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Elgar & Farr Cello Concertos
Sébastien Hurtaud, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Benjamin Northey
Hurtaud gives really potent performances, his deep connection to both works undeniable. Farr’s remarkable Chemin des Dames, honours the role of women during the First World War.
Elgar & Farr Cello Concertos
Sébastien Hurtaud, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Benjamin Northey
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Hurtaud gives really potent performances, his deep connection to both works undeniable. Farr’s remarkable Chemin des Dames, honours the role of women during the First World War.
About
New Zealand composer Gareth Farr wrote his cello concerto after discovering some family history. His three great uncles left New Zealand to fight in France in World War I. All three were killed within weeks of arrival. Farr’s concerto is instantly accessible and is a dramatic and emotional statement.
Elgar’s famous concerto was also composed as a reaction to the horrors of the Western Front and the mass slaughter of so many young lives. Elgar could hear the heavy guns in France at night from his home in Sussex and they were a constant reminder of lost friends and of the world he knew slipping away. It was to be his last major orchestral work, the 3rd Symphony remaining unfinished.
Both concertos are played by the French cellist Sebastien Hurtaud.
Contents and tracklist
- Sébastien Hurtaud
- New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
- Benjamin Northey
- Sébastien Hurtaud
- New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
- Benjamin Northey
Awards and reviews
March 2021
Hurtaud gives really potent performances, his deep connection to both works undeniable. Farr’s remarkable Chemin des Dames, honours the role of women during the First World War.
February 2021
The two works complement one another surprisingly well...Farr wrote the Concerto for Sébastien Hurtaud, who plays it with ferocious commitment here. The French cellist brings a similar intensity to the Elgar...In both works, Benjamin Northey elicits characterful, disciplined playing from the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Recommended for the Farr, which is a significant addition to the repertoire.
