Die Liebenden

Rhythm & Romance with Thomas Grossenbacher, solo cellist

Thomas Grossenbacher

is Principal Cellist of the Tonhalle Orchestra of Zürich. His numerous recordings, including „Don Quixote“ by Richard Strauss with the Tonhalle Orchestra under David Zinman (Arte Nova), have garnered international praise. As soloist and chamber musician Thomas Grossenbacher is in demand throughout Europe in the USA and in Japan. Furthermore he enjoys the many successes of his pupils as cello instructor at Zurich‘s ZHdK, „University of the Arts“.

Program

Daniel Schnyder (*1961): Ritus für Streichorchester

Victor Herbert (1859 - 1924): Seven Pieces for Violoncello and String Orchestra (arr. S. Dennison, H. Kunstovny für Cello und Streichorchester)

 - Yesterthoughts

 - Pensee Amoureuse

 - Punchinello

 - Romance

 - Petite Valse

- Ghazel 

- The Mountain Brook Pause

John Adams (*1947): Shaker Loops, 1978; for string orchestra, rev. 1982

 - Part I Shaking and Trembling 

- Part II Hymning Slews 

- Part III Loops and verses

 - Part IV A Final Shaking

Rhythm and Romance

combines the passion and energies of our first program «The Lovers» 2007/2008, and «Alphorn & Nordic Winds» 2012/2013. While in the earlier program influencial late romantic music by Sibelius and Schoenberg was played alongside a work of John Adams with their respective literary references in recitation; in «Alphorn and Nordic Winds» the debt of all music to folk-roots and the natural scale is shown through the prism of classically arranged folk, pop, or jazz style works.

Three outstanding American composer‘s works are featured in this program: Victor Herbert‘s rarely heard romantic «Seven Pieces» for cello and piano, stand in the center of this program. They are enhanced by the new orchestrations by S. Dennison, and H Kunstovny for solo cello and string orchestra. Victor Herbert (1859-1924), an Irish born cellist was schooled in Stuttgart and Vienna where he played under Johann Strauss before he emigrated to New York and the Metropolitan Opera at age 26. Herbert became the most celebrated American operetta composer and conductor of the early 20th Century.

A new orCHestra presentation of John Adams‘ «Shaker Loops», a modern string showpiece, shows Adams's earlier experimenting in bowing techniques and minimal melodic forms. «Shaker Loops» a musical kaleidoscope of implacable rhythmic drive, evolved into a pivotal work for Adam‘s international reputation as composer. orCHestra will open the concert with Daniel Schnyder‘s «Ritus» 2001, premiered in African Symphony with Abdullah Ibraham. The Zurich/ New York saxophonist and composer, writes urban Jazz with lyrical energy for classical string orchestra.