I was at your concert on Friday and thoroughly enjoyed it – I’m not a cellist but can sort of imagine the tension of difficulty + beauty that is in the Haydn and your encore was extraordinary. The good thing is that I was not planning to be at the concert but a colleague from work bought me a ticket as a treat so – it was especially enjoyable. The spanish word duende came to mind – describing those moments where there is the obvious (a skilled concert with gorgeous music) and the hidden beyond that moment (where you are taken beyond that obvious and ‘feel/experience’ something more profound. So thankyou for coming to windy/wet NZ – make your next trip February…..

Kath

Thank you so much for the Friday concert in Auckland!! I know how hard that Haydn was although I am not an accomplished cellist myself. I can tell that you have strived the whole way to practice it until perfect! The audience don’t mind if you made a few mistakes. I agree with the others: that they are there for the musical conveyance. You did your best!

While I sat 4th row and I brought my students along with me, one of them couldn’t really watch you and I was afraid of that since he was born with a defected eye and went through many heart operations. There is only so much that he can play but that is his limit. He could see a cello figure but he couldn’t see the hands clearly. If there was a way, I would have wanted him to meet you. However, the boys enjoyed the concert thoroughly and because of this, I hope the boys practice more! haha

It was memorable and I greatly appreciate it!! Thank you!
Phoebe

You have to let your imagination fly, Boris, in that piece – otherwise it is just boring, simple music. One doesn’t have to go crazy, but it has to have a certain freedom, which doesn’t mean it should be played self-indulgently slow. I like the Concerto by Prokofiev very much, have never heard a recording of it yet and still need to buy a score, but it strikes me as a very special and it is not right that we never hear it in concert. Will have to change that 🙂

Hi JVB,
all you say is even more true to the Bach Suites, I think, since they are so much harder from the musical and bow-technical point of view – I also find them much purer than the concerto, which has so much rather empty virtuoso gestures, especially in the first movement. Oh, I don’t mind, but I don’t think it is Haydn’s strongest work. I much prefer his middle symphonies, where he is more original and humorous. But at the end of the day, since we don’t have no Mozart, I love the Haydn Concerti! 🙂

Thanks for the interesting entries, all best from New Zealand,
Alban

Learning the Haydn concerti is an exercise in reality.Clarity of sound,pitch and musical balance is so important.There is no place hide,no place where you can sort screw up, and blend into the orchestration.It is cello music written in it’s purists form,I for one am very thankful to have them.Nothing gives me goosebumps like hearing them performed well.So whether the C major strikes fear in our hearts,listen to your self in performance,or someone else that you admire,have a glass of wine and enjoy it’s power.

P.S.
I personally prefer the D major.I love the “Here we go gathering nuts in May” rondo 3rd movement.*LOL*

JVB

By the way, I am also learning Prokofiev concerto – 1st movement is down, but I’m still struggling with the others. What do you think about this piece? I simply love it.

I was unlucky enough to have to play the Haydn for a few orchestra auditions so can sympathize completely. Looking forward to your Prokovief recordings. South Africa has a huge rivalry with New Zealand on the rugby field (as do Australia), best not ask them about rugby, they lost both games for the first time in about 100years. Enjoy your stay – look forward to hear from you soon again.

Regards
Wess

sorry, sorry, I shouldn’t have said it like that – it is just that I have so many ideas and thoughts I want to bring out in my performance, and then I just hate the fact when I get side-tracked by having to watch out for hitting the right notes. And it’s true, this doesn’t matter at all; I am the first to say that to play some wrong notes is really not a problem as long as the music is happening, and I felt good about the music yesterday. But I was mad with myself for having missed two crucial notes right in the beginning, even though I wasn’t particularly nervous and felt rather confident. And again: I am very well aware that this doesn’t matter, and I didn’t let it spoil the rest of the evening, but when I sat at my computer last night before going to bed I got all frustrated again, how difficult this piece is. Tonight will be a different story, the Prokofiev is so much “easier” to play, because one can just jump inside this full-blooded, crazy music…
Thanks for having enjoyed the concert, come back tonight, the orchestra deserves the support, they really play with heart and soul, it’s a joy to listen to and play with them.
Best wishes,
Alban

Kia ora.

Diana and Jeremy