Sound like a dying animal, cellist Nicolas Altstaedt can do that and does it in it Cello Concerto (2017) by composer and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen. Altstaedt recorded the piece with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra under Dima Slobodeniouk.
It starts with a chaos chord that sounds like an organ blowing to life. Then fluttering violins and birdsong in the woodwinds; French Impressionism is not far away. Altstaedt fans golden brown over atmospheric harp chords and stopped trumpets.
In the second part, the great RPhO is like a dense fog of sound. The cello echoes his soft cries of despair with a loop station. In the third movement, the cello is brought to life with rhythmic bongos. Both recording and piece are exciting.
The Sonata for violin and cello by Ravel is Salonen’s counterpart. The fusion of Altstaedt with violinist Pekka Kuusisto in part one is perfection. A point of criticism: they do not maintain that tension.
Nicolas Altstaedt, cello with Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen and Pekka Kuusisto, violin
Salonen Cello concerto
Classic
Alpha
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