Cleveland Plain Dealer
CD review by Donald Rosenberg

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Edition: Final, Section: Sunday Arts, Page J8 Zone All

David Finckel, cello; Wu Han, piano

Brahms: Cellos Sonatas; Six Pieces for Solo Piano, Op. 99 (ArtistLed)

The recording industry is in such flux these days that many musicians are unable to document their artistry. The married couple of cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han figured out a way to counter this trend: They started their own recording label. Their latest release of Brahms sonatas and piano pieces certainly justifies their efforts. The performances are suffused with urgency and warmth and never veer into Romantic sentimentality. Finckel, cellist of the Emerson String Quartet, and Han are bold, poetic players who have Brahms' thoughts planted firmly in their bodies and souls.