August Nölck: Cello Concerto

[Alan Howe]

In fact the YouTube performance originates from this recording whose existence I was completely unaware of:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/209232/Ricardo-Castro-Herrera-Cello-Concerto

[mikehopf]

There's no disagreement, Alan. Just different perceptions and tastes.

The Nolck is a vigorous virtuoso concerto written by a composer whose instrument was the cello ; whilst the Castro work sounds like it could just as easily be written for  the piano.

Despite its overlong cadenzas in the first movement, the Nolck has a lovely slow movement and an exciting Spanish inspired finale. The Castro doesn't flow very smoothly , it is very bitty , unoriginal and derivative of many mid-century romantic concertos.

OK, neither of the works are great masterpieces and are not in the same league as ,say, the cello concertos of Sullivan; Herbert; Rubinstein, Vieuxtemps; Reinecke and ( yes) Raff.

[Alan Howe]

Well, as you can tell, I demur. The Castro may be no masterpiece, but the melodic profile and vigour of the music, especially in the opening movement, are far more gripping than the Nölck. Personally, I'd put the Castro at the top of the second division, whereas the Nölck would be facing relegation from the third...

Good to disagree, though!

[eschiss1]

Among unsung cello concertos, IMSLP now has the full score of one (the D minor, Op.30) of van Goens' concertos and I have to say the opening, anyway, makes me curious. I know his other concerto's been recorded- I haven't heard it. What I see so far looks enough a cut above to be maybe worth a try...

[mikehopf]

Van Goens Cello Concerto #1 is available on youtube in two parts. The cellist is Orfeo Mandozzi.

[Alan Howe]

Van Goens' CC1 can be heard here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HroQUDhvKw8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-f8qkwd_U4
Nice, tuneful stuff.

[mikehopf]

Hurrah! We both agree on the merits of the van Goens concerto.

Try the Wilhelm Jeral Cello Concerto Op.10 ( also available on youtube ) if you didn't get it on CD. There's a good short article about the Jeral work  by "gentile" on the UC website from 2010.

[Mark Thomas]

The van Goens Cello Concerto No.1 is an object lesson in a virtuoso/composer knowing what his audience wants, and knowing his own limitations. It's not a work of genius, but it's a great vehicle for showing off technique, is chock full of easily assimilable melody and colourful orchestration and, crucially, doesn't outstay its welcome. It would have made an immediate, and I'm sure very favourable, impression on audiences. I really enjoyed it for what it was, and will certainly return to it with pleasure. There's a biography of van Goens here. The poor chap didn't live that long, and his playing career was curtailed by tuberculosis.

[eschiss1]

thank you. (the one I was asking about, I should note, was his concerto no.2 in D minor possibly first published (by Decourcelle of Nice) in 1903; both are in score & parts at FLP, and it was no.2 whose full score (@IMSLP) I was browsing... but I appreciate the opportunity to hear the recording of his concerto no.1.)