CARL DAVIDOV (1838-1889): Cello Concertos No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 5 and No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 14, PETER TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893): Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33.

Description: Being part Latvian and part Russian no doubt helped Davidov gain entry to posthumous oblivion (how do you classify him?) as well as not being a part of the Russian nationalist school but rather more in the pan-European school of Rubinstein. He wrote four concertos and these first two (1859 and 1863) are notable for their abundant melodic charm, cantabile slow movements and adherence to German Romanticism (a hint of Schumann appears here and there in the second concerto). Wen-Sinn Yang (cello), Latvian National Symphony Orchestra; Terje Mikkelsen.