[PixelSquish]

I have the bach cello suites by 4 different cellists, and a mish mash of other cello classical music, but not enough. i would like to know some of the best stuff to get that features cello. not just solo stuff, though that is wanted for sure, but a variety.

thanks in advance.

 

[daycart1]

The Brahms double concerto (cello and violin) has the most fabulous solo cello + orchestra music. The Brahms sonatas are also great.

 

[iDesign]

There are numerous recommendations one can make for such recordings. I feel that Bach is essential. I suggest the following Back Cello solo if you do not already own it:

Bach: 6 Suiten für Violoncello solo
Performer: Pierre Fournier
Label: DG The Originals

There are a number of excellent violoncello+piano trios/ solos etc. by Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky, et al. Perhaps if you indicate what you desire it will be easiest to make disc recording suggestions.


Best,
iDesign

 

[ooheadsoo]

Saint-Saens cello concerto is a standard.

 

[CSMR]

Elgar cello concerto, Beethoven cello sonatas, Britten cello symphony

 

[deaf_j]

And any work by Starker or DuPre.

Starkers Dvorak Concerto on vinyl is very, very good.

Regards, Jerry

 

[KJ_Palmer]

Vivaldi's Cello concertos (eg. on Naxos) are fine early examples of the genre. He wrote 27 of them I think, so expect about 4 CD's in all.

 

[Bunnyears]

Recording of Beethoven: Complete Music For Piano And Violoncello; Miklós Perényi and András Schiff (at yourmusic.com for 11.98). It's a great recording easily as good as the Fournier/Kempf but with much better sound quality. You can also get it at amazon partners for about the same price, but shipping is extra there.

 

[Michael G.]

I like practically everything there is to like about two Channel Classics hi-rez discs featuring Peter Wispelwey on cello. Check out "Franck/Brahms Sonatas' and 'Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Britten: Cello Sonatas' on that label.

 

[xchagg]

Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 1 & 2

The recording by Yo-Yo Ma was pretty good, and it's one of the better 'newer' recordings, but the disc I have has some channel imbalances in the first track. Probably some screw up during mastering...

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CSMR Elgar cello concerto

DEfinitley the Elgar, specifically the version with Jaqueline Du Pre -- phenonemal.

I happen to love cello music.

For baroque, other than the Bach suites, there is solo work by Vivaldi as well (I don't have that with me at the moment.

The Shostakovich cello concerto is also required listening. I like the vintage Rostropovich recording.

MOdern:

Kodaly Cello sonata

Rhapsody for cello & piano, Sz. 88, BB 94c; Composed by Bela Bartok

 

[Michael G.]

You got me looking through my CD collection to find more of my favorite cello performances. I forgot to mention another Channel Classics hi-rez disc (Peter Wispelwey again), "Tchaikovsksy/Saint Saens/Bruch". Als, there's the Sony disc, Alfred Schnittke's "Concerto for Violincello and Orchestra # 2/"In Memoriam' with Rostropovich/LSO/Ozawa. And, the India Archive Ltd. CD, "Nancy Lesh - Cello". The latter CD may be hard to find but it is an is an especially interesting one. Lesh is a classically trained celloist that has adapted her technique and her instrument to perform Indian Ragas. Scott Lesh on tanpura and David Fagiola on pakhawaj make for traditional accompanists. What would normally be the Sitar runs are played by Lesh, bowing her specially specially modified cello. These discs are not to be missed, in my opinion.

 

[Bunnyears]

I guess I should also recommend Anner Bylsma's historically informed performances of the Bach Cello Suites to the list. I have two of his recordings, the earlier one recently re-issued under the Sony Essential Classics label (2 volumes - Sony Catalogue Nos 61811, 61812) at budget prices. The second recording of the suites that I have was actually a Smithsonian production; he played the Servais Cello from the Smithsonian's collection and a rare 5 string baroque cello for the last of the suites (Sony Cat. No.48047). That recording, pictured below is still quite expensive but well worth the money.

The tone on the earlier sets is less mellow than one expects from a cello, reflecting the character of the instrument in the baroque period. The performance is at a faster tempo than expected but so nimble and clearly articulated that it is a marvel. The Servais cello used in the second recording is a much larger instrument than modern cellos so the sound is much fuller and the bass registers have to be heard to be believed. Coupled with Bylsma's incredibly moving interpretation it is one of my favorite cds. I highly recommend this recording.

 

[xchagg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears I guess I should also recommend Anner Bylsma's historically informed performances of the Bach Cello Suites to the list. I have two of his recordings, the earlier one recently re-issued under the Sony Essential Classics label (2 volumes - Sony Catalogue Nos 61811, 61812) at budget prices. The second recording of the suites that I have was actually a Smithsonian production; he played the Servais Cello from the Smithsonian's collection and a rare 5 string baroque cello for the last of the suites (Sony Cat. No.48047). That recording, pictured below is still quite expensive but well worth the money. The tone on the earlier sets is less mellow than one expects from a cello, reflecting the character of the instrument in the baroque period. The performance is at a faster tempo than expected but so nimble and clearly articulated that it is a marvel. The Servais cello used in the second recording is a much larger instrument than modern cellos so the sound is much fuller and the bass registers have to be heard to be believed. Coupled with Bylsma's incredibly moving interpretation it is one of my favorite cds. I highly recommend this recording.

O.o, I second that recommendation. I borrowed that CD from the library and it's phenomenal. The cello sounds as if it's moaning in ecstasy. Just hearing the reverberations from the cello is enough to give you an orgas erm . . eargasm

 

[Kevin Sinnott]

This piece has a beautiful, if brief, cello part, but it would be my first choice to demonstrate the cello's emotional depth. I have Paillard's arrangement and conducting (which features the cello prominently) on an RCA Gold Seal CD 60026-2-RG, but I've seen it on Erato (who originally released it).

Brahm's has a lot of strong cello writing, especially in his symphonies. The best recorded cello sound I've heard is Sanderling's Eurodisc set which is typically available for around $14 (three discs!).

Last, but definitely not least:

Gorecki's Symphony #3. It begins with low strings (it may be basses, not cellos) and has gorgeous and mornful cello writing througout. My favorite recording is Anton Nanut's conducting of the Slovenian Symphony but the most accessible (and best recorded) is probably Zinman's and the London Symphony. If you like cello, you won't be disappointed.