The Symphony Hall, Birmingham

CBSO Youth Orchestra

Martyn Brabbins

Shostakovich: Cello Concerto

Guy Johnston, the young soloist in Shostakovich's first cello concerto grew in confidence and presence in the most demanding of concertos where he has to play almost non-stop.

The second movement's ghostly duet with the celesta was hushed and magical and his playing of the huge cadenza in the finale, whereby the cello meditates on what we have heard earlier, was very powerful.

Norman Stinchcombe