03-01-19 | Songs for Listening | Christopher Costanza
Christopher Costanza, cellist for the St. Lawrence String Quartet, selected the song list for Friday, March 1 at Songs for Listening. Chris joined the SLSQ — the resident ensemble at Stanford University — in 2003. In recent years, Chris made a massive project recording The Cello Suites of Bach and pairing them, online, with extensive commentary, history, and resources for deeper engagement.
In 1988, while still a student at the New England Conservatory, Chris made his NYC recital premiere at the 92nd St Y; in a review of the concert the NYTimes described Chris as "an excellent young cellist with fleet fingers and an unflinching, deep-in-the-strings way of producing sound ... [who] demonstrated an unaffected, graceful approach to phrasing, a rugged, fearless technique and, when necessary, an energetic headlong approach [.]"
Chris has brought these same virtuous qualities, plus an equanimity and warm incisiveness to his work with the SLSQ — almost without question the most important North American chamber ensemble of their generation.
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 / No. 65 'Mache dich, mein herze, ein' by Bach, performed by John Eliot Gardiner & the English Baroque Solists featuring Cornelius Hauptmann
Turangalila Symphonie: Mvt. 8 'Développement de l’amour' by Messiaen, performed by Orchestre de l'Opera Bastulle conducted by Myung-Whun Chang
’On Green Dolphin Street' by Bill Evans with Paul Chambers & Billy Joe Jones from 'On Green Dolphin Street'
Piano Quintet, Op. 15, Mvt. 1: 'Mässiges Zeitmass, mit schwungvoll blühendem Ausdruck' by Korngold, performed by Doric String Quartet featuring Kathryn Stott
'Miss Otis Regrets' by Cole Porter from 'Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Songbook', performed by Ella Fitzgerald
