Walton: Cello Concerto: Pieter Wispelwey

For this new recording, Wispelwey has put together a fascinating collection of post-war works for cello. The disc opens with Walton’s Cello Concerto accompanied by Jeffrey Tate and the Sydney Symphony, and follows it with four works for solo cello: Bloch’s First Suite, Ligeti’s Sonata, Walton’s Passacaglia and the concluding Ciaccona from Britten’s Second Suite.

In the hands of a lesser musician, this program would be less than convincing, but Wispelwey’s incredible technique and obvious love of the music make these performances remarkable for the intensity he brings to these works.