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Artist: Ofra Harnoy
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Ofra Harnoy:

Elgar & Lalo Cello Concertos

When cellist Ofra Harnoy entered London’s venerable Abbey Road Studios in 1996 to record Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85, she never imagined she would have to wait 27 years for the recording’s release – at last, set for release on September 15 via Sony Classical and available for preorder now.

The new album also includes a reissue of Harnoy’s recording of the Cello Concerto in D Minor by the French composer Edouard Lalo, made in 1995 with the late Antonio de Almeida conducting the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

The Elgar recording – with George Pehlivanian conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra – was completed in its 1996 Abbey Road sessions. However, it was never edited and released, all but vanished. Repeated inquiries and searches over the years yielded no results, until a diligent effort in 2022 finally discovered the master tapes in the storage of a former associate.

Fortunately, notes from the sessions survived, and the Elgar recording’s original producer, Andrew Keener, was available to advise Mike Herriott, Harnoy’s husband and manager, who edited the tapes in their own home studio. Ron Searles of Red Maple Sound in Toronto mastered the final edit, as well as remastering the Lalo recording, using the latest Dolby Atmos technology. Keener recalls how the Elgar concerto felt at the time. “The sessions at Abbey Road’s fabled Studio 1 were productive and enjoyable, fresh and uninhibited. I hope you enjoy the result.”

Ofra Harnoy:

On the Rock

For her second recording on the Analekta label, On the Rock, superstar cellist and five-time Juno Award winner Ofra Harnoy was inspired to celebrate the sounds and spirit of Newfoundland. Upon visiting "The Rock" in the summer of 2018, the cellist immediately fell in love with the place and its people. "The more I explore this beautiful island and get to know the people, food, and the culture, the more I feel Newfoundland becoming a part of me. Through these songs I can really express the wonderful connection I have with my new home," says Harnoy. 

Her husband, Mike Herriott, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and co-producer of the album, adds "With the guidance and contribution of Bob Hallett, we were able to compile a selection of songs, jigs, and reels that Ofra felt she really connected with and that told a story of what she has come to know and love about the province."

Ofra Harnoy:

Back to Bach

This album presents a number of tried and true Baroque favourites on the cello, such as Bach's "Air" from Orchestral Suite No. 3, "Bist Du Bei Mir," as well as some slightly lesser known gems from composers such as Allegri and Corelli, which Ofra Harnoy interprets with the profound musicality and passion she is known for.

In Ofra's early Baroque recordings, many works were accompanied with organ, chamber orchestra, or harpsichord. For this album, however, rather than revisiting the conventional settings for these works, she has decided to use brass as accompaniment for some works, and, for the works by Telemann and Allegri, has created a cello ensemble through overdubbing and multi-tracking techniques. As much as it is a treat to hear her play this music as soloist, that joy is multiplied in hearing her play each of the nine voices of Allegri's Miserere.