channel Firing’ – in effect a seven- direction allows for some strong climaxes and should be noted as it assumes some ideas, with a subsidiary one on the brass soon minute symphonic poem – and ‘He abjures the whole movement is shot through with the importance later. The orchestra answers after the movement began. Now we reach an love’ indicate a wider range, and the Grand melancholy grandeur that informs Finzi’s rhythmically, and the soloist returns with a extended brooding, lyrical trio, signalled by a Fantasia and Toccata for piano and orchestra Intimations of Immortality. scampering passage of running semiquavers. solo flute, in which the cello’s line includes a of 1953 (though the Fantasia dates from The rondo tune is eerily foreshadowed by A lyrical slower theme follows, though semiquaver cell proclaiming its kinship with 1928) is a highly original concerto with a the cello in pizzicato octaves. Most of the recognisably from the same world as the first, the first movement. Eventually the headlong curious, twisted strength. movement is dance-like, though there is a its treatment coloured by an opening major tempo returns, though not without contrasted So the turbulence of the Cello Concerto’s trace of unease in its good cheer with a seventh. These two ideas are developed and episodes, the big orchestral tuttis developed first movement is not unaccountable, even couple of references back to the first build to an orchestral climax after which the without the soloist. Finally the orchestra stops without bearing in mind that Finzi, only in movement. When it sounds to be working to a solo cello, soaring through almost two octaves in full flow for the soloist’s mini-cadenza his fifties, knew that his years were numbered. It cadenza the music surprisingly clears into in the treble clef, reaches a cadenza and is before a vigorous gesture of dismissal from is in traditional, though rhapsodic, sonata form. C major with the rondo theme augmented, gradually joined by the orchestra. The the orchestra. It starts with three brusque chords, tearing at chorale-like, on brass. It then ends on A with a recapitulation is rhythmic and incisive, The full emotional weight of the music, each other in contrary motion, which slice flick and a scamper. featuring the first idea and rising to an however, is saved for the slow finale. The impatiently into the main theme. This, in A imposing climax with the strings playing in cello’s expressive, quietly questing opening minor, at once reaches out to a major sixth, so © Diana McVeagh octaves an inversion of the first two bars of theme is at first unaccompanied, but it is soon 4 5 CHAN 9949 BOOK.qxd 18/7/07 11:04 am Page 6 intensified with ghostly muted violins soaring of the finest available today. He works closely than any other conductor. He has twice been Conductor Emeritus. The Orchestra appears behind as pulsing tympani set up an insistent with leading British composers such as the outright winner of the Gramophone regularly at the Edinburgh International Festival tread. Romantic half-lit horns mark the end of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, James MacMillan, Record of the Year award. In 1983, in and at the BBC Promenade Concerts. The the soloist’s reverie, and the second subject, a Robert Saxton and Sir John Tavener. recognition of his long relationship with the Orchestra has also recorded a varied and close cousin of the first, follows on the oboe. London Philharmonic Orchestra, he was made exciting range of works and in 1990 received a The nocturnal mood is emphasised by muted The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Associate Conductor. As Chief Guest Gramophone Award for the best concerto horns, flute and string tremolandi. An Orchestra’s busy performing schedule includes Conductor he has worked with the BBC recording, on Chandos, with Neeme Järvi and imposing climax follows, but is again cut off to over sixty concerts from September to June in Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Lydia Mordkovitch. Committed to the leave the soloist playing in a twilight the Philharmonic Hall, a regular concert series Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the development of musical talent and appreciation, landscape underpinned by a G sharp pedal on in Preston’s Guild Hall and the Liverpool Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the BBC members of the Orchestra also work with the tympani and double-basses. Unison strings Philharmonic Summer Pops. The Orchestra Concert Orchestra. Other appointments schoolchildren and community groups. march on in an eerie procession until the makes frequent appearances in concert halls include Chief Conductor of the Malmö music fades, like dusk darkening to night, and throughout the United Kingdom and has Symphony Orchestra and the West Australian Born in Scotland, Bryden Thomson studied at closes on the cello’s open C string. performed in Europe, the USA and the Far Symphony Orchestra, and Chief Conductor the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and East. One of the oldest concert-giving and Artistic Director of the Ulster Orchestra. Drama and in Europe with Hans Schmidt- © Lewis Foreman organisations in the world, it dates back to Vernon Handley is currently Conductor Isserstedt and Igor Markevich. He worked with the formation of the Royal Liverpool Emeritus of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra as Raphael Wallfisch began playing the cello at Philharmonic Society in 1840. The RLPO has a Orchestra and Associate Conductor of the assistant to Ian Whyte after whose death he the age of eight and, inspired by the artistry distinguished list of previous principal Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He was created undertook some 250 engagements in two of Zara Nelsova, went on to study with such conductors, including Max Bruch, Sir Charles Honorary Fellow of the Royal Philharmonic years. He was Principal Conductor of the BBC eminent teachers as Gregor Piatigorsky, Hallé, Sir Henry Wood, Sir Malcolm Sargent, Society and of Balliol College, Oxford, in 1990 Northern Symphony Orchestra from 1968 to Amaryllis Fleming, Amadeo Baldovino and Sir John Pritchard, Sir Charles Groves, Walter and 1999 respectively. 1973, Principal Conductor and Musical Director Derek Simpson. Aged twenty-four, he won the Weller, David Atherton, Marek Janowski and of the Ulster Orchestra from 1977 to 1985 Gaspar Cassadó International Cello Libor Pesv ek.