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During the period 1991-2000 a total of 341 cello concertos were identified of which 123 (36%) have been recorded and 218 appear to be unrecorded. Of the unrecorded concertos, those that appear to me to be most in need of a recording are the first two Tan Dun concertos, and those by Blake, Medek (his third) and Stevenson.
Recommendations
Beamish Her concerto River is in four parts and based on a poem of that name by Ted Hughes. The dedicatee Robert Cohen is well-supported by Swedish forces and beautifully recorded.
Greif A moving work written in the year before the composer's premature death; it is in five parts and called Durch Adams Fall. Henri Demarquette is the soloist on a disc that also includes the Sonate de Requiem for cello and piano.
Keal A remarkable achievement by the late-flowering composer; her concerto ends with an extended slow movement and Alexander Baillie's performance does it justice.
Kelemen Called Drammatico (Requiem for Sarajevo), the information available about Siegfried Palm's recording of this work is puzzling in various ways but the music is undoubtedly powerful.
Kinsella His second cello concerto in two movements was written for Carlos Prieto, whose performance is compelling. In some sources this is labelled "No.1" but this seems to be in error.
Lindberg A highly imaginative work in a single span, his first concerto has a very personal sound world in which Anssi Karttunen seems to revel.
Lloyd In seven continuous sections lasting about half an hour, this is more deeply felt than most of the composer's symphonies. The score is inscribed with the words "Have you no pity for those you would destroy?". Anthony Ross is a fine soloist.
MacMillan His cello concerto is Part II of a trilogy (Triduum) and consists of three substantial sections contemplating aspects of the story of Easter. This is intensively wrought music which is given a dedicated performance by Raphael Wallfisch.
Maskats An elegiac five-movement work, well played and recorded by Latvian forces with Reinis Birznieks as the soloist.
Sainsbury Relatively conventional in structure and musical language, this makes an ideal companion on disc for the Foulds and is another valuable discovery courtesy of Raphael Wallfisch.
Heather SchmidtShauna Rolston is the soloist in this emotionally powerful work.
Robert Simpson This late work is a masterly set of variations and soloist Raphael Wallfisch, who gave the premiere two decades before recording it, is completely inside the music.
Vasks His first concerto is symmetrically structured in five movements and Marko Ylönen's performance makes a profound impression.
