THE cellist’s last concert, at the 2010 Festival, had included a stunning performance of Kodaly’s magnificent solo sonata, which was scheduled to be played again here but, in an unexpected change, Ms Clein announced that she was switching to Britten’s 3rd Cello Suite.
She began by playing the well-known Prelude from Bach’s G major Suite which was part of Britten’s inspiration.
This short piece led straight into the gentle start of the Britten which, like all his Suites, was written for Mstislav Rostropovich.
With a superb technique, an intense concentration curiously reminiscent of Rostropovich and a wonderful sound on her 1777 Guadagnini, it was often enough to enjoy the sheer beauty of the playing in a cohesive and convincing performance, which often seemed more mellow than usual.
For Bach’s Suite No. 5, Ms Clein played with a baroque bow for the first time in public, briefly demonstrating some of the differences.
Her fine performance include a graceful and serious Prelude, a flowing and rhythmic Allemande and a measured Sarabande.
Three very short pieces by the Hungarian composer Kurtag were then followed by the first movement of the Kodaly sonata, which the soloist advised was complete in itself, having been written sometime before the rest.
Its dramatic and passionate opening became deeper and darker at times and was a vivid reminder of her previous performance.
Finally, as an encore, we heard Casals’ wistful and nostalgic Song of the Birds based on a Catalan folk song.
Peter Bevan
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