ジョージ・ロイド: ヴァイオリン&チェロ協奏曲集

イギリスの老舗レーベルLyritaが贈る、ベンジャミン・ブリテンと同年に生まれ、戦禍を乗り越えて20世紀のイギリスで活躍した作曲家ジョージ・ロイドの録音アーカイヴ集。このディスクには「独奏ヴァイオリンがオーケストラの厚いテクスチャーに圧倒されてはならない」という視点から1曲は管楽アンサンブルが、もう1曲は弦楽アンサンブルが伴奏を担う2つのヴァイオリン協奏曲と、最晩年に書かれた、どことなく物憂げで悲しい雰囲気の漂うチェロ協奏曲を収録しています。
東京エムプラス

Like much of the output of Britains Lyrita label, this is a historical recording, but it continues to fill a void in the contemporary market; the George Lloyd concertos for violin and cello recorded here were world premieres when they appeared in 1999 and 2001, and they remain apparently the only available recordings. So, it is unsurprising that the album made classical best-seller lists in the summer of 2024. The content has gotten garbled in the transition to online presentation; the program opens with Lloyds Concerto for violin and winds of 1970, but online sources give this variously as Violin Concerto No. 1 and the Concerto for violin and winds. The other violin concerto is labeled Violin Concerto No. 2 online, but simply as the Concerto for violin and strings in the physical booklet. The sound is a bit choppy, originating in two locations with two different orchestras (the Philharmonia Orchestra for the violin concertos and the Albany Symphony in the U.S. -- which often championed Lloyds work -- for the Cello Concerto). All this noted, Lloyd fans will be glad to have this new recording, given the evanescent quality of CDs. It is a bit of a mystery why these concertos arent more popular, especially given that Lloyds reputation has had something of a renaissance since the recordings first appeared. They are excellent examples of his style, containing his characteristic melodic gift, humor, and one-of-a-kind formal freedom. Sample the writing in the Cello Concertos opening movement, marked "Violante," and continue on as the work becomes more and more episodic in its final two movements without ever falling apart. Both cellist Anthony Ross and violinist Cristina Anghelescu are ideal in this music; Anghelescus spritely, lyrical tone is a gift throughout. An essential release for Lloyd lovers. ~ James Manheim