It is always a pleasure to welcome a new CD from Raphael Wallfisch, for this fine artist is so consistently admirable a cellist, and his choice of repertoire is so invariably worthwhile, often bringing to our attention music which, for one reason or other, is unjustly neglected. So it proves here ...
Cinq Mélodies (transcribed composer/Shchedrin)
... I was unaware of Shchedrin's relatively recent orchestration of the other four ... The result has both surprised and delighted me;
here is, as it were, a new work for cellists, which ought to be added to their repertoire, but they would be hard-pressed to match
the insight and virtuosic projection, allied to a fine sense of inner feeling, that Wallfisch brings to them.
Prokofiev - Cello Concertino in G minor
Prokofiev's op. 132 is, as one might expect, his concerto equivalent to the Seventh Symphony (the work that
immediately preceded it); a beautiful, unpretentious and supremely lyrical score of haunting melodic distinction
and style ... Wallfisch gives an absolutely lovely performance of this endearing music and he is extremely well partnered by orchestra and conductor.
Shchedrin - Parabola Concertante
Shchedrin himself is heard in his Parabola Concertante (good title) for cello, strings and timpani ...
written for and premièred by Rostropovich. It receives an extremely compelling performance here, very
well recorded.
All in all, this constitutes an important issue from Nimbus, which I recommend with enthusiasm.
Robert Matthew-Walker - International Record Review