C.P.E. Bach: Cello Concertos

C.P.E. Bach would undoubtedly rejoice, were he alive, upon hearing this album of his cello concertos by Truls Mørk and Les Violons du Roy under the direction of Bernard Labadie. From the opening notes, one cannot help but feel the orchestra is fantastic. The A major Cello Concerto begins with vigor and liveliness, with the ensemble playing perfectly together in tempo with great spirit. Mørk plays just as well, with a clean, accurate, and somewhat light touch.

The Largo is also played beautifully and sensitively, though the cellist opts not to use much vibrato, and occasionally sounds like he is running out of contact with the string at the end of the bow. Yet Mørk never slips up, even in fast movements like the third one, where the orchestra plays with great contrasts between forte and piano underneath the cello line. The B flat major concerto is no less enjoyable: the Allegretto is graceful, the Adagio is beautifully somber, and the Allegro assai distinguishes itself very clearly from the Allegretto. The greatest surprise on the album is perhaps the last concerto, which is overall more energetic and fiery.

One senses this from the opening movement, which is more aggressive in sound. Mørk's rhythms are perfect as he plays more into the string than on the previous concertos, which makes it very exciting to listen to. The dialogue between the orchestra and cello is wonderfully engaging. Once again, Mørk never misses a beat in long runs, playing with as much agility as a violinist. This concluding piece on the album is rather like a Corelli concerto grosso, and it makes for a good choice of repertoire for this CD. All the elements seem to work together here, with a very enjoyable result. --allmusic.com