Graham du Plessis & Maris Kupcs: Widor | Lala Cello Concertos
Solaire Records

The seed for Graham du Plessis' hour-long concertos album was planted in 2022 when after performing Édouard Lalo's Cello Concerto with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra he began thinking about what might be a suitable complement to this fairly well-known yet still somewhat under-the-radar work. After first considering Lalo's Cello Sonata, he decided on Charles-Marie Widor's Cello Concerto for a number of reasons. Not only does it pair effectively with Lalo's, Widor's had apparently been recorded only once, in that instance by the cellist Torleif Thedéen.

Complicating matters, however, was the fact that two versions of the score existed, the publicly available cello-piano reduction Thedéen recorded and Widor's original handwritten score, and the differences between them, structural and otherwise, were significant. Ultimately du Plessis and conductor Maris Kupcs opted to go with the composer's version and so with the Mecklenburgische Staatskapelle Schwerin laid down the premiere recording of the version based on Widor's handwritten score. Before doing so, a polished edition had to be developed from an original that had alternative suggestions included throughout, but Kupcs persevered and sent the “final” score to the cellist two weeks before the November 2023 recording sessions began.

In contrast to the Lalo concerto, which has been recorded many times and thus allows the treatment here to be compared to earlier ones (Kupcs notes, for example, that he'd often listened to Jacqueline du Pré's version), Widor's is in one very real sense the world premier recording of the work, given the differences between it and the version by Thedéen. That the concertos make a pleasing pair isn't hard to understand when each of the three-movements pieces is a Late Romantic French work and derives from the same period.

Interestingly, Widor is largely known for his organ writing (he apparently coined the term “organ symphony”); this cello concerto should change that, however. Despite its having been largely ignored, the version presented here makes a compelling case for it, and it certainly wouldn't sound out of place on any of today's concert stages. Its alluring melodic content ensures it has the capacity to make an immediate connection with the listener, and with a player of the calibre of du Plessis as the soloist the lyrical sweep of the material makes the material all the more appealing.

The cello delivers the concerto's primary theme early in the “Allegro,” and the singing folk-like melody captivates instantly. One could be forgiven for being reminded of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Dvorák as the music makes its lyrical and stately way through the eleven-minute movement. The cellist couples with the orchestra splendidly but also appears at times unaccompanied; regardless, du Plessis shines in both cases. His execution of the faster parts is on-point, his handling of the slower ones expressive. After that at times tempestuous opener comes a gentle “Andante,” slower in tempo, serene in tone, and du Plessis's artistry showcased beautifully. The theme from the first movement returns in the “Allegro vivace” third to lend the material immediate animation and establish work a strong impression of unity. Lyrical moments elevate the movement and give it a sweetly romantic feel. That this work has been so ignored seems remarkable when its appeal is so obvious.

Whereas two long movements frame a shorter one in the Widor case, Lalo's follows a massive opening one with concise statements; marked “Prélude: Lento - Allegro maestoso,” its first movement is so extensive, it's almost a concerto unto itself. A dramatic orchestral intro sets the stage for the entrance by the cello, which begins in low register before ascending lyrically. Long, dramatic lines characterize the soloist's part, and extra stamina and concentration are needed when the cellist is engaged almost without pause for the full thirteen minutes. Similar to the other concerto, Lalo's central movement begins serenely; the soloist's entrance, however, briefly nudges the material in a forlorn direction before light comes shining radiantly through. Tinges of Spanish folk music emerge thereafter, playfully in the middle movement's rhythms and aggressively in the vivacious closing part. The intense conversational to-and-fro between soloist and orchestra commands attention throughout the movement as well as the work as a whole.

December 2024