Debut of a true musician
Cello and fortepiano
For his CD debut as a soloist, Ernst Simon Glaser teams up with half-sister and fortepiano specialist Liv Glaser. And original performance practice is one key element when the Glaser’s take on some of the most central romantic pieces in the cello tradition. The timbre and colour of the two fortepianos – an Alois Graf for Schubert and a Sébastian Érard for Schumann – lay down the law for these interpretations. A different world of course than the modern grand piano, and with such a partner the cellist must utilize a more intimate and finely grained range of colours and dynamics. Gathering both information and inspiration from the same instrumental possibilities and limitations that the composers had available in their own time – without aiming for a ‘period accurate performance’ – is very much the essence of the Glasers’ approach on this recording.
Maximum risk – minimum safety
And the result is deeply moving performances of these pieces where Ernst Simon and Liv (40-years his senior) display a multitude of musical talent and technical abilities. It is a sheer joy following their musical conversation on this recording – the way the one immediately follows up any initiative made by the other. Chamber music the way it should be.
Ernst Simon and Liv have dedicated this recording to their father – Ernst Glaser, legendary concert master of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, who would have been 100 years in 2004.
