Britten: Cello Symphony Op 68, Cello Suite No 1; Pieter Wispelwey (cello)

For all his fluency in so many forms, Benjamin Britten was not at ease with the concerto, and they have not established themselves as have his vocal works. He avoided the term when writing the cello symphony for Rostropovich, and this craggy, turbulent masterpiece has been unduly neglected. Pieter Wispelwey's intelligent, penetrating musicianship and lyrical commitment will surely give it a new lease of life, especially with the precise, sharp support of the Flanders Symphony Orchestra led by Seikyo Kim. Alongside it, the solo suite makes a dramatic story, well told.