Album of the Week: cellist Pablo Ferrandez's Reflections

Ferrandez's debut album is out on Friday 26 March

Author: Jon JacobPublished 22nd Mar 2021
Last updated 22nd Mar 2021

Cellist Pablo Ferrandez has a debut album 'Reflections' released on the Sony Classical label this week. And on Scala Radio we're featuring 'Reflections' as our Album of the Week.

Scala Radio presenter Mark Forrest spoke to Pablo today to find out about his year in comparitive isolation, the 'Lord Aylesford' - the Stradivarius thanks to a chance interaction with Lorin Maazel and Martha Casals, and the two most important teachers in his life.

Listen to Mark Forrest on Scala Radio weekdays from 10am.

What's your year been like Pablo?

I think the year before the pandemic, I took 125 flights, and then there were zero. The change was dramatic the first two months of the lockdown. I didn't know what to do. I felt it quite intensely. But I got so used to staying at home that every trip I do now make is exhausting. Now, every time that I step on stage it is a gift for me, because to make music for people is my biggest passion. It's what I love to do the most. So every time I go on stage is just pure gratitude and happiness.

Tell us about the cello you play on the recording

It's an incredible cello. It's the 'Lord Aylesford' Stradivarius, from 1696, on loan thanks to the Nippon Music Foundation in Tokyo. I've played this cello for six years. Before me it was played before by incredible talents like cellists Gregor Piatigorsky and János Starker. I got to play it because I once played for Lorin Maazel. And I remember him saying, 'You know what, I think you could use a better cello.'

Ten days after I played a concert and Martha Casals, the widow of Pablo Casals was in the audience. I explained to her that Maazel had said I needed a new cello. Ten days later, I got a call from Tokyo: 'Hey, we have this Stradivarius waiting for you in Stutgaart and you can pick it up whenever you want. It was the craziest day of my life. I rented a car. I was in Frankfurt at the time. I just drove there. It was insane.'

You have two teachers who are important to you. Tell us about them.

The two most important teachers for me were Natalia Shakhovskaya and Frans Helmerson. Both very different in their approach.

Both extremely important. I think about them every single day I practice.

I was completely open to everything Natalia Shakhovskaya had to tell me. Strangely tough you know - Russian school. That was every single lesson for seven years. A drama, complete drama, but she made me love everything about music, especially Russian music. And that's why as well I wanted to record the recording of this Rachmaninov Sonata for Reflections because I had these little Russian soul, thanks to her.

Every week Scala Radio features an Album of the Week. Follow Scala Radio on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to find out more.

Listen to Mark Forrest on Scala Radio weekdays from 10am.