Maria Kliegel views the Concerto as a strong, dramatic work, and she has just the qualities – impressive, powerful tone and brilliant technique – to bring it off. The early exchanges with the orchestra establish her heroic presence, which she then relaxes to give a soft, delicate account of the second theme, lending to this expansive movement an unusually wide range of expression. The orchestral interruptions sound suitably stern and implacable – although the many loud, staccato chords for full orchestra become somewhat wearisome. This is partly Lalo’s fault, but whereas on some other versions, Yo-Yo Ma’s, for instance (Sony, 11/85 – nla), they’re played without too much emphasis, here they are hammered out, the effect increased by a slightly boomy acoustic.
The second movement is taken quite slowly, its melancholy mood made more intense than usual, with the sound of the charming major-key scherzo sections again slightly spoilt by over- resonant bass. The finale is excellent; a robust, serious approach allied to energetic, bouncy rhythms. Throughout, the orchestra sounds warmly romantic, the important solo wind parts full of character.
The Sonata, too, is well worth hearing. Written 20 years before the Concerto, it’s still a fully mature work, mixing grand Lisztian gestures with classical formal outlines and ingenious, colourful harmony. Kliegel and Glemser play with fine style and intense commitment, encompassing the high romanticism and, in the outer movement, Lalo’s characteristically forceful rhythmic manner. Chants russes is an arrangement of the middle movement of the Concerto russe for violin – it’s very effective as a cello piece. Kliegel’s soft, refined sound near the end is especially memorable