The astounding young cellist, Alexander Ramm was the star of the seventh concert in the Hugo Concert Series. Born in Vladivostok this young Russian wonder has performed in public since the age of nine, winning a clutch of prestigious prizes along the way.
And yet Ramm’s playing remained consistently powerful and assured. His technique was astounding as he explored the rich high and low registers of his cello and the audience especially enjoyed his interpretation of Cassadó’s Suite for Cello Solo. This adventurous work combines the Baroque formalism and dance orientation of Bach’s suites with Gaspar Cassadó’s own Spanish heritage and, as with most of Cassadó’s other cello compositions, was designed to showcase his own talents as a cellist. Ramm’s voicing in the second movement, written in the form of a two-part sardana, was brilliant; the voicing was so clear and distinct that he made it sound as if two separate cellos were actually at play.