| In the world of baroque orchestras there are none finer than Tafelmusik, based out of Toronto. The same can be said of Bylsma in the world of baroque cellists. No surprise, then, that this recording is a match made in heaven.
During the classical period of the mid-late eighteenth century when, arguably, music was at its least expressive due to the tastes of the day, Haydn, the father  of the symphony, and Kraft, a virtuoso cellist, had a meeting of the minds to see if they could expand the horizons of the cello - and boy did they ever. On this recording are three of the finest and most technically difficult pieces ever written for the instrument - pieces which have delighted musicians and music appreciators for centuries.
The Kraft concerto is by far the lesser known work, and I've always been surprised by this. It deserves more. It's so much fun to listen to. One gets an immediate idea of how Kraft must have been the powerhouse cellist of his day. It's clear that he had a profound impact on Haydn's compositions, and likely even helped Haydn write his two concertos as he taught Haydn about the cello's limitless possibilities.
Byslma makes it sound easy as he takes the allegro movements at break-neck speeds, especially in the third movement of Haydn's C concerto. I'm not particularly a fan of some of Bylsma's cadenzas, but having said that, in a world of dozens of recording of the Haydn concertos, this one stands out as among the best. Authentic instruments never sounded so good! |
Thanks, Otto! Never came across Kraft's concerto before.
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely worth listening too
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