Catalogue

Summary:

“In Cassado’s dark, sensuous Suite, inspired by Kodaly but infused with Spanish undertones, he exudes a mesmerising, Zen-like calm: tenderly shaped curlicues, ornate arabesques, and complex harmonic accompanying figurations never disturb his long, arching lines or the sense of easy, improvisational charm. You can almost forget you’re listening to a virtuoso display; in his refreshingly self-effacing, idiomatic approach musical substance is always to the fore” ★★★★ – BBC Music Magazine 

“…a performance that has been crafted down to the tiniest detail, the swirling finale in particular confident and polished, with every technical trick in the cellist’s book pulled off with panache.” – Gramophone

Following the success of Capriccioso, a solo spectacular of works written by cellists for cellists, Antonio Meneses’ dazzling virtuosity is on display again with the rarely recorded Suite for Solo Cello by the Spanish cellist-composer Gaspar Cassadó alongside two early works by his Hungarian contemporary Zoltán Kodály – the Duo for Violin and Cello, with violinist Claudio Cruz who was the conductor on Antonio’s Grammy-nominated recording of the Concertos by Elgar and Gál; and the Sonata for Solo Cello which was written in 1915 and is released in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the work.

Tracklist:

GASPAR CASSADÓ (1897-1966)

Suite for Solo Cello
1. I. Prelude-Fantasia
2. II. Sardana – Danza
3. III. Intermezzo e danza finale

ZOLTÁN KODÁLY (1882–1967)

Sonata for Solo Cello, Op. 8
4. I. Allegro maestoso ma appassionato
5. II. Adagio (con grand’ espressione)
6. III. Allegro molto vivace

Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7*
7. I. Allegro serioso, non troppo
8. II. Adagio
9. III. Maestoso e largemente, ma non troppo lento

Antonio Meneses, cello
*with Claudio Cruz, violin

Recording: 26 September 2014 (1–3), 10–14 August 2015 (4–9)
St Peter’s Evercreech, Somerset with thanks to the Alham Vale Benefice
Produced by Simon Fox-Gál