Ikon Arts News

More than 150 years after his death, one of Schumann's wishes has come true. He suggested that his Cello Concerto be published not only in its original form, but also in a version with accompaniment for strings only. Last year an arrangement was made by the Swiss violinist and composer Arthur Lilienthal — and it has just had its first performance at the Wigmore Hall.

The string players of the Southbank Sinfonia stood in an arc around their soloist, Raphael Wallfisch, and gave it their all. In this piece, they're usually pretty subservient to the virtuosity of the soloist. But, having to take on the conversation and comments of an entire orchestra in their hard-working bows, the violas in particular had to be on their mettle. The piece was transformed. This was densely inter-communicated chamber music, with Wallfisch relishing the work's soaring lyricism and his duetting with many an orchestral soloist. In the finale he acted as dance master demonstrating and sharing each leaping step.

(Extract from The Times review: 8th October 2009)

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