Britten's Cello Symphony
Britten's Cello Symphony
The Gramophone Choice
Coupled with Sinfonia da Requiem, Op 20. Cantata misericordium, Op 69
Mstislav Rostropovich vc Peter Pears ten Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau bar English Chamber Orchestra, New Philharmonia Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus and Orchestra / Benjamin Britten
Decca download 425 100-2LM (75' · ADD · T/t) Recorded 1964. Buy from Amazon
The Cello Symphony, written in 1963 as part of a series for the great Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, was the first major sonata-form work written since the Sinfonia da Requiem. The idea of a struggle between soloist and orchestra, implicit in the traditional concerto, has no part here; it’s a conversation between the two. Rostropovich plays with a depth of feeling that has never quite been equalled in other recordings and the playing of the English Chamber Orchestra has great bite. The recording, too, is extraordinarily fine for its years.
From the opening drumbeat the Sinfonia employs a sonata form with dramatic power, although the tone is never fierce or savage; it has an implacable tread and momentum. The central movement, ‘Dies irae’, however, has a real sense of fury, satirical in its biting comment – the flutter-tongued wind-writing rattling its defiance. The closing ‘Requiem aeternam’ is a movement of restrained beauty. The New Philharmonia play superbly. The Cantata misericordium was written in 1962 as a commission from the Red Cross. It takes the story of the Good Samaritan and is scored for tenor and baritone soloists, chorus, string quartet and orchestra. It’s a universal plea for charity and receives a powerful reading. A must for any Britten enthusiast.
Additional Recommendation
Coupled with Elgar Cello Concerto
Mørk vc CBSO / Rattle
Virgin 545356-2. Buy from Amazon
Truls Mørk plays this powerful work as if his life depended on it: it’s his second recording of the work and long familiarity has clearly paid off. In Rattle and the CBSO he has truly supportive partners. The Elgar as coupling is a refreshingly unsentimental performance that never, alas, quite takes wing as it might, fine though it is.
