CPE Bach and Antonin Kraft Cello Concertos Worth Exploring

This release has an interesting premise. Jean-Guihen Queyras presents two cello concertos that bookend the Classical Era. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach composed his Concerto in B flat major Wq 171 in 1751. 

The Baroque style, as embodied by his father, was waning. Elegance and directness were replacing ornamentation and complexity. Bach's concerto anticipates the aesthetic of Haydn and Mozart.

Antonin Kraft was a virtuoso cellist who played under Haydn for Count Esterhazy. In Vienna, he helped establish the traditions of string quartet playing. Haydn wrote his second cello concerto for Kraft. Beethoven wrote the cello part of his Triple Concerto for Kraft. 

Kraft wrote exclusively for the cello, and not many pieces at that. His concerto is his only large-scale composition. It premiered in 1804 and represents the end of the pure Classical style. Beethoven's "Eroica" Symphony would soon change the landscape and begin the Romantic Era.

Jean-Guihen Queyras performs with a rare instrument, the cello Gioffredo Cappa (1696). The Ensemble Resonanz is a chamber orchestra. That makes it a perfect match for Queyras' instrument. The Classical Era was about elegance and balance. These musicians have both. 

The cello has a warm, honeyed tone that's ideal for the long, singing lines of Bach and Kraft. Queyras' playing is first-rate, of course. Kraft's concerto places heavy demands on the soloist. Queyras delivers and does so with exceptional musicality. 

When it comes to Classical Era cello concertos, many people only know Haydn's. If you're one of them, give this disc a listen. It provides context for those works. And these concertos provide their own audio delights. 

Beautifully recorded, and beautifully performed. CPE Bach and Antonin Kraft may not be well-known today. But in their time they were highly regarded by the masters. And you can easily hear why.   

Antonin Kraft, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Cello Concertos
Jean-Guihen Queyras: cello
Ensemble Resonanz; Riccardo Minasi conductor
Harmonia Mundi HMM 902392