Finzi was never fond of instrumental virtuosity, and his music is largely free of conflict, which tell us that his personality was not particularly inclined to the concerto form. He left an incomplete piano concerto, Eclogue for piano and orchestra, withdrew his only violin concerto (see Introit Op 6), so the only precedent to the Cello concerto is the sweet clarinet concerto. To the listener familiar with the rest of his work, the Cello concerto is a surprise. The music reaches unprecedented levels of intensity and drama. Finzi first wrote the slow movement in 1951 shortly after he was diagnosed to suffer from leukemia. Three years later, he was asked for a major work for the Cheltenham Festival, and he decided to write the outer movements to complete the concerto. The opening, Allegro moderato, begins with an intensely tragic orchestral introduction. After this gradually subsides, the soloist enters playing the same theme. Cello and orchestra collaborate in gradually softening the tension, and the music evolves toward an Elgarian desolateness. The pensive soloist's cadenza comes at the end of the movement preceding the coda. The second movement, Andante quieto, is a typically Finzian meditation. The orchestra introduces the main theme. The cello takes it up and a friendly dialogue ensues. The tension increases reaching a tragic climax. A moment of calm follows and the voice of the cello intones a melancholic but resigned melody. The movement fades with the cello delicately playing in harmonics. The last movement is an affirming Rondo, as if Finzi wanted to relieve the sadness of what came before by offering the catchiest tune of the whole work. As in the case of the clarinet concerto, the effect is slightly disruptive. The movement does not avoid the pensive moment, though. The orchestra has a final climax, followed by a bravura intervention of the soloist just before the end.

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