Otto M. Zykan: Cello concerto; Beethoven’s cello (Kairos)

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LEBRECHT LISTENS | Please Don't Tell Me You've Never Heard Of Otto ...Please don’t tell me you’ve never heard of Zykan. He’s the last name in all good music dictionaries and many think he’s a hoax. Maybe that’s what they want you to think

A Viennese cellist (1935-2006), Zykan existed on the fringes of the music establishment, making his living by writing TV jingles and not getting a call from the Vienna Philharmonic until he was almost 70.

His cello concerto, written in 1982 for the magnificent Heinrich Schiff and recorded live, was described by the composer as ’40 minutes of seriousness’. Actually, it gives two fingers to Vienna’s stuffed shirts with an in-your-face solo opening and more percussion than has ever been heard in the same room as a lone cello. It’s fun. Are we not allowed fun?

Beethoven’s cello (2005) is a laconic commentary on a theme from the scherzo of the Eroica Symphony – intelligent, engaging, witty and surprising. Schiff plays like a tiger; Zubin Mehta conducts. This is musical conversation at a level we just don’t hear any more.

NL

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This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en: Francais (French)

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About Author

Norman Lebrecht is a prolific writer on music and cultural affairs. His blog, Slipped Disc, is one of the most popular sites for cultural news. He presents The Lebrecht Interview on BBC Radio 3 and is a contributor to several publications, including the Wall Street Journal and The Standpoint. Visit every Friday for his weekly CD review // Norman Lebrecht est un rédacteur prolifique couvrant les événements musicaux et Slipped Disc, est un des plus populaires sites de nouvelles culturelles. Il anime The Lebrecht Interview sur la BBC Radio 3 et collabore à plusieurs publications, dont The Wall Street Journal et The Standpoint. Vous pouvez lire ses critiques de disques chaque vendredi.

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