Cello Journey

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I thought I would put up two versions of the same episode. It is difficult to pick one sometimes. There may be a different feeling in each. Let me know what you think.

In this episode we play the Meditation from the Opera Thais by Jules Massenet.

The Thais comes from an interlude towards the end of the opera. It is usually played on the violin. It is marked Andante Religioso and there is a reflective mood throughout.

This piece is special to me because, over the years, my mother has played it in church on the violin. I wanted to do a good job with it. We hope you enjoy it.

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In this episode we play the cello concerto in C Major by Joseph Haydn. We decided to play it with organ since it sounds more like an orchestra and it makes a nice match. We are playing in a wonderful church called Mountainview United Church. We hope you enjoy it.

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In this episode we play the Kol Nidrei by Max Bruch. This piece is based on a Jewish prayer recited in the synagogue at the beginning of the evening service on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. You can find out more information at the following link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kol_Nidre

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In this episode we play the first of three Fantasiestucke (Fantasy Pieces) by Robert Schumann. This piece was originally written for clarinet and piano but I think it sounds good on the cello. Schumann often wrote sets of miniatures that each have their own mood. In this one there is some tension between triplets (three notes per beat) in the piano and duplets (two notes per beat) in melodies in both the cello and piano. This adds unrest to this emotional and romantic piece. We hope you enjoy it.