Hands On Heart - Live At Wigmore Hall Tim Hugh

• 1 Bartók - Rhapsody No 1 - Lassu 04:42
• 2 Bartók - Rhapsody No 1 - Friss 06:17
• 3 Kodály - Sonata For Cello - Allegro Maestri Ma Appasionato 07:35
• 4 Kodály - Sonata For Cello - Sonata For Cello - Op 8 Adagio 09:37
• 5 Kodály - Sonata For Cello - Sonata For Cello - Op 8 Allegro Molto Vivace 11:03
• 6 Piazzolla - Le Grand Tango 10:57
• 7 Rachmaninov - Ne Pay Krasavitsa Op4/4 05:20
• 8 Paganini - Moses In Egypt - Variations on a Theme 07:35
• 9 Glazunov - Chant Du Menestrel - Op71 04:53
• 10 Rimsky-Korsakov - Flight Of The Bumble Bee 01:55
• 11 Fauré - Aprés Un Rêve - Op7/1 04:00
• Total Runtime 01:13:54

Info zu Hands On Heart - Live At Wigmore Hall

Hands On Heart is an apt and emotional tribute, but also a poignant collection of mixed classical repertoire for cello and piano including a number of colourful encores such as Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Flight of the Bumblebee' and personal favourites such as Faure's 'Apres un Reve'.

This recital was designed as a tribute to Tim Hugh's brother Steve, who died in 2005 in his mid-forties. A special occasion, then, and we can hear this in playing of unusual intensity and commitment. It's easy to imagine being in the audience, experiencing the event as it unfolds, and if there are a few of the minor blemishes inseparable from live recording they're of no significance. Hugh performs the major work, the 'He's most imaginative in using variation in tone colour and rhythmic style to evoke different aspects of folk culture'

Kodály, with tremendous passion and verve, and he's most imaginative in using variation in tone colour and rhythmic style to evoke different aspects of folk culture. The way the music recedes into the distance at the end of the second movement is magical, and in the finale the portrayal of the different folk-dance idioms, contrasting with the scary music at the centre of the movement, is truly compelling.

Another exceptional performance comes with the Rachmaninov song transcription - Hugh judges perfectly the changes from declamatory to lyrical style, and Olga Sitkovetsky completes the picture with subtle rubato and fine expressive touch. I also very much enjoyed the Piazzolla; in its outer sections the distinctive dark energy is suitably highlighted by Hugh's intense tone and decisive accents, and there's a wonderful jazz-like piano break near the end. However, all the items are splendidly played - you may well have different favourites. The sound quality and balance of Tony Faulkner's recording are exemplary, and audible audience participation is limited almost entirely to enthusiastic applause. (GRAMOPHONE)

'Stunning' (Hi-Fi Choice)

Tim Hugh, Cello
Olga Sitkovetsky, Piano

Tim Hugh - Cellist
Tim studied at Yale with Aldo Parisot and afterwards with Pleeth and Jaqueline du Pre whilst gaining his MA in Medicine and Anthropology at St Johns College, Cambridge. His developing interest in contemporary music led to performances of Boulez’ Messagesquisse with BBC symphony and LSO, Dutilleux “ Tout un Monde Lontain”, Britten Cello Symphony , Hugh Wood concerto all at the Albert Hall Proms . He has recorded the 3 Britten Suites twice ( Hyperion and Naxos) the latter being a live performance and other recordings include concertos by Walton , Bliss, Finzi, Boccherini, Hoffman, Holst , CPE Bach. The Bach Suites released in 2006 on LSO itunes were reviewed by BBC music magazine as “the best performance on a modern cello”. With Haitink he recorded Brahms Double and Beethoven Triple concertos together with Nikolitch and Lars Vogt and he is returning to Beethoven Triple with Tasmin Little and Howard Shelley and recording it again as part of Howards Beethoven cycle.

As chamber musician he plays with the Nash ensemble regularly and has recorded a large part of the Piano trio repertoire with the Solomon Trio. Earlier recordings include Faure piano quartets as a member of Domus and numerous recital discs, the latest being his album 'Hands on Heart' in memory of his brother Steve featuring a live performance of the Kodaly Sonata on NAIM Records. (live from Wigmore Hall).

As solo cellist with the LSO he has also performed Elgar , Strass Don Quixote, Shostakovich , Haydn, Dvorak, Messain and Walton concertos and at the Barbican he has given recitals with Andre Previn , Helen Grimaud, Nikolai Znaider and Andrew Marriner. Recently he toured the UK playing Elgar and Brahms concertos with Moscow Philharmonic and in Spain with the LSO at Alhambra Palace, Granada and Almeria. , Saintsaens concerto with Pamplona Symphony , Tabakov and Saygun concertos in Ankara , Turkey and Rousse Bulgaria as well as recitals in Beirut and Dubai , New York and Portugal. His recordings of the Saygun and Tabakov concertos with the Ankara Symphony Orchestra have just been released.

With Maestro Valery Gergievhe he gave the UK premiere of Tischenko Cello Concerto with the LSO at the Barbican and also premiered it with him at Berlin Philharmonie and the Rotterdam Festival and in Nurnberg he opened the season playing Walton concerto with their Principal Conductor Alexander Shelley. He will be playing Dvorak concerto in Sofia with Tabokov and Elgar concerto with Howard Griffiths in Frankfurt and Brandenburg with further performances in Bath and Montenegro. Tim is playing on a cello by Zanoli.

“Mr Hugh is much more than just a Cellist, he is a musician with a compelling insight into the creative urge behind the notes.” - The Times

Olga Sitkovetsky - Piano
Born in Moscow, Russia, Olga Sitkovetsky studied piano and concertmaster skills at the College of Music affiliated with the Moscow Conservatory, and later at the St. Petersburg Conservatory.

Sitkovetsky has performed as an accompanist in numerous international violin competitions and has received numerous awards for her accompaniment. She has also participated in the International Musical Academies in Tours (France), Kent (England) and in summer courses in Italy and France.

In 1991, Lord Menuhin invited her as an accompanist to the Yehudi Menuhin School of Music in Surrey, England. Her work at the School from 1991-2000 has helped a number of students to win top prizes at major international competitions. Sitkovetsky now enjoys accompanying these former students, now accomplished musicians, in their tours all over the world. She participated in a recording celebrating Lord Menuhin’s 80th birthday.

In July 1998, Sitkovetsky made her official American debut at the renowned Newport Music Festival in Rhode Island.

Sitkovetsky has toured extensively in Italy, Belgium, Gilbraltar, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. 2002 and 2003 found her performing in some of the most prestigious concert venues in the world including Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw, the Salzburg ‘Mozarteum’ and the Vienna Konzerthaus. She has also recorded with various artists for Angel Records/EMI Classics, Dynamic, Naxos and ASV.

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