Schumann: Fantasiestuecke; Mendelssohn, et al / Green, Moyer

Cellist Nancy Green and pianist Frederick Moyer join together on this 1991 JRI Recordings album for a selection of works for cello and piano that have little to do with one another apart from their ability to fit into the space allotted on one CD. Opening with Schumann's Op. 73 "Fantasiestucke," the album's sound quality immediately becomes an issue and remains one for the duration. Distant, muddy, quiet, and lacking in bass depth and definition even from the piano, neither Green nor Moyer come across sounding as good as they probably could. The typically nimble Mendelssohn Second Sonata is dulled, the distinct contrasts in texture and timbre in the Debussy sonata are lost, and the edginess of the Britten sonata -- particularly in the Moto perpetuo finale -- is softened. Green's playing throughout the album is generally acceptable but nothing truly remarkable. Her vibrato is applied heavily throughout, far more than is necessary for most of these works, and does not change along with the four distinct compositional styles. Technical aspects of her playing are refined, including a well-in-tune and facile left hand, but do not sufficiently make up for other shortcomings on the album. Moyer's playing is solid, but again suffers because of JRI's sound quality.