Greatest Cellists
Cellist↕ | Country↕ | Years↕ | Signature Cello↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pablo Casals | Spain | 1876-1973 | Matteo Goffriller 1733 | Rediscovered Bach's cello suites, boycotted fascist Spain, UN hymn composer, played until 96 |
| Mstislav Rostropovich | Russia | 1927-2007 | Duport Stradivarius 1711 | Soviet dissident exiled, Britten and Shostakovich dedicatee, played at Berlin Wall fall |
| Jacqueline du Pre | United Kingdom | 1945-1987 | Davidov Stradivarius 1712 | Elgar concerto benchmark, career ended by MS at 28, married Barenboim, Hilary and Jackie film |
| Yo-Yo Ma | France/United States | 1955- | Petunia Montagnana 1733 | Most famous living cellist, Silk Road Ensemble, Bach suites multiple times, Obama inauguration |
| Pierre Fournier | France | 1906-1986 | Miremont 1873 | Aristocrat of cellists, elegant French school, Bach suites benchmark recording |
| Janos Starker | Hungary/United States | 1924-2013 | Lord Aylesford Stradivarius 1696 | Iron technique, Kodaly Solo Sonata definitive recording, Indiana University long tenure |
| Paul Tortelier | France | 1914-1990 | Stradivarius 1673 | BBC cello masterclasses on television, composed pieces, passionate performer |
| Emanuel Feuermann | Ukraine/United States | 1902-1942 | De Munck Stradivarius 1730 | Died at 39 from complications, Heifetz-Rubinstein trio, peerless technique |
| Mischa Maisky | Latvia/Belgium | 1948- | Montagnana 1720 | Only cellist to study with both Rostropovich and Piatigorsky, long hair, DG exclusive |
| Gautier Capucon | France | 1981- | Matteo Goffriller 1701 | French lyrical tradition, duo with brother Renaud, Erato recordings |
| Steven Isserlis | United Kingdom | 1958- | Marquis de Corberon Stradivarius 1726 | Gut strings advocate, children's music books, deeply expressive interpretations |
| Lynn Harrell | United States | 1944-2020 | Du Pre Davidov Stradivarius 1673 | Inherited du Pre's Davidov Strad, Cleveland Orchestra principal at 19, Juilliard faculty |
| Alisa Weilerstein | United States | 1982- | William Forster 1790 | MacArthur Fellow, type 1 diabetes advocate, Elgar and Dvorak benchmarks for her generation |
| Truls Mork | Norway | 1961- | Domenico Montagnana 1723 | Scandinavian repertoire champion, Elgar and Dvorak recordings, comeback after illness |
| Sol Gabetta | Argentina/Switzerland | 1981- | Matteo Goffriller 1730 | Sony Classical star, Kammermusik Festival Olsberg founder, charismatic stage presence |
| Gregor Piatigorsky | Russia/United States | 1903-1976 | Batta Stradivarius 1714 | Escaped Soviet Russia swimming across river with cello, Heifetz-Rubinstein trio |
| Heinrich Schiff | Austria | 1951-2016 | Mara Stradivarius 1711 | Bach suites cycle, conductor-cellist, taught Alisa Weilerstein and Natalie Clein |
| Jean-Guihen Queyras | France | 1967- | Gioffredo Cappa 1696 | Contemporary music specialist, Harmonia Mundi Bach suites, Arcanto Quartett |
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