Korngold: Cello Concerto, Op. 37 / Piano Concerto, Op. 17 / Symphonic Serende Op 39

"The works on this disc, another Chandos mid-price re-issue, cover a wide time span, and is most desirable for the inclusion of the splendid Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, and even more so for the masterly Symphonic Serenade, a 1947 work for strings that should be heard in the concert hall...the performances and recordings are excellent"
(John Button Dominion Post)

This disc offers four works, from several of Korngold's periods, including the Cello Concerto, an adaptation of a short piece Korngold composed in 1946 for the film Deception and here performed by Peter Dixon. Dixon plays with elegance and a lyrical understatement needed for this work.

The Concerto in C sharp for left hand is an altogether different matter. It is an extraordinarily imaginative and resourceful work - ambitious and sometimes authentically modern. Although it springs from a post-Straussian world, it is full of individual touches. Howard Shelley gives it a radiant performance, playing with panache. "The work demonstrates his virtues, chief among which was the ability to evoke and express feelings", wrote American Record Guide. Coupling these two exigent works is the Symphonic Serenade for Strings - a very beautiful work with a highly inventive Scherzo and an eloquent, rather Mahlerian slow movement.

The third of the Korngold collection released on to the Classics label this month, it is an important addition to the collection.
Reviews

'Quote from the original release:
First-rate playing and opulent, well-balanced recording. Well worth exploring'
The Penguin Guide, 3 stars