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British cellist Steven Isserlis is featured in this premiere recording of two works for cello by John Tavener, The Protecting Veil, for cello and strings, and Thrinos, for solo cello, as well as in Britten's Cello Suite No. 3, Op. 87. The Protecting Veil is essentially a concerto in which the cello almost continuously plays, although it differs from a traditional concerto, in which the opposition between the orchestra and the soloist heightens the musical drama. In this case, conflict and drama are minimized; the solo cello is a serene, meditative voice, sometimes floating, sometimes soaring over the entirely supportive accompaniment of the orchestra. While it is idiomatically far removed from the works of Messiaen, its sense of ecstasy lost in timelessness and its supreme indifference to western conventions of musical development, reveal Tavener to be a spiritual cousin of the French mystic's.
Britten's three Cello Suites are arguably the most significant contribution to the literature for solo cello since Bach's, and in these works, Britten's relation to Bach is clearly audible. Britten had obviously absorbed the conventions of Bach's writing for a solo string instrument, and they underlie his thoroughly modern compositional techniques. The third suite is deeply expressive, passionate, and personal. For its thematic material, it draws on three Russian folk songs arranged by Tchaikovsky, as a tribute to Mstislav Rostropovich, for whom it (and all of Britten's music for cello) was written, as well as to Shostakovich, whom Britten revered.
Steven Isserlis (for whom the Tavener pieces were written) gives impassioned readings of each of the works. His playing of the opening of The Protecting Veil is achingly, almost painfully poignant. He negotiates the treacherously high tessitura with unfailingly full, pure tone and with flawless intonation. The Protecting Veil is superbly accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky. The Britten requires comparable virtuosity, as well as the ability to shape the 11 diverse movements into an architecturally unified whole, and Isserlis' interpretation is technically secure and emotionally satisfying. Virgin's sound is clean and atmospheric.
© TiVo
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The Protecting Veil (John Tavener)
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - John Tavener, Composer - Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Conductor, MainArtist
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - John Tavener, Composer - Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Conductor, MainArtist
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - John Tavener, Composer - Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Conductor, MainArtist
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - John Tavener, Composer - Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Conductor, MainArtist
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - John Tavener, Composer - Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Conductor, MainArtist
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - John Tavener, Composer - Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Conductor, MainArtist
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - John Tavener, Composer - Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Conductor, MainArtist
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - John Tavener, Composer - Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Conductor, MainArtist
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
3ème suite pour violoncelle, op. 87 (Benjamin Britten)
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - Benjamin Britten, Composer - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - Katharine Copisarow, Producer
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - Benjamin Britten, Composer - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - Katharine Copisarow, Producer
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - Benjamin Britten, Composer - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - Katharine Copisarow, Producer
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - Benjamin Britten, Composer - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - Katharine Copisarow, Producer
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - Benjamin Britten, Composer - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - Katharine Copisarow, Producer
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - Benjamin Britten, Composer - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - Katharine Copisarow, Producer
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - Benjamin Britten, Composer - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - Katharine Copisarow, Producer
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - Benjamin Britten, Composer - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - Katharine Copisarow, Producer
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - Benjamin Britten, Composer - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - Katharine Copisarow, Producer
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - Benjamin Britten, Composer - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - Katharine Copisarow, Producer
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - Benjamin Britten, Composer - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - Katharine Copisarow, Producer
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Thrinos pour violoncelle seul (John Tavener)
Andrew Keener, Producer - Simon Rhodes, Engineer - Steven Isserlis, Cello, MainArtist - John Tavener, Composer
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
Album review
British cellist Steven Isserlis is featured in this premiere recording of two works for cello by John Tavener, The Protecting Veil, for cello and strings, and Thrinos, for solo cello, as well as in Britten's Cello Suite No. 3, Op. 87. The Protecting Veil is essentially a concerto in which the cello almost continuously plays, although it differs from a traditional concerto, in which the opposition between the orchestra and the soloist heightens the musical drama. In this case, conflict and drama are minimized; the solo cello is a serene, meditative voice, sometimes floating, sometimes soaring over the entirely supportive accompaniment of the orchestra. While it is idiomatically far removed from the works of Messiaen, its sense of ecstasy lost in timelessness and its supreme indifference to western conventions of musical development, reveal Tavener to be a spiritual cousin of the French mystic's.
Britten's three Cello Suites are arguably the most significant contribution to the literature for solo cello since Bach's, and in these works, Britten's relation to Bach is clearly audible. Britten had obviously absorbed the conventions of Bach's writing for a solo string instrument, and they underlie his thoroughly modern compositional techniques. The third suite is deeply expressive, passionate, and personal. For its thematic material, it draws on three Russian folk songs arranged by Tchaikovsky, as a tribute to Mstislav Rostropovich, for whom it (and all of Britten's music for cello) was written, as well as to Shostakovich, whom Britten revered.
Steven Isserlis (for whom the Tavener pieces were written) gives impassioned readings of each of the works. His playing of the opening of The Protecting Veil is achingly, almost painfully poignant. He negotiates the treacherously high tessitura with unfailingly full, pure tone and with flawless intonation. The Protecting Veil is superbly accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky. The Britten requires comparable virtuosity, as well as the ability to shape the 11 diverse movements into an architecturally unified whole, and Isserlis' interpretation is technically secure and emotionally satisfying. Virgin's sound is clean and atmospheric.
© TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 20 track(s)
- Total length: 01:13:37
- Main artists: Steven Isserlis London Symphony Orchestra Gennady Rozhdestvensky
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Warner Classics
- Genre: Classical
A Warner Classics/Erato release, © 2007 Parlophone Records Limited A Warner Classics/Erato release, ℗ 1992 Parlophone Records Limited
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