December 22nd 2013
A Tale of Two Cellos Concert – Cadogan Hall
Concert of The Week
A Tale of Two CellosThe much loved cellst Julian Lloyd Webber has been given a new lease of life musically by his young Chinese wife, Jiaxin, herself a fine player.
The couple have formed a two-cello duo, and Julian has been busy transcribing unusual things for them to play.
Their Naxos album, A Tale Of Two Cellos, with the pianist John Lenehan, is one of my CDs of the year, because the material is so fresh and appealing and everything is so well played.
And now they are going live, with their debut at this well attended Cadogan Hall concert. There were lots of joyous new discoveries: a toothsome waltz by the tango king Astor Piazzolla; a simply beautiful English pastoral piece, Summer Sunset by Roger Quilter; and a touching transcription of a bittersweet Reynaldo Hahn song, among a hatful of highlights. A delightful evening in every way, and the first of many, it seems.
