Máté Tomasz & Sebestyén Pellet Chamber Recital Presented by Liszt Academy

The life and legacy of Pablo Casals – virtuoso, conductor, composer, and arguably the greatest cellist of the 20th century – take centre stage in this recital by Máté Tomasz and Sebestyén Pellet, marking 150 years since his birth.

The programme begins with Bach’s Viola da Gamba Sonata in D major. Celebrated for its clarity and solemnity, the work presents formidable technical and musical challenges. This is followed by three pieces from Casals himself, which perfectly illustrate how he revolutionised cello performance: the lyrical and intimate Pastoral, which evokes a vivid scene from nature; a subsequent work of spirited virtuosity; and finally, the dreamlike Rêverie.

The cello’s vocal qualities are further explored in the Chant hébraïque, a piece that draws on Jewish musical traditions – much like Ernest Bloch does in his profound and meditative work dedicated to Casals. The concert concludes with Debussy’s Sonata in D minor, a late masterpiece that demands a sophisticated and multifaceted technical mastery from the soloist.