This was an unusual evening in every aspect with which the young but already famous instrumentalists Alban Gerhardt (cello) and Markus Groh (piano) enchanted their audience. First of all their appearance was in contrast to the usual rather stiff ceremony of a concert; more sportiv than festiv, not wearing tales. Alban Gerhardt talked to his audience:"...and since we don't want to leave you in a depressiv mood before the intermission, we are going to play the Shostakovich Sonata before the Mendelssohn." This relaxed introduction was followed by a brief phase of concentration until there was dead silence. You wouldn't be able to start this thoughtful till explosiv-expressiv sonata. And this is the second sign, that this evening was extraodinary: the outstanding technical and musical level of the performers. Alban Gerhardt, totally relaxed but highly concentrated and committed, made his "substitute-instrument" speak, whisper, sigh and dramatically yell out. Rarely I have heard such an emotionally declaiming cellist. At the same time he mastered all the virtuoso passages of which there are plenty of in Shostakovich, with impeccable sound and rhythm, with naturalness and certainty which touched us directly...Neither could a broken string in the final movement of the Mendelssohn Sonata (Gerhardt dealt with it calmly) diminish the exciting overall impression of this interpretation at all...The harmony in conception and sound between the musicians was exemplaric. Again and again they overwhelmed us with their temperament, their musical humor and the phantasy in sound and interpretation. While they were holding back in the Beethovensonata due to classical considerations, they formed the rhythmical and dynamical contrasts of the Britten score with a conviction which is made possible by total domination of all technical and musical values. These interpretations weren't only fabulous for my ears: never ending standing ovation from the audience forced three unusual encores. After the lyrical Adagio of the Chopin Sonata in which the two players proved that they are also able to sing out slow and intensiv phrases beautifully, Alban Gerhardt entered the stage without cello, moved his chair to the piano and we had the pleasure to hear a dashing four-handed Schubert March. First only the first part, then, when the applause didn't want to stop, at the end the Trio with the recapitulation. This concert with Alban Gerhardt and Markus Groh will be remembered without any doubt as one of the great moments of the Echternach Festival. How enriching and thrilling a cello-piano-recital can be! It was wonderful and we say: 'See and see you hopefully soon again!'”

…Not everybody knows to be at the right place at the right time. Because Olavshallen was only half full. But for those who were present this was an experience which they will remember for a long time. Alban Gerhardt is a top worldclass soloist…Alban Gerhardt’s interpretation of the Sinfonia Concertante was a breathtaking experience. This concert demands a brilliant way of playing which is not so common among cellists. And it is normally not performed so playfully and with ease as Gerhardt did. In this piece the technique is stretched in all directions, both the high and the low registers of the cello, including a lot of extreme double stops. Prokofiev can sometimes be challenging for the listener, but for encore Gerhardt played the Prelude of Bach’s 6th Suite and this is music which just enters into your ears without any trouble…”