HAYDN: Cello Concertos in C Major and D major; JOSEF MYSLIVEČEK: Cello Concerto in C Major – Wendy Warner, c. – Camerata Chicago /Drostan Hall – Cedille

by | Nov 12, 2013 | Classical CD Reviews

FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN: Cello Concertos in C Major and D major; JOSEF MYSLIVEČEK: Cello Concerto in C Major – Wendy Warner, cello – Camerata Chicago /Drostan Hall – Cedille 90000 142, 73:05 (Distr. by Naxos) ****:

Up against the cello super virtuosi such as duPré, Ma, Rostoprovitch and Starker, why should you consider Wendy Warner as your cellist of choice in recordings of these cello concertos? Because she is a wonderfully talented young musician who has performed successfully around the world with leading orchestras and conductors.

The Camerata Chicago was founded in 2003 by music director Drostan Hall. It is a  small (25 players) chamber orchestra. They are responsive to Hall’s direction which is careful and exacting. Warner is not one to follow exaggerated romantic inflections or dull historically informed practices, but rather a modern, up-to-date recognition of classical period fine points with high-spirited insight.

Haydn’s two concertos have an interesting past. The original autograph of Haydn’s D Major concerto was located in the 1950s. The C Major was discovered   in the early 1960s. These are two melodic works that demonstrate Haydn’s gift as a composer. Mysliveček, on the other hand, was no Haydn, but still talented and a prolific composer. His cello concerto is an arrangement of one (of many) violin concertos. Prague-born, he only lived to the ripe old age of 44.

According to Amazon, there are literally hundreds of recordings of these Haydn concertos. I doubt if there are many, if any, as good as this one recorded 24-bit digitally. Recommended!

—Zan Furtwangler

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