Saturday, 27 December 2014

Famous Cellists

One great way to learn about an instrument and what it sounds like is by researching and listening to famous players of that instrument. Here are some famous cello players, otherwise known as Cellists. There are countless famous cellists, but I chose the few I know and talked about them.

Yo- Yo Ma- He was born in 1955 in Paris. He is of Chinese descent. An interesting fact about him is that he started performing from the age of five. He spent most of his early years in New York. He earned lots of awards, such as the National Medal of the Arts (2001), and Dan David Prize(2006). He plays different types of songs, including classical, pop music, and traditional holiday songs. His music was also featured in Hollywood films such as Seven Years in Tibet, and Hidden Dragon.

Pablo Casals- He was a Spanish cellist who lived from December 29, 1876, to October 22, 1973. He was a highly respected cellist and also a conductor. Although there are more recordings of his chamber music and orchestra music, he is best remembered for his recording of Bach: Cello Suites, between 1936 and 1939. An interesting fact about him is that he played for Queen Victoria at Osborne House, and President Roosevelt on January 15, 1904.

Mstislav Rostropovich- He is a Russian cellist who lived from March 27, 1927, to April 27, 2007. He is considered the greatest cellist of the 20th century. He recorded nearly the entire cello repertoire, and inspired many composers to make pieces especially for him. He was a leading conductor, pianist and a well-known defender of human rights. In 1977 he became the music director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. An interesting fact about him is that when he returned to Russia, hundreds of wealthy and well-dressed Russians paid $1,000 apiece to hear him conduct and play cello.





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