Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788)
Cello Concerto in A minor, Wq170 (1750)
Cello Concerto in B flat major, Wq171 (1751)
Cello Concerto in A major, Wq172 (1753)
Accademia de’ Dissonanti/Elinor Frey (cello)
rec. 2025, Isabel Bader Theatre, Kingston, Canada
Reviewed as lossless download
Channel Classics CCS50426 [68]

Elinor Frey is the founder, director and, in this case, soloist of the Montréal-based period instrument ensemble Accademia de’ Dissonanti. This is their first recording for Channel Classics, having released two well-received recordings for the Passacaille label of quite obscure music by Dall’Abaco and Baur (review). By comparison, the cello concertos of Emanuel Bach are relatively mainstream, with more than a dozen sets already available. Of those, my favourites are by Nicolas Altstaedt (Hyperion – review) and Hidemi Suzuki (BIS); they are quite different in their approaches, the former driven and dramatic, the latter warmer and gentler.

Elinor Frey and her ensemble are definitely in the Altstaedt camp, with performances that are very propulsive, to the point of being tiring at times, but I find that with Altstaedt as well, and indeed much of CPE’s music: it’s better to listen to one work at a time, rather than an hour-plus of it. It’s also why I enjoy Suzuki’s performances, because they don’t wear you out nearly as much.

Timings aren’t always a useful guide, but here they tell the story fairly accurately. The timing for Frey’s A minor is extended by her first movement cadenza, which lasts for almost two minutes, whereas those of Altstaedt and Suzuki are around 30-45 seconds. I’m afraid my attention wandered during Frey’s. I accept her knowledge of Bach’s music is far greater than mine, and she discusses the nature of the cadenza in her notes, but it seemed to unbalance the movement.

Looking at what I’ve written so far, it would seem I wasn’t especially impressed by this recording, but that isn’t so. These concertos, written before Haydn’s, make considerable demands on the soloist, and Elinor Frey overcomes all challenges with ease. The orchestra is lithe and responsive; while the notes don’t list the players, a photograph would suggest that they number fewer than ten (Arcangelo for Aldstaedt is a little larger). Bach’s everchanging dynamics and tempos are given full rein, and the quieter moments are handled with delicacy. I’m not a great fan of the harpsichord, but I recognise that it is necessary here in the basso continuo; the instrument used in the recording has a quite lovely tone, and is miked sympathetically.

However, while Frey’s readings have many of the same characteristics as Altstaedt’s, they are not as warm and definitely not as engaging. Altstaedt somehow manages to round off CPE’s jagged edges a little without compromising the energy, forward movement and sudden changes in dynamics. Perhaps the word I’m looking for is emotion: while this isn’t Romantic music, Frey’s readings just lack a little in emotional variety. The string timbre is, at times, a little thin and abrasive with seemingly little or no vibrato employed; this is definitely down the severe end of the HIP spectrum. This impression of “coldness” may also be to do with the acoustic on this recording which is very detailed, but also very dry.

I’m pleased to have heard these performances, and while I obviously have reservations, I will certainly be retaining them. They do, however, emphasise just how good the Altstaedt recording is.

David Barker

Other review: Dominy Clements

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