All cello students—even advanced players—will benefit from this extraordinary instructional program, a master class with German virtuoso Maria Kliegel, who studied under legendary cellists Janos Starker and Mstislav Rostropovich and is herself one of the most recorded contemporary cellists, with a discography including more than 40 CDs of solo and chamber music, as well as concerti (since 1986, Kliegel has also been a professor at the Cologne College of Music). Backed with an accompanying 198-page book filled with musical examples, Cello Master Class covers the details of basic technique, offers advice about overcoming specific performance problems, and serves up suggestions on enhancing the expressiveness of one's playing. General instruction is presented in two parts—bow technique and left-hand technique—with each subdivided into sections that are demonstrated by Kliegel with the ease and clarity of an accomplished instructor. Kliegel follows up with extended discussions of the performance issues encountered in three staples of the cello repertoire—the Haydn Concerto in D major, the Schumann Concerto in A minor, and Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)
Cello Master Class
(2006) 2 discs. 496 min. DVD: $58.98. Naxos of America (avail. from most distributors). May 9, 2011
Cello Master Class
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