Monday 4 January 2010

news - Barenboim conducts Elgar's Cello Concerto

Please see REVIEWS here and coming up soon !  Jacqueline du Pré was so closely connected to Elgar's Cello Concerto that it's quite understandable that Barenboim doesn't go out of his way to programme it, so this is news, though recently he's been working with cellists like Yo Yo Ma. So it's interesting that he's conducting it in Berlin on 27 April with a very young (under 30) cellist called Alisa Weilerstein, almost unknown in Europe, though she's experienced in the US. In fact she's played it with Zubin Mehta, also part of the Jackie circle. The Berlin concert is listed at the Grosser Saal at the Philharmonie. According to her website, they're reprising it in Oxford on May 1st (the famous Oxford May Morning) at the Sheldonian although I can't find it scheduled yet on Tickets at Oxford, though other Sheldonian events are listed. Oxford of course is closely associated with Jackie, too, for she grew up there. I met her first music teacher, who also taught James Gilchrist when he was a small boy playing the cello. It's interesting and doesn't mean anything either way, but it will be good to hear Barenboim conduct that lovely concerto after all these years.

PS a dear friend says, Weilerstein has performed in Amsterdam ! Now I am looking forward to hearing her.

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