Pleyel Cello Concertos in C major B101, 104, 106 & 108 & D major B105

Péter Szabó’s multi-faceted contribution to this first volume of his projected set of Pleyel’s cello concertos extends beyond shouldering the soloist’s mantle to preparing the performance editions from autograph manuscripts of these five works and composing pertinent.

If not especially stylish, cadenzas. He also directs some alert and sympathetic orchestral accompaniments with admirable attention to detail, although there is some regrettably sour woodwind intonation in the introduction to the Adagio of B101.

Szabó is an accomplished cellist whose playing oozes personality and demonstrates that deeper currents lie beneath these works’ surface charm and elegance. His accounts steer a middle course between Classical stylishness and expressive warmth, but their spontaneity, flair and conviction are compelling. Tempos are well judged and phrases are generally shaped with taste and finesse. Particularly enjoyable are his expansive accounts of the opening movement of B106 and the adagios of B101 and 108, his sonorous lyricism in the slow movement of B104 and his characterful, spirited interpretations of the light-hearted finales, most notably of B105.

The recorded sound is attractively full and well balanced, although close miking of the soloist results in some undesirable articulation noise.

Robin Stowell

The Strad
2003