On Tuesday 1^st August violoncellist Petr Nouzovský and guitarist Miriam Rodriguez Brüllová performed at the Masquerade Hall at the castle. The program, except for one original composition, consisted of transcriptions of popular compositions which are often heard on concert stages, however, not in the presence of a guitar and a violoncello. “Even though the guitar does not have the tone range of the piano, which is originally played in the compositions, and it cannot produce the same sound either, the delicateness of the tone of the guitar highlights the intimate character of the selected compositions,” said Miriam Rodriguez Brüllová about the selection of the compositions and continued, “for me the cello and the guitar are two instruments which complement one another superbly. They have a similar range and timbre so from my point of view they get on very well together. It is actually my favourite combination as far as chamber music is concerned. Gradually we try to expand our program with Petr so, besides the classical repertoire such as Vivaldi, Schubert, Tchaikovsky and others, we have started to include less famous authors at concerts, for example, like Gnattali today, and thus we open new horizons for the listeners.” The audience heard two parts of the Sonata for cello and guitar, Allegretto comodo and Con spirito, by the above-mentioned Radamés Gnattali. They also included a meditative composition in the program, the Song of the Birds, by phenomenal guitarist and “founder” of cello solo Pablo Casals and a selection from the popular cycle Siete canciones populares españolas (Seven Spanish Folksongs) by Manuel de Falla originally for mezzosoprano and piano, which are inspired by the rich and varied Spanish folklore. Here the cello replaced the vocals and the guitar replaced the piano accompaniment. A total of five songs were played – El paño moruno (The Moorish Cloth), the ancient lullaby Nana, Canción, Asturiana and the ardent Andalusian Polo. As an encore they played a composition from the opera La vida breve (Life is Short) by Manuel de Falla – Spanish Dance No. 1 in a transcription for cello and guitar.   

And what were the impressions of the two soloists from the Český Krumlov concert? “It was a pleasure to play here also because we played for an erudite audience, so we felt the feedback. I was glad that I had the opportunity to introduce the different compositions in the program with a few words. It is a sort of bonus. The viewers learn something more about the compositions and I enjoy such ‘hosting’ of our concerts very much. I was afraid that it would be very hot in the hall, the outside temperature reached 38 degrees today, but it wasn’t so and the climate at the Masquerade Hall was bearable in the end. For me the concert was fantastic and I will have great memories of it,” is how Petr Nouzovský assessed the performance. Miriam Brüllova agreed with his feelings, “For me, it is always great to play at the festival in Český Krumlov. I believe this my third time. The audience is always attentive here, the hall is beautiful, so I love to come back and I hope this is not the last time we have met.” During the concert the launch of their new CD, “Après un rêve” (“After a Dream”), whose patron is Slovak actress Danica Jurčová, took place. “My wish for the album is that, just as this beautiful city of Český Krumlov lies on the river Vltava, which never stops and always flows, the beautiful music, which Petr and Miriam play on this album, may find its way through all those meanders to the hearts of the listeners,” said Danica Jurčová.