Erling Blöndal Bengtsson (cello)
The Danish Radio Recordings - Volume 3
rec. 1962-1987
DANACORD DACOCD846 [79:36 + 76:50]
This is the third and last volume of recordings devoted to cellist Erling Blöndal Bengtsson’s Danish Radio recordings though of course Danacord’s legacy of tribute discs to this splendid artist extends to other releases beside these particular radio broadcasts.
It’s an especially concerto-rich twofer (priced as for one, by the way) and reflects the cellist’s enthusiasm in promoting new work as much as excavating national works of the nineteenth century. Bent Lorentzen’s Concerto, composed in 1984, is heard in this live concert broadcast from April 1986 with Oliver Knussen directing the Danish Radio Symphony. Cast in four movements this is a terse, taut, rather brittle affair, percussion-saturated and sometimes gloomy. There is an air of grotesquery in this powerful music, the highlight of which, for me, is the series of exchanges between percussion and cello protagonists in the third movement. More approachable is Leif Thybo’s 1959 Concerto, with the same orchestra but conductor Thomas Jensen back in 1962. It’s in one movement lasting 32 minutes, embracing music that’s highly textured, commandingly orchestrated though, rather like Thybo’s Violin Concerto, encoding some abrasive elements too. Much the most conventionally attractive of the three concertos on the first disc is Svend Westergaard’s Concerto of 1961 (Danish Radio Symphony/Ole Schmidt, 1973). Heard in good stereo, this work, dedicated to the cellist, has strong rhapsodic qualities with long expressive lines. There are even Sibelian echoes in places with a calmly brooding central movement, followed by a sinewy vivo finale. It would be hard to match this performance for eloquence or digital excellence.
The three concertos on the second disc offer very different vistas on the repertoire. Brno-born Franz Xaver Neruda’s Concerto inclines a little to Saint-Saëns’ A minor Concerto of 1872 but also nods at the portfolio of virtuoso works by mid to later nineteenth century cello virtuosi and composers. Its fulsome romanticism is explored with verve and subtlety by Bengtsson. Emil Hartmann was the son of the more well-known JPE Hartmann and his three-movement 1879 Concerto conforms to his penchant for succulent lyricism rooted in Leipzig but also embracing the Slavic muse. The gentle central Canzonetta is followed by a witty and genial dance-patterned finale. It also owes something to Piatti, Popper and Grützmacher. Both these concertos were recorded in 1970 though with different orchestras and conductors. Svendsen, Danish by adoption, is represented by his 1870-71 Concerto, recorded in Aarhus in 1982. In one movement, though here separately tracked into the expected fast-slow-fast pattern, this genial and lyric work has, at its heart, one of Svendsen’s typically warm-hearted effusions. In Peter Heise’s charming, passionate Fantasy Pieces of 1860 the cellist is joined by his daughter-in-law, pianist Nina Kavtaradze.
Incidentally both the Neruda and Hartmann Concertos can be found on Classico CLASSCD 315 played by Morten Zeuthen, with the Bohemian Chamber Philharmonic directed by Douglas Bostock. The Hartmann is also on Dacapo SACD 6.220511 played by Stanimir Todorov with Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hannu Lintu. The all-Svendsen disc that houses the Cello Concerto is on CHAN10711 where Truls Mørk is accompanied by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Neeme Järvi.
There has been extensive trawling to find the master tapes to compile this release. It has certainly been worth it, giving first CD release status to a broad swathe of repertoire in marvellously vivid and communicative performances.
Jonathan Woolf
Previous review: John France
Details
Bent LORENTZEN (1925-2018)
Cello Concerto (1984) [24:38]
Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Oliver Knussen
Leif THYBO (1922-2001)
Cello Concerto (1959) [22:44]
Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Thomas Jensen
Svend WESTERGAARD (1922-1988)
Cello Concerto, Op. 26 (1961) [32:14]
Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Ole Schmidt
Peter HEISE (1830-1879)
Two Fantasy Pieces (1860) [7:20]
Nina Kavtaradze (piano)
Franz Xaver NERUDA (1834-1915)
Cello Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 59 (1887) [14:43]
Aalborg Symphony Orchestra/Alf Sjøen
Emil HARTMANN (1836-1898)
Cello Concerto in D minor, Op. 26 (1879) [17:43]
Odense Symphony Orchestra/Børge Wagner
Johan SVENDSEN (1840-1911)
Cello Concerto, Op.7 (1870-71) [18:44]
Aarhus Symphony Orchestra/Ole Schmidt
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 35 (1877) [18:19]
Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Pierre Monteux
