Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Matt Haimovitz: Orbit: Music for Solo Cello (1945 – 2014)

2

Matt Haimovitz: Orbit: Music for Solo Cello (1945 – 2014)

By

Sign in to view read count
Track review of "Orbit"

Matt Haimovitz: Orbit: Music for Solo Cello (1945 – 2014)
The solo cello repertoire is dominated completely by Johann Sebastian Bach's Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, BWV 1007-1012. While there exists much more solo cello music than this, the majority of commercial media releases are of Bach's mountain. So, what a about a sampler of solo cello music other than Bach? Matt Haimovitz provides us exactly that with Orbit: Music for Solo Cello (1945— 2014). Rather than one more prim exposition of the Suites or an avant-garde exploration of the instrument's f-holes, Haimovitz surveys the last 50 years of solo cello composition, revealing a varied pallet of tonal pleasures and ruminations that are as much a pleasure to listen to as to contemplate.

Most notably included here is a brand new Philip Glass composition, "Orbit," composed in 2014. It was with no small interest that I wanted to see what Glass had to offer in the wake of a lifetime of spare minimalism. "Orbits" develops as a grand melodic statement that takes advantage of all of Haimovitz's tonal wares. Glass builds his piece around a potent descending figure that is muscular and complete with a whiff of mournful Romanticism to it. Haimovitz displays a firm command of the compositional dynamics that make this piece, and indeed, the entire recording a surprising aural treat.

Personnel

matt Haimovitz: cello

Album information

Title: Orbit: Music for Solo Cello (1945 – 2014) | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Pentatone Classics

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.