After several recordings of 20th and 21st century works and American music, Bailey shifts focus to the delightfully effervescent, elegant, and melodic works of Haydn, one of the earliest composers to write concertos for the cello.

Zuill Bailey returns to Steinway & Sons label with Haydn Cello Concertos

 Bailey’s performance with the Philharmonia Orchestra was recorded live at the Wimbledon International Music Festival 

In his recent contributions to the Steinway & Sons label, cellist Zuill Bailey has presented “impassioned” (San Francisco Chronicle) and “soulful” (The New York Times) readings of works by Nico Muhly, Leonard Bernstein, Samuel Barber, and Sergei Prokofiev. For its latest collaboration with Bailey, Steinway & Sons releases the artist’s recording of Haydn’s Cello Concertos, performed with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Robin O’Neill at the Wimbledon International Music Festival in 2015 while Bailey was Artist in Residence.

After several recordings of 20th and 21st century works and American music, including a world premiere, Bailey shifts focus to the delightfully effervescent, elegant, and melodic works of Haydn, one of the earliest composers to write concertos for the cello. The two Cello Concertos by Haydn, written almost 20 years apart, both full exploit the instrument’s wide range and capabilities with quick runs, passagework, and double stops. Both concertos also include dance-like movements, which made them a natural programmatic fit for the 2015 Wimbledon International Music Festival’s dance theme.

“Giving new breath to warhorse repertoire, Bailey has the touch showing he can leave contemporary works behind and ply his trade like a master on the golden classical oldies. A great Sunday afternoon set, this is classy classic work that demands to be played in the foreground with rapt attention paid as it's due.”

 MidWest  Record
 

ALBUM CREDITS

Haydn: Cello Concertos / Zuill Bailey, Robin O'Neill, Philharmonia Orchestra • STNS 30094   

Release Date: 03/16/2018 

Recorded November 28-30, 2015 at Trinity United Reformed Church, Mansel Road, London.
Produced and Edited by Thomas C. Moore, Five/Four Productions Ltd.
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by Robert Friedrich, Five/Four Productions Ltd.

Assistant engineers and session support provided by Neil Hutchinson and Jonathan Stokes, Classic Sound, Ltd., UK
Executive Producer: Jon Feidner
Design: Cover to Cover Design, Anilda Carrasquillo

About the Artist

Zuill Bailey, widely considered one of the premiere cellists in the world, is a Grammy Award winner, distinguished soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, Artistic Director and teacher.  His rare combination of celebrated artistry, technical wizardry and engaging personality has secured his place as one of the most sought after and active cellists today.

Recent highlights include appearances with orchestras such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, Israel, San Francisco, Toronto, Nashville, North Carolina, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and the Philharmonia (UK) with conductors Itzhak Perlman, Carlos Kalmar, Neeme Jarvi, Jun Markl, Stanislav Skrowaczewski, Alan Gilbert, Andrey Borekyo, Krzysztof Urbanski, Giancarlo Guerrero, Andrew Litton, Grant Llewellyn and James DePriest.  He was honored as the distinguished Alumnus of 2014 by Johns Hopkins University Peabody Institute.

Zuill Bailey is a renowned recording artist with over thirty titles. Mr. Bailey won a best solo performance Grammy Award in 2017 for his live recording of Tales of Hemingway by composer Michael Daugherty.  His celebrated Bach Cello Suites, Britten Cello Symphony/Sonata with pianist Natasha Paremski, Haydn Cello Concertos, and recently released Schumann/Brahms Concertos CDs immediately soared to the number one spot on the Classical Billboard Charts. Other critically acclaimed recordings include his live performances with the Indianapolis Symphony of the Bloch Schelomo, Muhly Cello Concerto (World Premiere), Brahms Sextets with the Cypress Strings Quartet, Elgar and Dvorak Cello Concertos, described by Gramophone magazine as the new “reference” recording and one that “sweeps the board.” In addition, the Dvorak Cello Concerto CD is listed in the Penguin’s Guide as one the Top 1000 Classical Recordings of all time.  Other releases include his innovative Spanish Masters CD for Zenph Studios, where he forms a unique duo blending with recordings of composer Manuel de Falla, and an all-American recital program with pianist Lara Downes on the Steinway & Sons label. 

Mr. Bailey performs on the "rosette" 1693 Matteo Gofriller Cello, formerly owned by Mischa Schneider of the Budapest String Quartet.  He is the Artistic Director of El Paso Pro-Musica (Texas), the Sitka Summer Music Festival/Series and Cello Seminar, (Alaska), the Northwest Bach Festival (Washington), the “Classical Inside and Out,” at the Mesa Arts Center (Arizona) and Director of the Center for Arts Entrepreneurship and Professor of Cello at the University of Texas at El Paso.

About Steinway & Sons label

The STEINWAY & SONS music label produces exceptional albums of solo piano music across all genres. The label — a division of STEINWAY & SONS, maker of the world’s finest pianos — is a perfect vessel for producing the finest quality recordings by some of the most talented pianists in the world.