The most interesting piece here is Hamelin for solo cello and narrator, though the present recording omits the narration. Composer-conductor Laurent Petitgirard follows Browning’s poem virtually to the word, mimicking the Pied Piper’s eerie message with harmonics and mirroring the (missing) narrative with dramatic gestures. We’re not told why the narration is missing, or indeed who the cellist is (at least not for certain). What we do know is that Gary Hoffman performs Petitgirard’s mellow, moody and frequently dramatic Cello Concerto, where the soloist tussles with a percussion group and the writing elsewhere resembles high quality film music. Hoffman plays the piece wonderfully well and is credited as doing so, but cast your eyes down to Hamelin and while the brief note claims that Frederic Lodeon premiered the work in 1984 it makes no mention whatsoever of who is playing it on the CD. I’m presuming it’s Hoffman. The performance itself is impressive.
Another peculiarity of this oddball production cites the concerto as being in three movements, tracks it as such, but gives no indication whether – or how – individual movements are titled. And when Petitgirard’s rather bombastic Concerto for violin, chorus and orchestra, Le legendaire, ends (fairly loudly, I might add), Hamelin’s unaccompanied cello barges in as if it’s the size of the Eiffel Tower. I’ve never heard such badly matched playback levels.
Dumay tackles Le legendaire with impressive technical address and seems well supported by the chorus and orchestra; but the music, though powerful on occasion (the very opening, for example), has precious little genuine substance save for a certain sense of atmosphere. Hamelin is fun (if rather senseless without its narration) and the Cello Concerto is a good vehicle for Hoffman but, to be honest, I’m not exactly impatient for my next encounter with Petitgirard’s work. '