LATEST WORKS

'Three Continents' Cello Concerto [WORLD PREMIERE RECORDING]

June 30, 2020

2 MIN READ

Jan Vogler performing the world premiere recording of 'Three Continents' Cello Concerto - by composers Nico Muhly, Sven Helbig and Zhou Long

German cellist Jan Vogler performing the world premiere recording of 'Three Continents' Cello Concerto, by composers Nico Muhly, Sven Helbig and Zhou Long – with conductor Cristian Măcelaru and the WDR Symphony Orchestra.

Commissioned by the Dresden Music Festival and its Artistic Director, Jan Vogler,"Three Continents" was released this month on the Sony Classical label; each of the three composers independently wrote a movement of the collective work.

"In the very beginning it was one of those crazy ideas, I just thought what if I would ask three great composers, from three different cultures, to collaborate on a cello concerto ..." Jan has this week said.

"My feeling was that the work should underline the important aspect of globalization and cultural dialogue ... we all love our own culture and music and the sounds we have heard since we were born, but we are also open and curious about new sounds and cultures ..." he has said.

"We agreed that each composer should write his movement without contacting his colleagues during the process of creation ... and as such, Nico opens the concerto with an energetic and dynamic variations movements, Sven chose a more somber tone - and Zhou based the finalie movement on a poem by 'Tipsy Poet' from more than 1300 years ago ..."

"There is so much beauty and creativity and storytelling in this week - and I can hope listeners will be inspired by the crossroads of Europe, America and Asia."