Emotions

*Emotions* is a balm for the ears during troubled times. A beautifully assembled collection of pieces for cello and orchestra (or piano), played with great flair by popular French cellist Gautier Capuçon, the selection here leans toward the meditative and gently lyrical. That’s seen both in classics—like Schubert’s “Ave Maria” and Elgar’s “Nimrod”—and in more neoclassical fare from such composers as Max Richter, Ludovico Einaudi, and Michael Nyman. Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is also given the works (and rather well). Pianist Jérôme Ducros, who made many of the transcriptions, creates the mood skillfully and is a fine partner at the keyboard, providing Capuçon with a delicious aural backdrop.

This release by cellist Gautier Capuçon is a crossover album, consisting of short melodies from various classical and pop sources; the range of the titular emotions is rather narrow.