Pieter Wispelwey, Florilegium - Haydn: Cello Concertos (1994)

Haydn's two cello concertos have always been dearly loved by cellists, and the first one (in C) was the outstanding musical discovery of the 1950s. It is an earlier but finer work than the Concerto in D (No. 2), although, to be fair to Haydn, the Second Concerto is most often performed in later editors' horrible arrangements that obscure many of the finer qualities of the original. Here, played by an enthusiastic band of period-instrument folks, they have more energy and color than you could possibly imagine. At its very best, the "authentic" instrument approach really can make the music sound fresh and new. Pieter Wispelwey and Florilegium get full credit for treating these concertos with the vitality and commitment that they deserve. -- David Hurwitz