Shostakovich, Britten, Bridge and Elgar: Natalie Clein (cello), Kathryn Stott (piano). Cadogan Hall London 2.5.2008 (MMB)

Shostackovich– Sonata in D minor for cello and piano, Op. 40 (1934)
Britten – Third Suite for Cello, Op. 87 (1971)
Frank Bridge – Cello Sonata in D minor (1913-17)
Elgar – Salut d’Amour, Op. 12 (1888), In Moonlight (1904) arranged by Julian Milone, La Capricieuse, Op. 17 (1891) arranged by Natalie Clein


This was the programme advertised before the recital, and listed in the concert brochure. After the Shostakovich piece however, Ms Clein announced she was going to play Bridge’s sonata first and Britten’s suite after the interval. Once she completed the Britten however, as she returned on stage to play the three different pieces by Elgar which were supposed to close the programme, she announced a bigger change. She played an extra - Ástor Piazzola's “Grand Tango”. This was then followed by only one Elgar piece instead of the three listed, the beautiful and very popular “Salut d’Amour”, which the composer dedicated to his wife. The reasons for the change were not quite clear and it appeared to me that some people in the audience were slightly disappointed for being deprived of two short but pretty Elgar works.

This recital was part of Cadogan Hall’s Celebrity Recital Series and entitled Friends and Inspiration. Natalie Clein gave a pleasant, interesting introduction when she first came on stage, explaining the reasons for the title and the link to the programme choices. The principal link was the great Russian cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich who died a year ago almost to the day. He was a friend of Shostakovich though twenty years his junior and also later became friends with Britten. Both composers, who were also friends, were inspired by Rostropovich's playing and wrote pieces specifically for him, designed to show off his unique virtuosity and sensitive delicate interpretations. To illustrate the 'inspiration' topic further, Ms Clein added that she too had often been inspired by Rostropovich’s recordings of the same pieces.

Natalie Clein’s introductions were a particularly nice touch to this recital, making it more personal and intimate. She not only explained the title of the concert and the reasons for the programme choices; she also introduced each piece in an informative way, interacting with the audience in a simple, unassuming and friendly manner, which to my mind enhanced her audience’s experience of the works played.

Interestingly enough, Natalie Clein began her recital with Shostakovich’s Sonata in D minor for cello and piano, which was written before the composer met Rostropovich. While not  dedicated to him, it certainly  sounds as though it could have been, such is the combination  of virtuosic lyricism and passion  that it requires. It is a striking piece with great emotional impact, composed just a couple years before Shostakovich incurred Stalin’s wrath  and hinting that the composer had already begun searching for a new, simplified musical language even before  being forced to do so to save his  career. The Sonata has  four movements and some passages seem reminiscent  of both Tchaikovsky - the lyrical second theme in the first movement, Allegro non troppo – Largo, or even of Beethoven in the dark mood of the 3^rd movement Largo. To my mind, Ms Clein’s performance was near perfection:  emotion pours out of her; she treats every note with equal care, extracting a warm, crystal clear tone from her cello, particularly during the most lyrical passages, which she phrases in a smooth, delicate legato. Her playing gives the instrument a quality of  the human voice which is much more apparent than usually and her virtuosity is also undeniable, particularly during the finale  which she delivers in an astonishing display of dexterity and emotional power sufficient literally take one’s breath away. At the piano, Kathryn Stott matched Clein’s gentleness note for note  and during the finale her playing was equally as  virtuosic as her partner's.

Shostakovich was followed by Frank Bridge’s Cello Sonata also in D Minor. The sonata begins with a passionate poetic first movement, expressing much energy and emotion. Ms Clein’s interpretation was suitably romantic and lyrical during this passage  but she successfully changed into the dark, sombre mood required for the second and final movement. Bridge originally planned to write a more conventional sonata in four movements when he began the work in 1913, but by the time  he finished it in 1917, his world view had changed, greatly  influenced by the  First World War.  After the  “classical” first movement, the remaining movements were condensed into a single expression of the darkness of the time. The lamenting sounds that Natalie Clein drew from  the cello, felt almost as if the instrument was telling the audience how much it  needed them because of its lonely desperation.

Continuing the friendship by following the Bridge sonata with a work by his pupil Britten, after the interval  Ms Clein played Britten’s Third Suite for Cello, one of three that he composed specifically for Rostropovich. This is a technically demanding piece, extremely difficult to play and anyone who  heard Rostropovich perform  would instantly understand why the piece was meant for him: the work's Russian tunes  and Rostropovich' legendary virtuosity  are integral to the dedication. This  is not a piece that  I particularly enjoy myself, and although I recognise its technical difficulties, it always leaves me  indifferent to its content. Even Ms Clein’s wonderfully expressive  performance failed to change my opinion despite her ability to  demonstrate  many of the qualities of Rostropovich’s own playing ; she is subtle and restrained in her virtuosity however, making the interpretation her own rather than mere imitation.

At this point,  the audience was ready for Elgar’s pretty melodies but what they heard instead was Piazzolla, the “Grand Tango”  arranged,  as I understood it, once again by Britten for Rostropovich. Actually, this is a very interesting piece. It is a lively, passionate tango with an unmistakably Argentinian sound. Ms Clein and Ms Stott delivered it with undeniable Latin flair,  expressing all of the tango's  excitement and passion. It deservedly got one of the biggest cheers of the evening. Finally, with the eagerly awaited Elgar,  Natalie Clein produced a  beautiful and  heart-warming “Salut d’Amour” which almost inevitably was rewarded with  the greatest applause. She and Stott then returned for an encore,  another tango by Piazzolla, entitled “Milonga”. While , lacking the passion of the “Grand Tango” this was also  musically very interesting and  both cellist and pianist executed it brilliantly, rounding off  a fine  evening of music making.

Margarida Mota-Bull


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