Written against a background of growing 20th-century antisemitism, Ernest Bloch's music is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and spirituality. Natalie Clein, in a sleeve note for her new recording of three of his cello works with Ilan Volkov and the BBC Scottish Symphony, says his output "was deeply affected by the early 20th-century yearning for a sense of identity" and expresses "a deep sense of longing and loneliness". She and Volkov give a performance of Schelomo (1916) that is very moving, both in its profound sensuality and in the pervasive sense of transience that gnaws at its vision of worldly glory. They bring the same commitment to From Jewish Life (1924) and Voice in the Wilderness (1936), though their episodic nature leads to an inevitable lessening of intensity. The other knockout is Bruch's Kol Nidrei (1881), in which the solo cello acts as a synagogue cantor to the orchestra's chanted responses. Beautifully done, it brings the disc to a reflective close. Highly recommended.