Romantic Music For Cello and Orchestra

"Vytautas Sondeckis (b 1972) is the son of Lithuanian conductor Saulius Sondeckis. He studied at the St Petersburg Conservatory and has won several cello competitions. He is first cello of the NDR Symphony, Hamburg. He brings technical security, handsome tone, a balanced approach, and real feeling to the music in his recital.

"All the favorites are here, and some novelties as well. He begins with Rimsky-Korsakoff (what else - 'The Flight of the Bumblebee', plus an interesting Serenade). Tchaikovsky, Anton Rubinstein, Taneyev, Shostakovich, and Rachmaninoff also contribute, as do the less known Karl Davidov and Lithuanian Balys Dvarionas (1904-72). The two pieces by Dvarionas (who studied in Germany with Abendroth, Karg-Elert, and Egon Petri) are especially interesting: tuneful and melodic, neatly crafted, altogether enjoyable. They appear to be first recordings; at least, no other works by the composer appear in my most recent Schwann.

The Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra supports the soloist well, and conductor Geringas, whose name is gradually becoming a household word, keeps everything together and moving in the right direction. Naxos's sound is clean and pleasant, notes are excellent, packaging attractive. At the Naxos's price, it's tough to pass this one by. And I hope to hear a good deal more from Mr Sondeckis." American Record Guide