Elgar: Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85 & other shorter works

"Clein demonstrated the lyricism on which she's building a solid reputation, her instrument … blossoming into a rich, burnished voice. Threads became soaring melodies, fragments made textural sense." - The Independent

"No shortage of Elgar passion as Clein shows that du Pré's classic account is not definitive. Not as flamboyant as you-know-whose, Natalie Clein's Elgar Concerto is still emotional. Yet that emotion is often concentrated, controlled. At first what can seem somewhat too introverted is revealed on closer listening as something altogether darker than we are used to in this work. Nothing's comfortable about this reading, nor should it be."
Editor's Choice - Gramophone Magazine (Awards Issue 2007)

Natalie Clein made her EMI recording debut in 2004 on the Classics for Pleasure label with a critically acclaimed disc of the Brahms and Schubert cello sonatas which was followed last year with an album of Chopin and Rachmaninov sonatas - the first of an exclusive 3-album contract with EMI Classics UK.

Natalie Clein's latest recording in this Elgar 150th anniversary year is a fittingly all-Elgar programme featuring the mighty Cello Concerto together with a selection of miniatures especially arranged for cello and orchestra by Julian Milone (arranger of the best-selling Alison Balsom 'Caprice' album). These include arrangements of the ever-popular Chanson de Matin, Salut d'Amour and In Moonlight and the hauntingly beautiful Sospiri - a real highlight of the programme, originally composed as a mere companion piece to Salut d'Amour but soon 'promoted' to it's own opus as Elgar realised how especially good it was!

The concerto itself needs no introduction - as a cornerstone of the British concert repertoire it's quite simply one of the Nation's most beloved works with which EMI Classics has had a long and distinguished association. Jacqueline du Pré's legendary recording with Sir John Barbirolli for EMI remains one of the best-selling classical recordings of all-time, and the reference recording of the 20th century. This new recording by Natalie Clein is a powerful, fresh and unique interpretation and is set to be the reference recording for the 21st century.

Natalie Clein is joined in this recording by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of the celebrated conductor Dr. Vernon Handley CBE. Dr Handley was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's Classical Brit Awards at which he and Natalie Clein gave a spellbinding performance of the Elgar concerto first movement to a hushed Royal Albert Hall and a nationwide TV audience of millions.

Natalie Clein was awarded Classical Brit Award for Young British Performer of 2005 and is a former BBC Young Musician of the Year Award winner. She has established herself as one of Britain's leading cellists and is in demand in both the UK and abroad as a concert artist and performs regularly with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, and numerous others.