Peta Stewart
Mahler may never have written a concerto for cello, but it is Mahler who is one of the biggest inspirations of Alexey Stadler, the already celebrated young cellist who closes the Cape Town Philharmonic Spring Symphony season. At the age of 13, that is. Now it is mostly Beethoven and Schubert!
This young cellist will play the Schumann Cello Concerto on September 14 with the CPO under the direction of Conrad van Alphen. He will also play a recital for the Cape Town Concert Series at the Baxter Concert Hall with François du Toit on September 16.
Caused a stir
Stadler, Russian-born and educated, Hamburg-based and studying in Weimar, is a cellist of our times, having caused a stir in London last year when he, at eight hours’ notice, stepped in at the Proms with Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic… the acclaim was so intense and stir so strong that he returns from his Cape Town engagement to open the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic season in September, with Petrenko again.
Of course that was a highlight – he got the call in Berlin around 11 am, he arrived in London at 4.30, had a 30 minute rehearsal with the Shostakovich Cello Concerto no 1, and the concert began at 7.30 pm! Another highlight was playing with Vladimir Ashkenazy in San Francisco and Europe … “meeting him and not playing a note would have been highlight enough,” he says.
What he describes as definitely NOT a musical highlight was playing on a cello once owned by Tzar Nicholas 11. “The diamonds and other jewels in the wood resonate … the sound is terrible but the cello is beautiful.” He says while there are many references to the fact that the Tzar played the cello, there are none as to the extent of his talent. The cello remains in the best place for such a museum piece… in St. Petersburg’s Sheremetyev Palace.
Fortunately for us, that cello was used only for one recording and today Stadler plays on a David Tecchler cello, made in 1715. “I have been very lucky to have a generous benefactor who loaned me this instrument in the long-term last November. I think Tecchler is one of the top five, even three, luthiers, up there with Gofriller and Stradivarius. I know this cello improves my playing. It has a deep warm and sound, strong personality, very fine colours and an amazing projection, which allows the sound to fill any hall with every orchestra.”
An interesting take on competitions
“The decision to compete is a hard one, for preparation takes a lot of time and there are no certainties as to your progression! I have entered four competitions in my life. I won two and was knocked out of the other two, one in the first round!.” Stadler says that while competitions can lead to engagements, it is important to improve with every single performance. And the greatest result is if it leads to the good engagements.
“Winning the Tonali in Hamburg in 2012 brought me in touch with many incredible people and I think I am fortunate to have been engaged by some wonderful orchestras in great venues. I think that as soon as one doesn’t need to compete, one gives up the competition route. At the end, the most important thing is a quality of music and the unique artistic energy. ”
The cello was chosen for him by his father when he was four and, naturally, he doesn’t remember whether he felt this was a good or a bad thing just that he was happy to have his first lesson within one week of the decision. He does come of a musical family – his father used to play viola in the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra; his brother is a violinist and his sister a pianist. “By the time I was 14 or 15 I knew that the cello would be my life.”
Mariinsky Theatre
While Mahler may have been his musical inspiration at the start, he says his musical education was the Mariinsky Theatre.
“I grew up there – every day I went to symphony or chamber concerts, to opera or ballet. I was lucky to be able to attend a lot of great performances, including many of Gergiev’s concerts, which changed my perspective on music.”
He also says that there were other influences. “Pianist Andras Schiff changed my understanding of music, and Steven Isserlis showed me the nature of music making. Then there is the generosity and personality of Yo Yo Ma….”
Stadler’s official studies, with Wolfgang Emmanuel Schmidt in Weimar, are coming to an end in two years, but he hopes to continue to play for Schmidt into the future.
“It is always very good to play for somebody from time to time, no matter where you are in your career.”
Stadler is playing in festivals in Germany almost up until the day he leaves for Cape Town and he is looking forward to making his debut with the CPO and his recital with Cape Town Concert Series very much!
Who: Alexey Stadler
What: Cape Town Philharmonic’s Spring Symphony Season/Cape Town Concert Series
Where: The City Hall, Baxter Concert Hall, Cape Town
When: 14 September, 2017 at 8pm, 16 September at 8 pm
Info, book: http://bit.ly/SchumannAndStrauss / http://online.computicket.com/web/ event/alexey_stadler_francois_du_toit/1163259163/0/811980011653141
Web: www.cpo.org.za / http://www.ctconcerts.co.za
WS
