Opening Gala Concert: Between Earth and Sky

About

The International Cello Festival of Canada opens with an extraordinary evening featuring the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra under Music Director Anne Manson. This stunning collaboration brings together six internationally acclaimed cellists—Denise Djokic, Inbal Segev, Matthias Bartolomey, Santiago Cañón-Valencia, Colin Carr, and Cameron Crozman—in a program that spans centuries of masterful cello repertoire. The cello’s rich, expressive voice takes centre stage in this powerful opening to the festival, reflecting the instrument's dual nature — rooted in the depths of the earth yet simultaneously reaching skyward.

Artists

Matthias Bartolomey, cello

Santiago Cañón-Valencia, cello

Colin Carr, cello

Cameron Crozman, cello

Denise Djokic, cello

Inbal Segev, cello

Manitoba Chamber Orchestra (MCO)

Anne Manson, MCO Music Director

Andrea Ratuski, festival host

Program

Antonio Vivaldi - Concerto for 2 Cellos and Strings in G minor, RV 531

Allegro (moderato)

Largo

Allegro

Matthias Bartolomey cello, Denise Djokic cello

Alexina Louie arr. C. Crozman – Bringing the Tiger Down from the Mountain II, 1991

Cameron Crozman cello

Jacques Hétu – Rondo for Cello and Strings, Op. 9, 1965

Cameron Crozman cello

J. Haydn – Cello Concerto no. 2 in D, Hob VIIb/2, OP. 101

Allegro moderato

Adagio

Allegro (Rondo)

Santiago Cañón-Valencia cello

Intermission

Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach - Cello Concerto in A Wq 172

Allegro

Largo 

Allegro assai

Inbal Segev cello

J. Haydn – Cello Concerto in C, Hob. VIIb/1

Moderato

Adagio

Allegro molto

Colin Carr cello

Program Notes

The dulcet tones of the double bass, the piercing cries of the violin—these sounds and more are contained within the cello’s expansive range. Today we celebrate the legacy of the cello alongside some of its best practitioners. From the virtuosity of Antonio Vivaldi and C.P.E. Bach to the striking modernity of Jacques Hétu, this program celebrates the full range of cello repertoire.

What better way to begin a concert than with Vivaldi? In his Concerto for Two Cellos, the Italian composer centres the two instruments in a way considered highly unusual for its time. The piece is urgent, and the interplay between the two cellos notably lacks much of the ornamentation present in Baroque repertoire. It’s as if Vivaldi intends the listener to be drawn in by the feverish conversation, a message that retains its intensity and clarity all these centuries later.

 

We break for a moment, entering the playful and sprightly world of Joseph Haydn. Don’t be fooled, however: the Concerto in D is deceptively difficult repertoire for the cello player. Haydn’s tuneful melody frequently finds itself in the soprano range, something that, while easier for modern players, was incredibly difficult for musicians in the 18th century.

 

As wonderful as the cello is in Western art music, the work of Alexina Louie demonstrates how its power crosses borders and cultures. In Bringing the Tiger Down from the Mountain (named after the Tai Chi position), we see how she incorporates Eastern and Western sensibilities in the service of articulating her pluralistic identity. The cello and piano perfectly represent this, exploring new ways of interacting even as they remain grounded.

 

Up next is something quite special: Jacques Hétu is rarely heard in Winnipeg, and there is no one better to show us his music than Cameron Crozman. The Rondo for Cello and Strings is an exuberant and eclectic piece that echoes the folk-inspired music of Béla Bartók and the angular tonality of Alban Berg.

 

From modern to classic, we move to the stormy work of C.P.E. Bach. You may wonder if this is a fair characterization: the first two movements of the Cello Concerto in A are light and airy. But make no mistake about it: Bach follows them up with a torrential third movement, fulfilling his status as the inventor of the Sturm und Drang music style.

 

Finally, we return to Haydn. The Cello Concerto in C stands as one of the crown jewels among cello repertoire, an astonishing feat despite its relatively young age — it was only discovered in 1961! You won’t need to search for the cello part in the orchestra: just listen for the sustained high note, which Haydn uses to distinguish the soloist. The final movement stands as one of the most striking moments in the solo cello repertoire. As the soloist gets going, the cello line separates into a higher and lower line. If you close your eyes, it almost sounds like a duet—a fitting demonstration of this incredible instrument.

- Program notes written by Lukas Sawatsky