"Inspired by The Knights' performance of a concert of "New World" music in Dresden...cunningly programmed indeed."

"What is clearly a new breed of classical virtuoso has been upon us for quite a few decades now. Thirtysomething cellist from Germany Jan Vogler exemplifies his tribe perfectly in his two new discs―a cello/piano disc of Bach early works not only full of Bach’s Sonatas originally written for viola da gamba and harpsichord but cello/piano
adaptations of famous choral preludes for Bach’s “Orgelbuchlein” (“Jesu meine Freude” etc.) that sound both gorgeous and convincing in their hands. Even more interesting in its way is Vogler’s exceptional new disc with the New York Chamber Orchestra known as the Knights. Though Vogler is only heard on it in the cello and orchestra version of Dvorak’s “Silent Woods (Klid),” the rest of the disc―devoted to music of the Western Hemisphere― is hugely appealing: an extraordinarily well-wrought version of Ives’ “The Unanswered Question,” Copland’s suite from “Appalachian Spring,” Osvaldo Golijov’s self-described “idealized bandoneon. . . tango” piece for orchestra called “Last Round” and Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout” which is somehow reminiscent of Bartok, Ginastera (her major influences) and Villa Lobos all at the same time. The disc was inspired by the Knights’ performance of a concert of “New World” music in Dresden and it was cunningly programmed indeed". ★★★ 1/2 for both. (J. S.)