Month: November 2015

“The cellist boasts a remarkable technique, and the concerto’s fiery passages showed him in nearly flawless fingerwork that took him all over the instrument.

But the most impressive quality of his playing is the tenderness he draws from his cello, and it was the lyrical passages in the concerto that featured Ellsworth at his most brilliant. His tone is thoroughly song-like, laced with a hint of silver, and manages to resonate deeply in its full range. His cello sang beautifully in the concerto’s many cantabile passages, and he handled the waltz-like theme that comes mid-piece with charming and affectionate tone.”

“…the solo part is a challenging one, and Ellsworth was equal to it. His tone is dark and he conveys feeling without straining. What particularly stood out was the authority of his phrasing in the slow sections, where he emerged as a kind of unrepentant Tannhäuser.”

“Jonah Ellsworth played the solo with fearless energy and a complete range of expressive richness. This concerto makes more prominent use of the lower strings, I think, than do many other concerti that feature upper-register expression on the A string, and it was good to hear the expressive resonance of the lower register carefully balanced with the orchestra. On the evidence of this fine performance, Ellsworth is certainly ready to be called a modern professional; he is an accomplished soloist, but he also plays in the cello sections of BPO and plays chamber music at Marlboro, and that adds up to a busy and enriching career.”

“Jonah Ellsworth looked both relaxed and eager as he took the stage for what has become one of the most important solo cello works in the repertoire. His winning tone and excellent intonation were fine vehicles for Dvorak’s lyrical solo lines, and he projected well over the orchestra even when textures grew thicker and the emotional temperature rose. He’s definitely a player to watch.”