Search - Frederic Chopin, Bernd Glemser :: Chopin: Cello Sonata / Polonaise Brillante

Ugly sound and consistently out of tune

sparkyk | Los Angeles, California USA | 12/22/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I must say, as a cellist who knows these pieces intimtely, I was quite disappointed in Maria Kliegel's performances of some of the most attractive works in the cello/piano repertoire. Kliegel has credentials. She was a student and teaching assistant of Starker, who himself plays fabulously in tune, and she has been hailed by Rostropovich, whose technical command of the intstrument is practically unparalleled. Yet, Kliegel has a woofy, flaccid, unpleasantly slow and ponderous vibrato and is almost always below pitch. Add to that a penchant for ugly, audible slides in inappropriate places that interrupt the melodic line and you get a group of performances that is almost unlistenable. One would do better to seek out performances of these works by Piatigorsky (Sonata), Tortelier (Sonata), Starker (Sonata, Introduction and Polonaise), Janigro (Piatigorsky's transcription of the Nocturne -- unbelievably beautiful performance) and other worthies. My rating of two stars is for the fact that many of the transcriptions are either unavailable or under-represented on CD and having all of this repertoire on one disc is convenient. Kliegel clearly has the ability to play the cello well and, when her sound doesn't get in the way, displays occasional moments of creditable musicality on this CD. I base this conclusion on a few passages to be found on these recordings. Also, the fact that Rostropovich and Starker have such a high regard for her playing makes me think that here, she might have had an off day. Perhaps she is better suited to other repertoire. Whatever the reality of Maria Kliegel as a cellist may be, the fact is that these particular recordings are definitely not exemplary."