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| CD-Presentation in Munich, Solorecital (Bach 5, Britten, Kodaly) |
| “Promenade through paintings of sound |
It is always exciting when somebody dares to go by himself on a stage: the loneliness of the soloist with the music. No partner can ease the burden, maybe cover up small weaknesses. Whoever wants to present the 5th Suite of Bach, the 1st by Benjamin Britten and the Solosonata by Zoltan Kodaly knows about the technical and musical challenges which are waiting. Alban Gerhardt, the possibly most vital and straight forward among the young cello masters who create a furore internationally, appeared in this acoustically rather difficult hall to support the release of his most recent cd…Alban Gerhardt whose Guadagnini-Cello had been stolen last year, played this time on a Testore with rather subdued colours. This certain darkness was even increased by him tuning the A string one tone down. Gerhardt belongs to the very few high-ranking soloists who are executing the by Bach demanded scordatura. He dived courageously into the complex Prelude of the difficult piece, accentuated the dancing character of the Allemande, Courante and Gigue and kept in all melancholy of this incomparable cantabile line the varied but rhythmically calm phrasing… <The Kodaly Sonata> demands not only the highest virtuosity and infinite fantasy of timbre, but also great sense for the economy of the grand climaxes. Gerhardt succeeded especially the first movement in its mix of heroic-masculine attitude and ingenious sound eruptions…Gerhardt unfolded Britten's 1st Suite as a fascinating promenade through the variety of sound images which the composer invented for the cello most impressively.”
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| Harald Eggebrecht, February 11, 2004 |
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Beethoven Triple Concerto with Lisa Batiashvili, Steven Osborne, Munich Philharmonic and Christian Arming in Munich |
“...Beethoven's Triple Concerto op.56 seemed in comparison rebellious with it's vividness, especially when it is being played so vital and youthful as here by Steven Osborne, Lisa Batiashvili and Alban Gerhardt. These young musicians played by heart and filled with such trialogical spirit that the surprises and jokes of this unique work came out sweepingly. In many regards this piece is for cellists a very difficult celloconcerto in disguise. All themes are being introduced first by the cello, it often drives the soloistic happening. Alban Gerhardt whose Guadagnini instrument was recently stolen, played on his new Goffriller of 1711 so superior and with such ease, that Lisa Batiashvili answered jubilant...” |
| Harald Eggebrecht, Süddeutsche Zeitung, November 2, 2003 |
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| Schnittke’s 1st Celloconcerto with the Munich Philharmonic and Yakov Kreizberg in Munich’s „Gasteig” |
| “Victory with Schnittke – Cellist Alban Gerhardt shone with the Philharmonic under Yakov Kreizberg |
| ..But the 33-year-old soloist Alban Gerhardt was just fascinating. He shaped this gigantic, exhausting Schnittke-Oeuvre...so superior, that greatness and quality of this music were without any doubt. With his huge but never coarse sound and plenty of different colours Gerhardt developed Schnittke’s idea of the battle of the individual against the masses...Alban Gerhardt filled audience and musicians with such enthusiasm with Schnittke’s dark pain, that he thanked them with the difficult Prelude of Bach’s 6th Solosuite: virtuosic, never forced and superior. Ovations!” |
| Harald Eggebrecht, September 30, 2002 |
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| Brahmsfestival in Tutzing (near Munich): |
| “…Gerhardt’s indescribably rich and room filling tone made already the first movement to a magically gripping sound experience…The absolute climax of the evening…The perfection of the E minor Brahms Sonata cannot be reached again…” |
| Kristina Hawlitzek, November 26, 1999 |
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| Recital with Ewa Kupiec near Munich |
| “... Great but difficult music (Beethoven-sonata op. 102) whose highly spiritual tension demands an engaged interpretation. Both musicians (Alban Gerhardt and Ewa Kupiec) transformed the odd into an event of intellectual vitality. It was a big advantage that Gerhardt plays with such masculine and powerful sound and that he puts with determined approach vehemence of the expression above pure perfection whenever the music asks for it. Nevertheless his playing stays perfect in tune and very precise ... The interpretation of the sonata by Schnittke was just breathtaking, reached from a total identification of the pathos of suffering of the two Largo movements to the most extreme sharpness and toughness of the scary Allegro ... Performed with an impeccable virtuosity, the Suite Italienne gave the audience a beautiful relaxed Sunday evening.” |
| November 22, 1995 |
