NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Alisa Weilerstein / Alan Gilbert

Cello at its Best: Weilerstein and Britten

The New York Times once described Alisa Weilerstein as »a throwback to an earlier era of classical performers,« writing: »She doesn’t simply act as a vessel for the composer’s intentions – she fully absorbs a piece and makes it her own.« And the American star cellist doesn’t limit herself to standard repertoire! For her return to the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra under the baton of chief conductor Alan Gilbert, Weilerstein now embraces a work that few have likely heard live in concert: Benjamin Britten’s Symphony for Cello and Orchestra. As the title suggests, this four-movement work intertwines soloist and orchestra in a close musical dialogue. Together, they journey from darkness to light: composed in 1963 for the legendary Mstislav Rostropovich, Britten’s concertante symphony reflects the horrors of World War II – but ends on a note of hope. »The best piece ever written for cello,« Rostropovich once declared.