This unusual collection not only presents a unique program for cello and orchestra, but also showcases Victor Simon’s amazing skills on his instrument. The stately strains of Boccherini’s Concerto come first, and Simon finds deep feeling beneath the ornamental surface of this highly pleasing Baroque work (with its echoes of Vivaldi in the second movement). From Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky we hear the touching Nocturne, followed by the ardent Pezzo Capriccioso, which, in its driving fast sections, takes the cello into the stratosphere–a feat that Simon manages with stunning virtuosity.
The Cello Concerto of Boris Tchaikovsky (1925-96, no relation to Piotr Ilyich), had the distinction of being premiered by Mstislav Rostropovich in 1964. The concerto is very much of its time, with nearly half of its 37 minutes taken up by a brooding, Shostakovich-like first movement, where the cello embarks on an inward, at times tormented journey of the soul. The second movement features a sarcastic and somewhat obnoxious waltz-tune (wonderfully conveyed by the bass trombone), while a sinister ostinato forms a backdrop for the third movement’s scattered musings. The finale mixes elements of anger and comedy in bringing this impressive work home. Simon realizes the music’s considerable challenges with true mastery and courage (well-partnered by Fedoseyev and his orchestra), while amazingly maintaining a rich, solid tone. Would that the same could be said for the recordings, which at times sound like they were made in a parking garage. But, once you get past the reverberant and recessed sound, there’s much great cello playing here to enjoy.
