Composed during a period of social readjustment in post-war France, the First Cello Concerto marked Saint-Saëns’ acceptance as a composer among the establishment, and has long been one of his most admired works. Recognition for the fiendishly technical Second Cello Concerto took longer, although its tranquil central movement contains one of the most sublime melodies Saint-Saëns ever wrote. The supremely famous Le Cygne appears alongside the less well-known Bach-inspired Suite in D minor, and with the inclusion of the Romance this programme contains Saint-Saëns’s complete works for cello and orchestra.

Cellist Gabriel Schwabe has appeared on the Naxos label with Brahms’s two Cello Sonatas (8573489), giving rise to comments such as, “He counts among the best cellists of his generation” (Concerti), “Schwabe carefully molds every single note. I wish the tones could stay a bit longer just to be able to marvel at them better” (Fono Forum), and “Schwabe plays with a beautifully smooth and sweet tone. In addition, his intonation and finger-to-bow coordination are spot-on” (Fanfare).