Carl Davidoff (1838-1889)
Cello Concerto No. 1 in B minor, Op. 5 (1859) [19:53]
Cello Concerto No. 2 in A minor, Op. 14 (1863) [26:37]
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello & Orchestra, Op. 33 (1876)

Wen-Sinn Yang (cello)
Latvian National Symphony Orchestra/Terje Mikkelsen
Recorded Reformed Church, Rega, Latvia,
November 1997/March 1998
Released March 2007
CPO 777 263-2 [65:23]

The Composer - Of Latvian/Russian decent, Carl Davidoff was one of the
foremost cellists of his era.  After receiving his primary training at
the Leipzig Conservatoire, he gained employment with the Leipzig Gewandhaus
Orchestra and soon became its lead cellist.  In 1862, Davidoff returned
to Russia as a teacher at the St.  Petersburg Conservatoire and in 1878
was appointed Principal of the school.  About ten years later, he resigned
his post and extensively toured throughout Europe to glowing reviews.
The famous Piotr Tchaikovsky was a particular champion of Davidoff's
artistry as a musician, referring to him as the "tsar of the cello".

Concerning composition, Davidoff appeared to gain more reward from
his cello playing and school administrative functions than his musical
creations.  His compositional goals excluded any adventurous notions and
stuck to the tried and true Central European tradition.  To Davidoff's
mind, composing architecturally sound and aesthetically pleasing music
was perfection.

The Music - These two cello concertos come from a very young Davidoff.
If one emphasizes "young", then they perhaps can be deemed successful
endeavors.  However, in the larger scope of things, I don't think they
have much to offer in the long-run.  The 1st Movement of the Concerto
in B minor is thoroughly rewarding: attractive melodies, strong and
urgent attacks, fine thematic development and a minimum of repetition.
Unfortunately, the remaining two movements of the B minor and each of
the three movements of the A minor Concerto are disappointing.  The two
slow middle movements contain over-wrought sentiments, and the outer
movements are melodically ordinary with the poor habit of repeating
motifs that are not particularly engrossing to begin with.  Although
every movement begins well, Davidoff does not seem to have the ability
to sustain a high level of artistry as the music progresses.  Sad to
say, the obscurity of Davidoff's music has a great deal of merit.

The Performances - The Davidoff Concertos don't really possess any
emotional depth.  In this light, playing the works with as much brilliance
and entertainment value as possible is advantageous.  But both Wenn-Sin
Yang and the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra display a restraint
that can't do full justice to the music.  That special pleading that
second-rate works require is absent from these performing forces.  I
must say that the Tchaikovsky piece goes quite well; it does not need
special pleading.

Other Reviews - The reviews have been mixed.  As a prime example, one
Fanfare Magazine reviewer panned the disc while another placed it on his
"Want List for 2007".

Don's Conclusions: With all due respect for alternative opinions, I
can not recommend acquisition of the Davidoff recording except to cello
enthusiasts on the hunt for material off the beaten path.  Although I
have not heard it, there is a recording of the Cello Concerto in A minor
performed by Daniil Shafran under the baton of Eugen Mravinsky; it's
part of a 7-cd Brilliant Classics set devoted to Shafran recordings.  If
any performers can bring this work to life, I'd bet on Shafran/Mravinsky.

Don Satz
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