Rota: Cello Concertos (Sony)

The music label Sony Classical made a clever choice by proposing, on occasion of the centenary from Nino Rota’s birth (Milan, December 3rd, 1911 - Rome, April 10th, 1979), the first Italian recording of his less known two Concertos for Cello and Orchestra rather than the usual distilled of soundtracks thanks to which this composer became famous.
Coming from his last working period (1972-’73), these two compositions arranged in the habitual three movements show Rota’s total indifference to atonality and his complete faith in melody and singing, underlining his innate inclination to a fluid and extremely communicative way of writing, made of dramatic impulses and extraordinary lightness, naïve purity and easy-going subtlety. All of these features are highlighted by Milanese cellist Silvia Chiesa, perfectly supported by Corrado Rovaris leading the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI in a really great shape. Their interpretation is captivating and poetic, deep and passionate at the same time.
Counting on her incomparable alacrity and fierce technique, the cellist prove to be greatly able to move deftly between the most difficult passages of a not easy writing, enhancing the most shiny colors in burning virtuosity moments through enthusiastic fervor through and tinged and nostalgic episodes through delicate sound and subtle touch.
They are certainly two extremely interesting, striking compositions which deserve to be listened to and better known. Is there any better chance than this?