Anna Clyne, the contemporary British composer now resident in the USA, is chiefly recognized for her one movement work “Night Ferry”. Clyne’s compositional voice draws inspiration from her own varied, diverse and eclectic musical tastes. No stranger to writing concertos, her “Prince of Clouds” for two violins and strings has been recorded and warmly received. Echoes of this work can be heard in this the premiere recording of her cello concerto (2019) entitled “DANCE”. This is paired with Elgar’s perennially popular cello concerto, making a complementary and interesting coupling.
Cast in five titled movements, each taken from a line in the poem by Rumi, “DANCE” has an emotional narrative running through the work. Inbal Segev gave the premiere, and the connection she has with the concerto is obvious throughout. The plaintive line Clyne writes for cello in the slow first movement, entitled “When you’re broken up”, is executed with intense feelings — soulfully rich, gently melancholic, deeply reflective. Segev’s tone, even as the cello line starts on the highest registers, is full-bodied and pleasing, with a measured vibrato. Conductor Marin Alsop cajoles a beautiful tone from the London Philharmonic Orchestra, who’s string tone balances judiciously against Segev’s sonorities.
In the emotionally raw second movement, “If You’ve Torn The Bandage Off”, Segev brings an astringency to the opening without compromising her sound; moving effortlessly from harsh atonality to the more melodic moments (with a touch of eastern harmonies), she does so with absolute conviction. In the third movement (“In The Middle of Fighting”), Clyne writes in a dark cinematic fashion. Alsop and the orchestra applies a heavy filter here, intensifying the foreboding ambiance.
Then comes the fourth movement (“In The Blood”), where the emotions are acutely focussed, heavy, lamenting and intensely portrayed. In the concluding “When You’re Perfectly Free”, Segev navigates the demanding technical challenges with ease, impassioned to the end, conveying the different emotions and colors definitively. This new concerto finds a resolution in quite a different way to the following Elgar. Clyne knows how to write for the cello, bringing out the different facets of the instrument. As the booklet highlights, the composer was present for the recording, perhaps accounting for the unity between the orchestra, conductor and soloist.
Related Classical Music Reviews
- Review: Elgar – Cello Concerto – Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Rattle
- Review: Elgar – Violin Concerto – Nicola Benedetti
- Review: Elgar – Enigma Variations, Holst – The Planets – Litton, Bergen Philharmonic
In Elgar’s Cello Concerto, Segev is not as raw as du Pre or as bold as Weilerstein in the opening movement. This is a sincere reading that has poise, reflection and restraint, capturing all the music’s essence. Segev brings a modest restraint to the phrasing, resulting in many delicate subtleties enhanced by the colors Alsop caresses from the orchestra. In the second movement, Segev shapes the phrases in a speaking manner, with an air of spontaneity.
What sets the allegro-molto (the latter section of this movement) apart from other performances, is the way the horns and woodwind elevate and retreat into the texture, an unusual and refreshing decision by Alsop. The final movement, while lacking the rawness of Weilerstein or the pacing of Huw Watkins, commendably fits the entire vision and aesthetic of the performance.
The recording has a natural feel to it, though occasionally the woodwind seem a little too distant. The acoustics of Lyndhurst Hall, Air Studios, London, add a gentle, enhancing ambiance. The Elgar and Clyne are of the same emotional mold, but they are seen through the lenses of different harmonic languages. This creates a strong sense of continuity and balance across the album. For those new to Clyne’s music, Segev and Alsop do full justice to this accessible, passionately charged and intense contemporary work. A fine performance of the Elgar is more than an appropriate bonus. Recommended.
Anna Clyne – “DANCE” (Cello Concerto)
Elgar – Cello Concerto
Inbal Segev – Cello
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Marin Alsop – Conductor
AVIE, CD AV2419
Elgar Cello Concerto – Recommended Comparisons
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