Truls Mørk’s approach to the grim opening of Elgar’s Cello Concerto is appropriately stark. His hard, lean tone is in marked contrast to the full, melancholy sound of Yo-Yo Ma (in a magnificent performance on Sony). Mork’s playing gives the first movement a defiant, angry character which is refreshing after so many resigned and mournful interpretations. And if his instrument doesn’t resound as sweetly as Ma’s, Mørk’s poise and discipline make the music sound less lugubrious than usual. Simon Rattle and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra remain pretty much in the background, offering very little of the romantic sweep that André Previn and the London Symphony provide for Ma.
In contrast to the Elgar, Britten’s Cello Symphony sounds especially bleak. A lot changed in England–and in music–in the 44 years that separate these two works. Mørk certainly is up to the task and skillfully brings off devilishly challenging passages at both extremes of the range. The searching, brooding cadenza is done with much feeling, but it’s Rostropovich, for whom the work was composed, who really lives in the strange world of this music. The Decca recording is conducted by the composer, who makes much more of the orchestral score than does Rattle: the matter-of-fact trumpet solo at the beginning of the Passacaglia is just one example of the CBSO’s non-committal playing. It may be that the sound contributes to this impression–the orchestra is placed very far back, making it difficult to create the kind of impact exhibited on the abovementioned reference recordings. You may still want to consider this disc if your main desire is the coupling–otherwise, go with the Ma (Sony) and Rostropovich (Decca).
