There are many great cello players out there, but to really understand the history of the musicians, one must first become familiar with the instrument itself.
Initially, the cello does not enjoy the celebrity status it does today. It was seen as a more insignificant member of the quartet and symphony. There was little solo work written for it at the start of its existence. This would ultimately change the course, and the most important work written for cello Johann Sebastian Bach’s Suites for Unaccompanied Cello.
Bach himself was a multi-instrumentalist and cellist, and for the composition of six Cello Suites, can arguably be said to be the first great cellist. The 6 suites each consisting of 6-8 movements, and each suite is in a different key. No one had created as prolific a work exclusively for cello until Bach, but the piece went largely unnoticed as it was written in the early 18th century and was quickly forgotten.
Fast forward to the late 19th century, when a young cellist named Pablo Casals first discovered Bach suites. Casals was a young Spaniard who would make Bach suites famous. His expressive and often times idiosyncratic style brought him worldwide acclaim and he was one of the earliest true cello virtuosos.
Unfortunately, the recordings that remain today of much of Casals’ performances are of very poor quality. It is still possible to hear the range and depth of his game, but the footage is marred by scratches and pops.
While Casals played in a more brusque and masculine way, Jacqueline du Pré paved the way for female cellists. This is not to say Du Pre’s plays are not strong, but there is a certain sensitivity and thoughtfulness to her style that is distinctly feminine.
Mstislav Rostropovich is considered by many to be the greatest cello player in the 20th century. His bold playing style and voracious appetite for new works led him to book and debut more than 100 new works for cello. Rostropvich was not only a great cellist, but a leader as well, and gained as much fame as a conductor as soloist.
In modern times there are many great cellists who have branched out from classical music, the instrument is best known for. Modern day cellists as Mark Sommer use techniques borrowed from Jazz bass, and picking and slamming instrument to further diversify its sound.
The cello is one of the most beautiful instruments, due to its similarity to the human voice. There are many great cellists, and this is just a brief review of some of the best cello players.
Nick Takenobu Ogawa is a cellist, singer, and composer. He has released an album called Takenobu: Introduction, and is working on his second album now. His style is modern cello music that incorporates a range of styles and genres. He is an avid fan cello, and you can read more about the best Cello Players For Weddings on his blog.
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