Episode 14: Nicolas Altstaedt on the Lutosławski Cello Concerto

Cellist Nicolas Altstaedt speaks to online editor Davina Shum about the Lutosławski cello concerto – a piece which is quickly becoming performed more and more since Rostropovich’s premiere in 1970. Nicolas talks about his approach to learning the complexity of the score, tricky technical passages and the liberation of playing a contemporary work.

Nicolas performs this work on 1 October with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, which will be available to watch free for 48 hours from 13 November on Marquee TV.

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I. Fujarka (Piccolo) Lutosławski: Little Suite (Mala suita)
Shostakovich; Weinberg; Lutoslawski: Cello Concertos 
Nicolas Altstaedt, cello / Michal Nesterowicz, conductor / Deutsches Symfonie-Orchester Berlin 
Channel Classics CCS38116

Photo credit: Marco Borggreve