Brahms Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in A minor, Op. 102 ^a. Schumann Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in A minor, Op. 129. ^a Ilya Kaler (vn); Maria Kliegel (vc); National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland / Andrew Constantine.

Naxos (Super budget price) (CD) 8 550938 (59 minutes: DDD).

Dvorak Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, B191. Schumann Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in A minor, Op. 129. Arto Noras (vc); Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra / Sakari Oramo.

Finlandia (Full price) (CD) 4509-98886-2 (64 minutes: DDD). Recorded in association with the Finnish Performing Music Promotion Centre.

The Brahms and Schumann concertos make an excellent and apt coupling, here presented on the super-budget Naxos label in warmly spontaneous-sounding recordings, very well recorded. There are not many versions of the Brahms more warmly appealing than this, for the violinist, Ilya Kaler (about whom the notes give no background information), is as clean in attack and intonation as Maria Kliegel, who earlier impressed with her Naxos coupling of the Dvorak and Elgar Cello concertos (9/92). Those qualities in the soloists and their ability to match each other are particularly important in this work, and I have rarely heard the difficult double-stopped chords for them both together in the finale sound so true and clear. Kliegel in her opening cadenza allows herself full freedom, but any feeling that this is to be an easygoing, small-scale reading is dispelled in the main Allegro, which is clean and fresh, sharp in attack, helped by full-bodied sound. Kaler and Kliegel make the second subject tenderly expressive without having to use exaggerated rubato. Similarly there is no self-indulgence in the soaring main melody of the central Andante, but no lack of warmth or tenderness either. The finale is then unhurried but has dance-rhythms so beautifully sprung and such delicate pointing of phrase that any lack of animal excitement is amply replaced by wit and a sense of fun. A delightful performance.

In the Schumann Kliegel takes a spacious, lyrical view of the first movement, using a soft-grained tone at the start with wide vibrato. She then builds up the power of the performance, and with Constantine and the Irish orchestra providing sympathetic accompaniment, the spontaneous expression is most compelling. So, too, is the simple, dedicated playing in the central Langsam, and, as in the Brahms, Kliegel brings witty pointing to the finale, not least in the second subject. The balance of the soloist is good, but in actual volume I should like to know how she compares with my other cellist here, Arto Noras, when recordings can be so misleading. I prefer the more immediate Naxos sound, for though there is plenty of body in the Finlandia the relatively backward balance of the soloist tends to make Noras's playing less involving. He established his name in Britain in the days of LP when he made the premiere recording of Sir Arthur Bliss's Cello Concerto for EMI (6/77 – nla), a fine performance.

In the Schumann he occasionally sounds self-conscious, over-emphatic, though his genuine expressive warmth is never in doubt. The central slow movement brings fussier rubato than in the Naxos version, and Noras is not always helped by the accompaniment, which at times is a little sluggish. The finale brings fair compensation in its crispness and swagger. The Dvorak has similar qualities, again not helped by the balance of the soloists, though the central slow movement has the cello sounding closer. Most impressive are the tender moments, such as the minor-key account of the second subject in the development of the first movement and the epilogue, raptly done. Not a first choice but fair for this coupling.

EG