Cellist Nicolas Altstaedt Photo: Robyn Jaquiery
Cellist Nicolas Altstaedt is looking forward to playing Ernest Bloch's rhapsody for cello and orchestra, 'Schelomo' (Solomon) with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
"I think it's one of the most outstanding pieces not only for cello, but for symphony orchestras," he says. "I always tell conductors 'programme this piece'!"
"You don't get any better orchestration than in this piece, you don't get anything more grand to conduct - it's such a massive orchestration."
Initially conceived as a vocal work set to words from the Book of Ecclesiastes, Bloch decided to make it an instrumental piece. 'Schelomo' is the final work of his Jewish Cycle.
"You couldn't better describe Jewish history in music, I think, than Bloch has done in this case."
Nicolas Altstaedt (cello), Sir Donald Runnicles (conductor)
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
Broadcast live on RNZ Concert on Friday 28 April, 6.30pm
