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Giants of composition and performance unite in this all-Tchaikovsky album, in which solo cellist Gabriel Schwabe interweaves major works for cello and orchestra with two of his own arrangements of pieces by the Russian master. Outstanding performances are always guaranteed from Gabriel, a laureate of three of the world’s most prestigious cello competitions: the Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann in Berlin, the Concours Rostropovich in Paris and the Pierre Fournier Award in London.
Pyotr Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893)
Rococo Variations
and other works for cello and orchestra
Gabriel Schwabe, CelloSinfonieorchester Aachen
Christopher Ward
Tchaikovsky composed the Variations on a Rococo Theme for cellist Wilhelm Fitzenhagen who re-ordered the variations, infuriating the composer. The cello part for the virtuosic Pezzo capriccioso was also altered by its dedicatee, Anatoly Brandukov. In the performances heard here Tchaikovsky’s original intentions are restored. To accompany these pieces Gabriel Schwabe has provided two of his own arrangements – the Canzonetta from the Violin Concerto and Valse sentimentale from the Six Morceaux. The album ends with the second version – never before recorded – of the romantic fantasy overture Romeo and Juliet.
No. 4: Nocturne (version for cello and orchestra)
Gabriel Schwabe is a laureate of three of the world’s most prestigious cello competitions: the Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann in Berlin, the Concours Rostropovich in Paris and the Pierre Fournier Award in London. A much-lauded international soloist, he is also a regular guest at festivals such as the Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival, Kronberg Academy Festival, Amsterdam Biennale and Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival. Gabriel is a cello professor at the Musikhochschule Lübeck and plays a cello by Giuseppe Guarneri (Cremona, 1695).
Christopher Ward studied at Oxford University and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London. He was a member of the International Opera Studio at Opernhaus Zürich before moving to Germany in 2005 to work as conductor and répétiteur at the Staatstheater Kassel. In 2006 he assisted Sir Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker, and in 2009 became Kapellmeister and assistant to Kent Nagano at the Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich. He has been Generalmusikdirektor at the Theater Aachen and Sinfonieorchester Aachen since 2018.
With its origins dating back to 1721, the Sinfonieorchester Aachen is one of the oldest orchestras in Germany. Its versatile repertoire spans concert and opera works, from early music to contemporary and crossover pieces, showcased in more than 140 performances a year. The development of the orchestra has been decisively influenced over the years by eminent music directors such as Fritz Busch, Herbert von Karajan and Wolfgang Sawallisch, whose careers began in Aachen.
– Gramophone
Prokofiev • Shostakovich • Kissin
Schwabe • Pöntinen
– MusicWeb International
Complete Works for Cello and Piano, Vol. 1
Schwabe • Rimmer
– American Record Guide
Sonata for Solo Cello
Duo for Violin and Cello
LIGETI, G.:
Sonata for Solo Cello
Schwabe • Weiß
– BBC Music Magazine ★★★★★