Moór Cello Concerto in C sharp minor Op.64

[Alan Howe]

I think this work - on the new Hungaroton CD - deserves a thread all of its own. Why? Because I have no hesitation in hailing it as a masterpiece of the first order, and by far the best thing I have heard by Moór.
Some more information about the piece: it dates from 1906 and was dedicated to Casals. It's in four movements, with an extremely powerful first movement followed by a fleet-footed Presto ma non troppo, a deeply soulful, questing Adagio and a finale which returns to the dynamic mood of the opening. It is also intensely memorable. The idiom is clearly post-Brahmsian; some might even say Elgarian in its melancholy and intensity.
I have rarely come across such a powerful unfamiliar work as this. It is superbly presented here. Cellists should be queuing up to play it and all lovers of fine late-romantic music should rush out and purchase the CD - or stay in and make a few clicks on the appropriate website...

[eschiss1]

Unless someone somewhere has extra information handy (I think even the Stiftung mostly deals only in publication dates for published works, though it's unclear), I think 1906 there means published in 1906, though- I'm not sure...? Glad to hear this; his Op.61 concerto (in E), published 1905, is intriguing (from score...) -


btw I notice one can hear sound samples from the new CD at Hungaroton's own website here, or did someone already mention? I'm guessing one can purchase the CD there too, maybe download ... yep , there's an add mp3 to cart (for some but not all the individual tracks) button to the right, there, I see- it says  "cart" when my irritable mouse just cursors along right over it...

(... ok, that is a really, really -nice- sound sample...)

[Alan Howe]

Has anyone else heard the concerto yet? Listened to it again today - even more impressed (and moved) than last time...

[Alan Howe]

Anybody? What a powerful work this is! A companion for the Elgar, surely...

[FBerwald]

I also think that this work is complementary to Elgar; although I don't see any Autumnal - Elegiac qualities in the Moór Cello Concerto No. 2, but it certainly is powerful stuff. Thank you for reminding me, I'll give this another spin.

[Mark Thomas]

It does indeed make a powerful impression but, despite quite a few listenings over the last three years, I'm afraid that I find Moór's melodic material just doesn't stick in the mind. In that respect at least I find myself bracketing Moór with, of all people, Cherubini: they are both capable of writing seriously impressive but oddly unmemorable music. No doubt friends will disagree.

[Alan Howe]

That's what I thought - at first. Now I find that repeated listenings have changed my mind.