Popper à Deux with Xavier Gagnepain

Forty Studies ‘High School of Cello Playing’ in a two-cello version.

To inaugurate our new initiative of twinning with the Association Française du Violoncelle, the London Cello Society is pleased to present distinguished cellist and President of the Association, Xavier Gagnepain, in a special event devoted to his new edition for two cellos of the 40 Studies of David Popper.

In Xavier’s words: ‘Between the notion of etude and that of exercise, there has always been a certain confusion. An exercise has an almost exclusive technical purpose, no one could deny that. But if there were no higher objective to composing an etude, would the Chopin or Debussy etudes appear in concert programmes, and would the Dürer or Picasso studies be presented in exhibitions?

For a composer, the mere idea of writing an etude implies a genuine artistic ambition. It consists in presenting in a musical context the element(s) that he has chosen for the study (whether technical or musical).’ 

Join us for an afternoon of enlightening insights into these endlessly challenging works which cover every facet of the cello technique whilst delighting the ear in this new setting for two cellos.

Sunday 2nd June 2024 - 2pm to 4:45pm

Tickets
Adult £16 / Adult LCS member £13
Student £10 / Student LCS member £8