Barber - Cello Concerto, Op. 22
February 5, 2022
Jaime An ’22, a winner of the Bienen School of Music's annual Concerto Competition, performs Samuel Barber's Cello Concerto, Op. 22 with the Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Robert G. Hasty.
(00:22) Allegro moderato
(13:39) Andante sostenuto
(20:27) Molto allegro e appassionato
Composed for cellist Raya Garbousova in 1945, Barber’s Cello Concerto is among the more technically demanding works in the repertoire. Commissioned to celebrate Serge Koussevitzky on his 20th season as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the concerto received the New York Music Critics’ Circle Award in 1947, positioning it as a celebrated staple of the cello literature. The work is melodious and expressive, yet poses significant technical challenges in the treacherous double notes and solo cadenzas.