Warning: the below is ridiculously prolix and may not be worth reading!
Good to see another English cello concerto fan on these boards Dundonnell! I have heard all of the works that you list (the recorded ones) and I have to say that I think that there are more fine cello concertos by English composers than any other country. I am certainly not saying that cello concertos from other countries are not as good (!) - My favourite cello concertos derive from composers of all nationalities, but there seems to be some curious afinity for cello concerto writing in English composers born in the early twentieth century. I have often wondered why this is, and have come up with a few possible reasons. Elgar's cello concerto is I think we can agree the first great English cello concerto. Though Stanford composed one nice concerto in the late 19th century it would be difficult to consider it a masterpiece. This may have set a precident for a standard of cello concerto writing amongst other British composers. It's interesting to note that English composers often produced cello concertos later in life when they were in full command of their compositional powers -
Elgar - composed in 1919 aged 62
Delius – composed in 1921 aged 61
Bridge - composed in 1930 aged 51
Bax - composed in 1953 aged 49
Tovey – composed in 1936 aged 61
Howells – composed in 1937 aged 45
Moeran composed in 1945 aged 51
Finzi – composed in 1955 aged 54
Walton - composed in 1956 aged 54
Britten – composed in 1963 aged 50
Bliss – composed in 1970 aged 79(!)
Two naturalised ‘English’ composers also might be considered in this list:
Goldschmidt – composed in 1953 aged 50
Panufnik – composed in 1991 aged 77
Many of these composers had previously produced violin concertos. I am not just picking and choosing – I believe that these composers wrote the finest English cello concertos. Perhaps it is also because of the relative difficulty of writing cello concertos in that extremely careful orchestration must be used in order that the solo cello isn’t easily covered. Perhaps, after Elgar’s example, the cello concerto in England was destined to be the vehicle of an aging composers melancholic thoughts and concerns, perhaps due to the nature of the cello’s ‘natural’ voice. Perhaps the cello naturally lends itself to ‘the English style’ of composition. An alternative explanation could be the growing popularity of the cello concerto as a genre in the twentieth century. I could continue listing guesses, but what we have is a body of cello concertos with a consistence of quality and that is of quite a rare order. While Barber’s cello concerto (1945) is a true masterpiece, the number of other American cello concertos of similar quality from this period small. Works by Schulman, Schuman, Piston, Mennin, Thomson, Diamond, Glass, Hovhaness, Rorem, Schuller and Stevens are all of variable quality. In more recent years, more brilliant works have appeared – Feldman’s Cello and Orchestra 1972, and Albert’s (1990) and Carter’s (2001) are both great as is Williams’ (1994). The three works by Rouse, Danielpour and Kirchner that Ma premiered and recorded in the early 90’s are also all quite fine.
This is not to say that all English cello concertos are great, but those by the more famous composers are generally amongst the best of their output.
Lennox Berkeley’s cello concerto is a youthful work (1937) but not up to the standard of the other pieces on the list – the late Dialogue for cello and orchestra (1970) is also interesting. Leighton’s concerto was composed when he was very young, and is a fine piece, but I make no claims to be being scientific, only that I have noticed a general trend!
Oh Christ, I have far too much time on my hands! Please feel free to ignore all of the boring above!
I agree that the Fantasia rambles but both of Howells' works for cello and orchestra are really very beautiful.
Goehr’s Romanza is one that I haven’t heard (and apt for today!) but is apparently inspired by Janacek, so I’d like to hear that one.
I also have a rather higher opinion of the Moeran - Raphael Wallfisch's account is rather brilliant (and Coetmore's certainly isn't). The Bliss concerto is one of my favourite pieces and I am convinced that its relative neglect is only to do with the high demands that are placed on the soloist. The Walton, Finzi, Bridge and Britten works are all pieces of the front rank.
Concertante works that you haven't yet mentioned are Holst's wonderful invocation and also the two by Hoddinott - Nocturnes and Cadenza's and the even finer Noctus Equi (written for Rostropovich). Then there are Tavener's works - The Protecting Veil which is quite phenominal and the less ambitious but still quite fine Eternal Memory. Casken's concerto is also brilliant. There are a few other works (Judith Wier, , but I think you have covered most of the ones that are most worth mentioning.
I agree that there are others that need recordings. Fould's is at the top of my list - Wallfisch 'repremiered' and broadcast the piece in the late 80s on BBC Radio 3 but they can't find the recording in their archives at present! It is by all accounts a brilliant work, as good, if not better than the cello sonata. Cyril Scott's concerto was recently recorded and it's quite a nice piece (nothing earth shattering), but the piece The Melodist and the Nightingales is a really fine achievement to my ears, at least as much as I have heard of it - this really does need a recording. I would love to hear Brian's concerto and also those by Osborne, Cooke, Stevenson, Joseph, Rainier and Parrott (the last one very much so).
