Cello Concertino, Op. 43bis (1948)
Fantasia for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 52 (1952-53)
Cello Concerto, Op. 43 (1948 - expansion premiered in 1957 by Mstislav Rostropovich)

One of the very first pieces I heard many years ago by Mieczyslaw Weinberg (1919-1996) was his captivating Fantasia for Cello and Orchestra, and based on the substantial number of reviews for recordings of his music that I've posted over the years since, it's fair to assume that I was immediately hooked by this composer's sound and style. As a matter of fact, one of the initial reviews published on this website was for this Chandos recording featuring a few of his concertos for various instruments, released back in June of 2008, the year this review website was established.

Following a dark, ominous and brooding intro typical of this composer, the cello makes it's initial entry with "tuneful" and pleasant music. In fact, a more beautiful and fluid cello melody would be hard to find. It was meant to comply with a period when Soviet composers were called upon to write "tuneful" and pleasant music relatable to the general populace. But in characteristic Weinberg fashion, an overall malaise lurks just below this beautiful surface. Cellist Nikolay Shugaev's lyrically expressive phrasing and intonation marries these conflicting moods very well. Following a boisterous middle section, the opening melody returns but this time closes the work on a highly touching and plaintive note.

The Concertino and Concerto are basically one and the same. The former, apparently finished in just over four days, was never performed and only discovered posthumously. It was scored for cello and string orchestra. The Concerto on the other hand, although based on the same underlying material is scored for cello and large orchestra, and is a complete overhaul and expansion, forged into a full-fledged Concerto for Cello and Orchestra. Its opening Adagio movement alone (short audio clip below), with its intensely doleful temperament, will grab and sustain your full attention from start to finish. And again, cellist Nikolay Shugaev digs deep to project its full emotive impact.

My opinion may be biased based on my fondness for this composer's music, but I believe these two works for Cello and Orchestra should command the same support and attention as Max Bruch's Kol Nidrei and the Cello Concertos by Dvorak and Elgar. Due to the tragic misfortunes and hardships that Mieczyslaw Weinberg endured throughout his life, there's a genuine intensity within his music that always comes to the surface and pulls you in. Once you've heard the final notes of the Concerto you will know what I mean.