The Known Unknowns, an Azica album of cellist Lynn Harrell joined by the Angeli Ensemble, has an equally curious subtitle of "Cello Explorations." Indeed, Harrell takes listeners off the beaten path in his irreverent performances of several much beloved selections from the cello's early concerto repertoire. For its part, the Angeli Ensemble's performance is exemplary and, for some, is the highlight of the album. Given such small numbers, the group achieves a wonderfully rich, well-rounded sound that is nonetheless always ...
Read More
The Known Unknowns, an Azica album of cellist Lynn Harrell joined by the Angeli Ensemble, has an equally curious subtitle of "Cello Explorations." Indeed, Harrell takes listeners off the beaten path in his irreverent performances of several much beloved selections from the cello's early concerto repertoire. For its part, the Angeli Ensemble's performance is exemplary and, for some, is the highlight of the album. Given such small numbers, the group achieves a wonderfully rich, well-rounded sound that is nonetheless always nimble, elegant, and ideally balanced. Bow strokes are refined but energetic, and intonation is spot on throughout. There is quite a contrast between orchestra and soloist. So much so that it's unclear why Harrell would choose such a pristine, traditional backdrop for his unorthodox approach to the concertos of C.P.E. Bach, Haydn, Boccherini, and Couperin. Throughout the disc, Harrell assaults his instrument with almost brutal, angular bow strokes that at times produce more noise than...
Read Less
