Nicolas Altstaedt and Alexander Lonquich survey Beethoven

By Mark Thomas, 16 June 2017

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“Altstaedt’s lyrical sweetness of tone in upper registers really came to the fore”

Reviewed at Wigmore Hall, London on 15 June 2017

Beethoven, Cello Sonata no. 1 in F major, Op.5 no.1

Beethoven, Cello Sonata no. 2 in G minor, Op.5 no.2

Beethoven, Cello Sonata no. 3 in A major, Op.69

Beethoven, Cello Sonata no. 4 in C major, Op.102 no.1

Beethoven, Cello Sonata no. 5 in D major, Op.102 no.2

Nicolas Altstaedt, Cello

Alexander Lonquich, Piano

Destination Lockenhaus: mecca for lesser-known musical gems

Alexandra Ivanoff, 9th July

Discovering Enescu through the lens of his folkloric genes was the beginning of the musical adventure that awaits listeners in the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival in Austria.

Modernist Mozart at the end of time: Tetzlaff at 92Y

David Allen, 20th April

It’s easiest to describe Christian Tetzlaff’s approach to playing the violin by what he isn’t trying to do. He is not trying to play as beautifully as possible, in the conventional sense. He is not trying to sound like a nightingale, soaring long, honeyed lines above an accompaniment.

****1

Holliger's here!

Helen Fraser, 23rd March

Oboist. Composer. Conductor. Heinz Holliger is all of these things and more, and this week Britain has a chance to find out what makes this man such an enormous figure in contemporary music. Holliger and friends are at King’s Place all week, with Holliger featuring in all of his many roles.

Ziemlich beste Freunde: Christian Tetzlaff und Alexander Lonquich

Sebastian Urmoneit, 16th November

Das Konzert im Pierre Boulez Saal entwickelte sich zu einem Dialog wie ein Gespräch unter Freunden.

****1

Fährnisse klassischer Kammermusik im modernen Konzertsaal

Rolf Kyburz, 18th November

Nicolas Altstaedt begeisterte mit subtilem Spiel und leichter Artikulation. So richtig wollte dieses jedoch nicht zum modernen Konzertflügel passen, selbst bei Alexander Lonquichs umsichtiger Begleitung.

***11

Fehlende Balance: Carolin Widmann in Schaffhausen

Rolf Kyburz, 23rd September

Im Schlusssatz stimmten die Gewichte: wo Caroline Widmann die wunderbare Kantilene vom Piano übernahm, ließ ihr Alexander Lonquich selbst in con sordino Passagen genügend Raum – klar der Höhepunkt vor der Pause!

***11

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Mark Thomas

A lifelong devotee of classical music, Mark caught the bug after listening to The Planets, The Rite of Spring and Beethoven’s Fifth when he was knee-high to a grasshopper. He has degrees in non-musical subjects and currently works as a Chartered Governance Professional, but these have proved to be mere distractions from the wonders of sonatas, concertos and symphonies. He has been reviewing for Bachtrack since 2016, plays viola and violin (very shakily) and used to sing a bit (even more shakily).

Cultured and complete: Nicolas Altstaedt and Alexander Lonquich survey Beethoven’s cello sonatas