NED ROREM (b.1923): Piano Concerto No. 2, Cello Concerto.
Catalogue Number: 10J013
Label: Naxos
Reference: 8.559315
Format: CD
Price: $11.98
Description: Another easy recommendation (even if it were full-price). The piano work is early (1951), composed in Morocco for Julius Katchen and has the grand sweep of Rachmaninov coupled with the big-boned American symphonism of the post-war period. Amazing that it could be so completly forgotten. The cello concerto comes from 2002 and abandons the usual three-movement pattern (as often in Rorem's late works) in favor of eight plainly described ("Curtain Raise", "Competitive Chaos", "Valse Rappelée" are three examples) sections. Kaleidoscopic and colorful, it is also somewhat more dissonant in places but still approachable and great fun. Simon Mulligan (piano), Wen-Sinn Yang (cello), Royal Scottish National Orchestra; José Serebrier.