★★★★★ A thrilling solo recital from the blossoming Weilerstein that's sure to please her many fans

Alisa Weilerstein Solo

I've found it thrilling to follow Alisa Weilerstein, the young American cellist who has suddenly come under the spotlight in the past few years. It makes sense that Decca is releasing her first solo album, since her charisma is thrilling all by itself. Earlier this year, she was galvanizing in the Dvorak concerto, only I found that she had several times more imagination than her conductor, Jiri Belohlavek. Her tone showcases an incredible warmth and richness, all delivered with the power of one of the rare greats.

I'm not a solo cello aficionado, so all the works on this disc were new to me. I'd dare to guess, though, that most prospective buyers will be enticed based on their satisfaction with Weilerstein's concerto discs, as I was myself. I found the most delight in the first work on the program, the Kodaly Sonata for Solo Cello. But there's plenty of interest in the Bright Sheng Seven Tunes Heard in China, which has a strong folk flavor. For me, the most important part of this disc is that Weilerstein plays everything with the same golden tone, the same variety, and the same concentration. She seems unable to play without inserting her own personality, which I find gripping and moving. Decca captures her with close-miking, a bit larger than life. It just adds to the impact, though. Her ability to plunge beneath the depths of these scores is penetrating. I only hope she doesn't lose her raw passion as she continues to grow. It's not an everyday phenomenon. 

I don't usually review discs if I don't have prior familiarity with the compositions. I hope my readers can forgive me for giving way just this once. It's hard for me to keep back my enthusiasm. I'm now a committed fan of Weilerstein and can't imagine any fans of these scores going away without being impressed. Is Weilerstein now our greatest living cellist?