On the evidence of this recording, Brantelid is definitely one to watch out. His cool, clean and amply virtuosic playing is definitely as attractive as one might expect and he brings real charm and life to these oft played works.
The Saint-Saëns offers ample opportunities for heady virtuosity and Brantelid concurs especially in the First Movement. He receives sympathetic support from Schønwandt and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra/who play with a warm empathy for their young soloist. The same could be said of Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme which moves along breezily and quite magically, reminding one of Rostropovich and Herbert von Karajan on DG way back in the late 1960's.
Finally there's the Schumann which is a rather difficult work to bring off but Brantelid churns out playing of great maturity and first class technical ability. Here he is again wonderfully assisted by the DNSO who are a class apart in their playing and this version can definitely count among the few best versions of the work. Sound, notes and presentation are as usual, up to high EMI standards and I really cannot hesitate in recommending this collection to any lovers of the cello.
Copyright © 2008 by Gerald Fenech