5 Oct 2018

Rock-star cellist to play fiery Shostakovich masterpiece

From Upbeat, 1:00 pm on 5 October 2018

Rock-star German-Canadian cellist Johannes Moser is in New Zealand to perform a masterpiece that is as relevant today as it was when it was composed in 1959.

Johannes Moser

Johannes Moser Photo: Sarah Wijzenbeek

Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No 1 - which Moser is performing with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in four major centres – is considered one of the most difficult works for cello.

The concerto is thought by some to be a political statement reflecting on the Soviet Union and the treatment of the composer, who at the time feared for his life.

But Moser says you can apply today’s political climate to the music and it is still relevant. “In classical music there is a danger we are a museum. To stay fresh and relevant … [look] what is going on in the world right now, it’s absolutely crazy,” he says. “We don’t need to go back to 1960s Russia to have a reference point in Shostakovich.”

Dmitri Shostakovich in 1950

Dmitri Shostakovich in 1950 Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0

The 39 year old cellist has performed this piece “more than 250 times” and each time it is different. For Moser, it’s about putting himself into the work.

He says the way he plays the concerto now is very different to the way he played it ten years ago. “You always discover something meaningful,” he says. “This piece allow me to express myself [and] where I am in my life.”

There are benchmark recordings of famous cellists performing this concerto. For Moser it’s about letting go and not comparing himself to them. “You have to free yourself and not replicate what’s out there,” he says.

To help bring the music alive, it’s important to understand the language it is written in he says. Russian is one of the many languages he is knowledgeable with.

The language of the piece helps him connect to the music he’s performing.

“A piece by Beethoven is unimaginable without speaking the German language. Or to go into Schumann without going into German poetry… how do you connect?” he asks.

“Same goes for French. It helps me to understand the rhythm of the language when I work on pieces.”

Johannes Moser performs Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No 1 with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra on October 6 in Auckland, October 10 in Christchurch, October 11 in Dunedin and in Wellington on October 13.