Haydn: Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major complete. Eva Lymenstull, cello, original. Voices of Music 8K

The complete Cello Concerto in C Major (Hob. VIIb/1), performed on period instruments, Eva Lymenstull, classical cello. Live 8K video from our January 2025 concerts. This work presented here for the first time in 8K Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C was written in the early 1760s. It was first performed by Joseph Franz Weigl, Haydn’s friend and Esterházy’s principal cellist. This wonderful work also remained unpublished for decades—in this case, until its discovery in a copy in the Prague National Museum in 1961, when it quickly became a staple of the cello repertoire. Haydn writes with a full sense of the cello’s idiom, which is particularly evident in the way he draws attention to the soloist’s entrances—in the first movement, with startling chords encompassing all four strings, and in the second and third movements with long-held solo notes that grow out of the orchestral texture and cascade into swirling scale passages. Haydn exploits the new “thumb position” technique for high notes, letting the cello sing out above the orchestra, and inventively counterpoints these high notes with leaps down to the cello’s resonant lower register. The work ends with a spectacular flourish as the cello makes its final entrance on a sustained high G, spinning off into a thrilling roller-coaster of sixteenth notes. --Nicholas Jones Although Haydn, Mozart and their contemporaries are mainstays of modern concert repertory, historical performances, using the instruments, bows, strings, styles and techniques of the time are relatively rare. The original manuscript includes a ripieno part which was incorporated into our modern edition and allows the solo part to be heard in glorious detail. Of the above, perhaps the two most important differences from modern performances were the direction of the orchestra and the varied skills of the musicians. In the late 18th century, as in the baroque, the orchestra was not conducted, but led from the keyboard or the violin. In addition, audiences came to see virtuosi perform, and the leader of the orchestra was invariably a world-class performer as well as composer. Attuned to this style, it is straightforward for the musicians to follow the cellist or another solo instrument for their individual concertos. Ideally, the result is similar to a play, in which each player knows and performs their roles in scenes, soliloquies, dialogues and ensembles. Directing the orchestra with an instrument lends a unique advantage: the leader is able to speak continuously to the ensemble and audience through the language of music. Los Angeles-based cellist and violist da gamba Eva Lymenstull enjoys a varied career that has taken her across North America and Europe as a soloist, orchestral and chamber musician, and continuo player. She plays regularly with Voices of Music, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Tesserae, Bach Collegium San Diego, and Lyra Baroque Orchestra, and has performed with Tafelmusik, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Apollo’s Fire. In 2017, Eva won the Voices of Music International Bach Competition, resulting in a recording of Bach’s D Minor cello suite. Other recent recordings can be heard on the Passacaille, Brilliant Classics (with tonight’s soloist and concertmaster Augusta McKay Lodge), and Violet Ear labels. A frequent performer at music festivals and on concert series across North America, Eva has performed at the Carmel Bach, Berkeley, Whidbey Island, Corona del Mar, and Pacific Baroque (Victoria, BC) music festivals; at the Utrecht and Boston Fringe Festivals; and on concert series around the US as a founding member of the Southern California-based viol ensemble Artifex Consort, and the Arborea piano trio. She teaches baroque cello and viol as a regular guest artist in residence at the University of Michigan, has given masterclasses at Michigan State University, McGill University, University of Northern Colorado, USC, and Interlochen Arts Academy, and has been on faculty at the SFEMS Baroque Workshop. Voices of Music Classical Orchestra Hanneke van Proosdij, director & harpsichord First violin Isabelle Seula Lee, Augusta McKay Lodge** Maxine Nemerovski & Shelby Yamin* Second violin Aniela Eddy, Kati Kyme* Linda Quan & Noah Strick Viola Maria Caswell* Lisa Grodin & Anna Washburn Violoncello Eva Lymenstull (soloist) Joanna Joy Neuschatz & Elisabeth Reed*** Viennese bass Farley Pearce* Classical horn Elisabeth Axtell* & Leslie Hart Classical oboe Pablo O’Connell & Marc Schachman* **concertmaster *principal ***continuo Performed on period instruments A=430 Hz Boby Borisov, audio engineer and ambisonics design Video: Lloyd Hryciw & Rob Clevenger 8K technology: David Tayler Produced by David Tayler Post Production: David Tayler & Andrew Levy Audio mastering, video cutting and final 8K color and render: David Tayler Copyright 2025 Voices of Music #haydn 0:00 I. Moderato 9:39 II. Adagio 17:16 III. Finale. Allegro Molto 24:21 Credits & Complete list of all musicians