There is a “waiting” theme in this version. These two great cello concertos by Édouard-Victoire-Antoine Lalo (27 January 1823 – 22 April 1892) and Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet (1857-1934) are now considered important works and the soloist Ofra Harnoy is a consecrated musician. So what do I mean by “wait”? Well, first there's the fact that Elgar's recording was made in 1995 and this recording languished in their vaults for reasons probably far less interesting than the music. Lalo's concerto is a faithfully remastered version of the 1996 original.
Lalo's concerto was written in 1876 and premiered in 1878, but this composer's star, rising in his time, was relatively little known to listeners until a rediscovery of sorts occurred largely thanks to the work of the great conductor of British orchestra Sir Thomas Beecham (1879). -! 961) whose scholarship brought to light many forgotten composers with his recordings, including Lalo. So in a sense, listeners had to wait to meet this composer whose work still demands a reckoning. In particular, an earlier release (reviewed here) by Hee-Young Lim attests to the continued popularity of this excellent work. Harnoy's performance is a reflection of his style and experience from almost thirty years ago and demonstrates his remarkable knowledge of the works in his chosen repertoire.
Arguably, Elgar's perhaps best-known 1919 concerto did not gain the recognition it deserved until the recording by the late Jacqueline Du Pre (with whom Harnoy later studied) in 1961. I am a little sad to reveal that I had not heard Elgar's concerto. Elgar. until reviewing the present release, but Harnoy's deeply felt performance ensures that I will listen to this masterpiece again and explore the various recordings.
Returning to the topic of “waiting,” I suggest that you do not wait to get your hands on a copy of this excellent publication of these two great romantic concertos and this example of the soloist's enduring talent.
