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

Brahms
Concerto in A minor for Violin and Cello, Op.102
Beethoven
Concerto in C for Piano, Violin and Cello, Op.36

Manoug Parikian (violin), Erling Blöndahl Bengtsson (cello) & George Malcolm (piano)

English Chamber Orchestra
Norman Del Mar

Recorded 21 June 1973 at Aldeburgh Festival, Suffolk

Reviewed by: Antony Hodgson

Reviewed: July 2021
CD No: Danacord DACOCD 870
Duration: 69 minutes

These recordings represent a tribute to the distinguished cellist Erling Blöndahl Bengtsson (1932-2013). His rich, powerful tone is best heard in his notable recordings of Bach’s Cello Suites and in his complete recording of the Beethoven Sonatas but these off-air live performances still do justice to his great musical talent.

It is somehow appropriate that the first music on the CD should be the Brahms because the initial theme is announced powerfully by the cello. This is far from being a hi-fi recording but the sound of the instrument is clear and the important pizzicato moments are well captured. This bold approach matches Norman Del Mar’s interpretation, which fashions Brahms in a strong, almost rugged manner – no lingering over romantic moments here. The cello is also well-featured in the beautiful Andante, this is a most eloquent rendering, and violinist Manoug Parikian’s sensitive phrasing subtly parallels the cellist’s sympathetic view, although the recorded sound does not fully represent his elegant tone. The Finale is driven firmly, helped by the solidity of the orchestral playing.

Although hollow-sounding, the Beethoven recording presents the soloists clearly. How interesting to hear renowned harpsichordist George Malcolm in a pianistic role. The few recordings he made using a piano include fluent performances of Mozart Concertos and the same effortless technique is applied here. Beethoven’s virtuosic flourishes are played accurately but without over-emphasis. Parikian plays the melodic lines firmly making the high-lying moments sound bright but without virtuosic emphasis. The discursive opening movement finds the soloists taking up the melodies in turn and at considerable length. Since they are mid-range in nature it is the cello that usually announces them – and Bengtsson does this confidently.

The brief Largo finds the soloists playing what amounts to chamber music and it shows how effective they might have been had they ever chosen to play Trios. The cheerful, somewhat sentimental Finale is given with a suitably light touch. The juxtaposition of lyrical melodies foreshadows the compositional style of a later generation.This is an adequate recording of a concert and it pays a suitable tribute to the talents of three notable artists. Radio announcements and applause are left in.