CD-Charts Position 1
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Elgar: Cello Concerto

by: Natalie Clein

Release Date September 24, 2007
About 13 years ago, Natalie Clein won the BBC Young Musician of the year with a memorable performance of the Elgar. She has lived with it some years now and this recording is no disappointment. It is a wonderfully sombre reading of the piece that Elgar intended as a requiem to the dea of the First World War. More restrained than Du Pre's wonderful version, I wonder if it didn't hit an even deeper note at times. But comparisons are odious. Both have great music making to enjoy. One slight disappointment is in the fairly meare fill-up of salon pieces. Would have liked to hear Clein in another concerto. But this record also acts as a memorial to the fine British conductor, the late Tod Handley, so that's another reason for buying it.

CD-Charts Position 2
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Natalie Clein - The Romantic Cello

from: EMI Classics

Release Date September 25, 2006
About 13 years ago, Natalie Clein won the BBC Young Musician of the year with a memorable performance of the Elgar. She has lived with it some years now and this recording is no disappointment. It is a wonderfully sombre reading of the piece that Elgar intended as a requiem to the dea of the First World War. More restrained than Du Pre's wonderful version, I wonder if it didn't hit an even deeper note at times. But comparisons are odious. Both have great music making to enjoy. One slight disappointment is in the fairly meare fill-up of salon pieces. Would have liked to hear Clein in another concerto. But this record also acts as a memorial to the fine British conductor, the late Tod Handley, so that's another reason for buying it.

CD-Charts Position 3
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Brahms Cello Sonatas

by: Natalie Clein

Release Date October 18, 2004

Natalie Clein's 2004 debut CD release offers three thoughtfully chosen cello works - two sonatas by Brahms and an unusual composition by Schubert.

The Brahms sonatas may not be as popular or frequently performed as those works for the instrument by the likes of Elgar or Haydn, but they are certainly no less important. The Schubert Arpeggione is even less heard, due to the fact it was composed for the guitar-violoncello (a six stringed instrument with frets held in a similar way to the cello) which is now virtually extinct barring a few originals and some modern examples which were made specifically for this piece of music.

I heard this CD after listening to Natalie's following two releases (The romantic cello, and Elgar's ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
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Duruflé - Requiem

from: Hyperion

Release Date June 15, 1995
To start with the actual performance of the works: Both the requiem and the motets were written for a choir with boy sopranos, and the Westminster Abbey choir brings out the wonderful, etheral harmonies of these works beautifully. The reading is pious and meditative in places, which suits this piece wonderful. The choir diction is clear and distinct and the soloists are okay. Simon Keenlyside sings well, although a bit dull in both the requiem and the Messe Cum Jubilo, and the treble Aaron Webber has a few "young boy" wobbles, that are always present with boy soloists (If you want to hear a treble soloists without the nervous wobble, check out the Kings College 1963 recording of Allegri's Miserere with Roy Goodman as the treble soloist).

The sound ... Read More: