Artists that play Cello

Such a beautiful sound. My first instrument was cello, but piano won out because I couldn't devote enough time to both. Interestingly, singer/songwriter James Taylor's first instrument was cello, too ... his singing voice sounds like a cello to me.

Anyway, here's one of my favorite albums, with the superb cellist Anja Lechner: Chants, Hymns, and Dances

Ben Sollee: Learning to Bend

Arne Deforce with Mika Vainio - Hephaestus

Arne is very much in the contemporary / avant-garde mould so be warned! Very marmite!

Wolfgang Tiepold's work with Klaus Schulze is also interesting, check the interplay between electronics and cello on one of my fave all-time albums "Audentity".

For the folkies....Emily Barker and the Red Clay Halo - Jo Silverston is great on the cello complemented by Anna Jenkins on violin & viola.

For the prog rockers among us, some lovely cello on Camel's "Rajaz" from the album of the same name

And for Heavy Metal fun ...Apocalyptica - three Finnish cello players and a drummer.......gotta be seen to be believed

I've just ordered this, Fred's suggestions have not let me down yet. 

<in fact I was listening to no wave just this evening >

SJB

Had a listen to

Arne Deforce & Mika Vainio - Phlegethon (Stream of Fire) [Editions Mego] You right it's hit or miss. But very different.  

Klaus Schulze - 1978 «X-Tour» Den Haag w/ Wolfgang Tiepold

Agnes Obel - The Curse (Berlin Live Session) theirs a lovely echo to everything

But dame it sounded good.  the cello sounds that its played with feeling. i found my self sitting and closing my eyes, listening into the music..  it was then i said all the money ive spent was well worth it.. System coming together nicely.  

Ophélie Gaillard, Bach, Prelude, Cello suite n. 1-6

Sting  ....all this time

Recorded at Sting's Villa Il Palagio in Italy in front of a select audience drawn from his fan club and features live versions of Sting's songs from his Police and solo song catalogue.

"This album was recorded on September 11, 2001, and is respectfully dedicated to all those who lost their lives on that day."

Maybe not what you are looking for but the cellist is Jaques Morelenbaum.

Dave

A couple of odd suggestions:

The guys have become famous due to the intriguing recordings of Nothing Else Matters etc

On the mellow side

And finaly Yo-Yo Ma who played quite a lot of music outside the scope of classical music (soundtrack, jazz..)

Recommended for the outstanding cello performance of Michal Kaňka during:

Arpeggione Sonata D821 for cello and string orchestra / tracks 5-7  [total time 26:28]

The first 40 minutes of "Death of a Maiden" is a Schubert treat perhaps not what you're looking for but very nice all the same.

Debs

I played cello as well, from about the age of 8 to 15.  Starting at the age of 14 I picked up the tuba, and enjoyed the band (including marching band) a lot more than orchestra, so I stuck with the tuba throughout high school and university.

Great instrumental album with modern (POP) Music, re-recorded on piano and cello.

My pleasure, SJB. Let us know what you think of it when you get a chance.

Anja Lechner is just wonderful. Try this....

Another superb ECM that both Fred and SJB will like...

Try this too - a whole cello quartet. Four times as much celloness!

Thanks! On my list.

I believe the technical term is "cellocity."

I am astonished no one has mentioned Zoe Keating yet. I like her LP called "Into the Trees". I reckon if you like Agnes Obel its worth a spin.

I'm sure this will go down like a lead balloon, but as someone not especially into classical music I very much enjoy listening to the 2 Cellos who play all kinds of music including interpretations of rock classics.  Really good fun with two great albums and some excellent stuff on YouTube

Whoops, just spotted this!

Arguably the definitive recording of the Dvorak Cello Concerto coupled with a wonderful recording of the Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations. A classic recording.

Dave