Cello moments (Jun 24, 2021)
Music of the open air
Following last month's Music of the open sea, join us this time for three 2020 performances of music of the open air! First, in the depths of the Bohemian Forest, cellist Václav Petr and pianist David Mareček guide us through the enchanted woods in Dvořák's "Klid". Next, to the great plains of Argentina, cellist Magali Mouterde and pianist Théodore Lambert take a rhapsodic journey in Ginastera's "Pampeana No. 2". And finally to a haunted forest in the Rhineland where love triumphs over betrayal and evil, cellist Truls Mørk gives the Norwegian premiere of Victoria Borisova-Ollas' "Oh Giselle, remember me ..." with Jukka-Pekka Saraste conducting the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.
Cello moments (Jun 1, 2021)
Music of the open sea
In celebration of the UN World Oceans Day on Jun 8, join us for music of the open sea! First, we embark from Brazil with João Guilherme Ripper's "Sea Song" performed by cellist Hugo Pilger with Leonardo David conducting Camerata SESI de Vitória. Next, let's journey across the Iroise Sea—part of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brittany in northwestern France—with Benoît Menut's "Iroise" (I. Ar Mor / La Mer) played by cellist Emmanuelle Bertrand. And finally to the South Pacific Ocean, we set sail on the turbulent Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand with Gareth Farr's "Te Tai-O-Rehua" performed by the Goldner String Quartet.
Cello moments (May 3, 2021)
Voices cherished and celebrated
The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development—an international day observed by the United Nations—is coming up on May 21, so join us for the celebration for cross-cultural music with roots from Asia to the Americas to Africa to Europe! First, we'll start with Swiss composer Fabian Müller's "Dialogues Cellestes" (3rd movement)—weaving together two folk songs, one Taiwanese and one Brazilian, both using the sea as a metaphor—performed by cellists Antonio Meneses and Pi-Chin Chien with Evergreen Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gernot Schmalfuss. Next is an electrifying take on a traditional South African song, "Ka Bohaleng" (On the Sharp Side), played by cellist Abel Selaocoe with his band Chesaba and the Manchester Collective string players. And finally, let's watch Rami Khalife's "THE ZONE"—a cello concerto in six movements based on life experiences of the Lebanese-born French composer—performed by cellist Hassan Moataz El Molla with the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Han-Na Chang.
Cello moments (Apr 6, 2021)
Spring new and old
With warmer weather and longer daylight, let's watch three recent videos of works new and old celebrating the season of spring! First is a classic from 1912, Frank Bridge's "Spring Song", played by cellist Guy Johnston and pianist Tom Poster. Next is a new piece, "Spring Promenade", composed and performed by cellist Christoph Croisé. And finally comes Lili Boulanger's "D'un matin de printemps" (Of a spring morning) from 1917 played by Trio con Brio Copenhagen.
Image: "Messagères du printemps" (Harbingers of Spring) by Dominique Lang, 1904.
Cello moments (Mar 5, 2021)
Celebrating three dates in March
From International Women's Day (Mar 8) to Piazzolla centenary (Mar 11) to St. Patrick's Day (Mar 17), let's celebrate and watch three recent performances in U.S., Germany, and Canada. First, we start at Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts just north of New York City for the world premiere last July of Anna Clyne's "Shorthand" for cello and string quintet featuring The Knights with its member cellist Karen Ouzounian as soloist. Next, we head east from Berlin to Turbinenhalle am Stienitzsee for a filmed performance titled "Anti-Corona Concert" of cellist Nicolas Altstaedt and pianist Julien Quentin playing Piazzolla's "Le Grand Tango" on a lakeside stage amidst gorgeous setting. And finally, we stop by Winspear Centre in downtown Edmonton for a special rendition of "Oh Danny Boy" by Edmonton Symphony cellists Rafael Hoekman and Meran Currie-Roberts as part of the Concerts in Care series of live and digital concerts for seniors in retirement communities and nursing homes.
