The core ofthe Concerto is thethird movement, a heart-felt Adag/o.The brass is silent, and the Orchestra is reduced to just strings with clarinets, bassoons and horns.The cello plays throughout,acting as a focusfor Elgars lyrical meditation.The end ofthe movement appears as a question, which is answered in the finale that follows without a break. Followingthe first and second subjects, a passage appears consisting of themes from the previous movements.As in Elgar’sViolin Concerto, the cadenza forthe cello is accompanied:the mood revertstothat oftheAdag/o.Theopening recitative reappearsforthefinal time, now confident and assertive before the rondo theme is briefly resumed, and the Concerto brought to a swift conclusion. Programme notes