Cello moments (Feb 1, 2021)
Regaining life, music & hope
Amidst the darkest days of the pandemic in search of inspiration and hope, join us to watch cellist Denis Brott—upon his remarkable recovery from COVID-19 and his arduous journey back to daily life and playing the cello again—give a moving performance of Bruch's "Kol Nidrei". Next, let's celebrate the return of live audience to Lincoln Center—where the halls have been closed since last March due to the pandemic—for an outdoor October concert of the Calidore String Quartet performing Janáček's String Quartet No. 1, the "Kreutzer Sonata". And finally, the 2020 Brussels Cello Festival—in collaboration with the United Nations and the Fundació Pau Casals—presents a newly commissioned cello orchestra arrangement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony (1st movement) for the 75th anniversary of the UN and the 100th anniversary of the Pau Casals Orchestra.
Cello moments (Jan 2, 2021)
All-star stay home edition
To start off a safe and healthy new year, join us to watch three videos of an all-star cast performing from their homes in U.S., U.K., Spain, France, and Belgium! First up is Villa-Lobos' "Bachianas brasileiras" No. 1 (Prelúdio) performed by cellists Mischa Maisky and Evelyn De Silva-Maisky alongside Clive Gillinson, Gautier Capuçon, Alisa Weilerstein, Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Zlatomir Fung. Next is "Simple Gifts", the first collaboration of mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato and cellist Yo-Yo Ma as a duet; and finally, Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 1 (2nd movement) performed by violinist Joshua Bell with cellist Steven Isserlis and pianist Jeremy Denk.
Cello moments (Dec 3, 2020)
Beethoven 250
The 250th anniversary of the birth of Beethoven is fast approaching so join us to celebrate with three 2020 performances of his cello works! We'll start off the birthday bash with his Cello Sonata No. 4 performed by Alexander Ramm (winner of our 7th Listeners' Choice Award) from a virtual concert broadcast this August with pianist Anna Odintsova. Next is his 12 Variations on "Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen" (from Mozart's "Magic Flute") played by Thomas Demenga this February with pianist Eunyoo An. And finally let's watch his Cello Sonata No. 3 from a concert this June performed by Sol Gabetta with pianist Seong-Jin Cho.
Image: Beethoven composing in his studio, a painting by Carl Schlösser.
Cello moments (Nov 2, 2020)
Music of our big night sky
World Science Day is coming up on Nov 10 so join us for music celebrating our big night sky! First, we'll start with David Ludwig's Piano Trio No. 3 "Spiral Galaxy"—inspired by the barred spiral Milky Way and its supermassive black hole—performed by the Morgenstern Trio (nominee of our 5th Listeners' Choice Award). Next is John Cage's "Etude Boreales" No. 1—based on the star charts of astronomer Antonín Bečvář—played by cellist Drake Driscoll. And finally let's watch Tōru Takemitsu's "Orion"—inspired by the three bright stars of the Orion's Belt—performed by cellist Aaron Wolff and pianist Vivian Hornik Weilerstein.
Cello moments (Oct 1, 2020)
Max Bruch centenary
In commemoration of the centenary of Max Bruch (1838–1920) on Oct 2, join us for a special feature of his music. First, heading to Frankfurt, let's watch his "Kol Nidrei" performed by Mischa Maisky with Paavo Järvi conducting hr-Sinfonieorchester; next to North Holland for his "Rumänische Melodie" Op. 83 No. 5 played by the Chimaera Trio; and finally to New Mexico for his string octet performed by violinists Ida Kavafian, Cathy Meng Robinson, Benny Kim and Theodore Arm, violists Toby Appel and Kenji Bunch, cellist Keith Robinson and bassist Peter Lloyd.
Image: Max Bruch (Stadtarchiv Bergisch Gladbach)
Cello moments (Sep 3, 2020)
Inspired by literature
Following our features in Sep 2018 and Sep 2019, we continue our celebration of International Literacy Day with three works inspired by literature! Let's watch Matthias Pintscher's cello concerto "un despertar"—inspired by Octavio Paz's poem of the same name—performed by cellist Alisa Weilerstein with François-Xavier Roth conducting Gürzenich-Orchester Köln; Janáček's "Pohádka"—based on Vasily Zhukovsky's poem "Stazka o tsrae Berendyeye"—played by cellist Arto Noras and pianist Ralf Gothóni; and Saint-Saëns' "La Muse et le Poète"—inspired by Alfred de Musset's series of four lyrics—performed by violinist Augustin Dumay and cellist Christine J. Lee with Raphaël Feye conducting Les Métamorphoses.
Image: "Two children reading in an interior" by Théophile Emmanuel Duverger, 1855.
