DAVID OTT
CONCERTO FOR TWO CELLOS
1988

On February 4, 1988, the great cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich, led the National Symphony Orchestra in the world premiere of the 'Concerto for Two Cellos', by David Ott, with David Teie and Steven Honigberg, to whom the score is dedicated, as soloists. The work earned David Ott, born in Michigan in 1947, the nomination by the orchestra for the 1988 Pulitzer Prize in music. The Washington Post headlined its review "Ott's brilliant premiere ... the audience gave it a five-minute standing ovation." The Washington Times reported,"it was a case of love at first hearing. Mr. Rostropovich hugged and kissed the composer and his cellists as the packed house roared its approval." The Los Angeles Times stated "It was a workout for a well-matched pair of solo virtuosos."; The News Chronicle in California said "Color, intonation, even the vibrato were matched to identical proportions, all the while giving an appearance of effortless artistry and endless energy."

Steven Honigberg,  David Teie,  Mstislav Rostropovich; February 1988

Reviews:

Washington Times: World Premiere
with Rostropovich & National Symphony Orchestra
Feb 8, 1988
"It was a case of love a first hearing. Long and spontaneous cheers, complete with hoots, whistles and a standing ovation... This happy rarity, a profound crowd-pleaser, came to a close with a sudden orchestral explosion. Mr. Rostropovich hugged and kissed the composer and his cellists as the packed house roared its approval."

Los Angeles Times:
with Rostropovich & National Symphony Orchestra
Jan 28, 1989
"...workout for a well-matched pair of solo virtuosos... They gobbled up the bravura opportunities and demonstrated high degrees of mutually dependent ensemble skill."

Variety:
with Rostropovich & National Symphony Orchestra
Los Angeles - Feb 1, 1989
"Their performance demonstrated an abundance of tonal coloration, agile technique, excellent unison interplay, dialog, and solo sections."

Orange County Register:
with Rostropovich & National Symphony Orchestra
Santa Ana, CA- Feb 1, 1989
"...Ott demonstrated an intimate knowledge of the cello. The lyrical solo lines seemed completely natural and were performed with absolute conviction..."

News Chronicle:
with Rostropovich & National Symphony Orchestra
Thousand Oaks, CA - Feb 3, 1989
"...both cellists met the score's challenge superbly. Color, intonation,
even their vibrato were matched to identical proportions in the two soloists, all the while giving an appearance of effortless artistry and endless energy."

News-Press:
with Rostropovich & National Symphony Orchestra
Ft. Myers, Florida - Feb 3 1989
"...showcasing two young cello virtuosi. This audience, usually cool to new works, was anything but last evening. The response raised about as much hair on the back of the neck as the music itself."

Village View:
with Rostropovich & National Symphony Orchestra
Los Angeles CA - Feb 3-9, 1989
"With very American overtones, somewhat reminiscent of Copland, the work tested the two cellist skills, requiring Paganini-like acrobatics, which the soloists, David Teie and Steven Honigberg admirably rose to."

Reader's Guide:
with Rostropovich & National Symphony Orchestra
Los Angeles CA - Feb 10, 1989
"David Ott's Concerto for two Cellos, produced unexpected greatness, providing Steven Honigberg and David Teie a spellbinding palette of melodies and technical effects with which to hold the audience captive."

Washington Post: ASOL Conference
with Rostropovich & National Symphony Orchestra
June 14, 1990
"This fascinating piece, deservedly a fixture on NSO programs, became a bow-shredding factory. In the Andante Cantabile, the NSO cellists shared equally in the great tonal wealth that grew from a melodic germ."

The Advocate:
with Rostropovich & National Symphony Orchestra
Baton Rouge, La - Feb 22, 1994
"The Concerto's dedicates, gave a wonderful performance... Both players were technically impressive and sensitive to the work's long melodic lines...it was perhaps their unisons that were most impressive. Honigberg and Teie were always dead-on accurate."

Times-Picayune:
with Rostropovich & National Symphony Orchestra
New Orleans, La - Feb 25, 1994
"...two of the orchestra's members, played with individual flair and ensemble considerateness. Not the least of the cellists' accomplishments was a dazzling double cadenza..."

The Town Talk:
with Rostropovich & National Symphony Orchestra
Alexandria-Pineville, La - March 1, 1994
"...the Highlight of the program... perform in an ensemble that is truly rare, so closely aligned are their styles, timbres and technical approaches to the instrument. It is at once obvious that the Concerto was written for these two particular players and it would be difficult to find two cellists who could match their uniformity and depth of musical dialogue."

Anchorage Daily News:
March 6, 2000
...CONCERT FINEST PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON (Headline)
"Conductor and musicians alike brought uncommon levels of passion, poise and professionalism to the evening's program. The Ott's performance was nothing short of remarkable. Honigberg and Teie traded melodies, echoed one another and played in perfect synchronization. ...they earned themselves one of Anchorage's very own delayed reaction standing ovations."

Syracuse Herald-Journal:
with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra
March 7, 1998
OTT CONCERTO HIGHLIGHTS CONCERT (Headline)
"...once in a very great while a new piece of music can take off...The performance couldn't have been better." 

Spokane, Wash/Coeur d'Arlene, Idaho:
November 1, 1994
"From their very first notes in the concerto's quiet opening, Teie and Honigberg proclaimed absolute mastery of Ott's Concerto. The work and its performers were rewarded by a richly deserved standing ovation."

 Woodstock Times:
March 24, 1994
CELLOS LENT FIRE TO HVP FINALE (Headline)
"Teie and Honigberg were extraordinary in this powerful new work, which is bound for a permanent spot in the repertory. I doubt this composition will get a better performance than they gave us Friday."

The Times Herald Record:
March 21, 1994
HVP CELLISTS SCALE MT. EVEREST OF MUSICAL CHALLENGES (Headline)
"They have given new meaning to the term "technique". Among the most impressive obstacles they easily handled was the rapid run-up the fingerboard in multiple stops. This brilliant work has now become the Mt. Everest of string concertos."

Poughkeepsie Journal:
March 18, 1994
CELLO CONCERTO HIGHLIGHTS A VARIED HVP PROGRAM (Headline)
"...featured the elegant and energetic playing of duo cellists Steven Honigberg and David Teie. The finale proved a vivid showcase for the versatility of the two cellists.

The Sun:
April 30, 1993
ANNAPOLIS SYMPHONY CELLISTS REVEL IN CONCERTO (Headline)
"...they produced a stunning performance of one of the most engaging contemporary works in recent memory. Technically, both are beyond reproach."

The Capital:
April 28, 1993
ANNAPOLIS SYMPHONY DOES JUSTICE TO CELLO CONCERTO (Headline)
"In the hand of Mr. Honigberg and Mr. Teie we got singing tones not likely to be heard again soon;...The cellists gave a stunning, commanding, virtuosic performance that was simply dazzling."

The Lincoln Star:
March 4, 1992
"The evening's highlight was the Ott double concerto. Teie and Honigberg kept up their remarkable collaboration, astounding crowd and orchestra members alike.

Lincoln, NE. Journal:
March 4, 1992
"Both cellists' abilities with lyric line, singing tone and rapid passages were capitalized upon by Ott. The second movement was masterfully played, and the cadenza duo in the last movement was most exhilarating, the two cellos sounding like a string quartet."

Journal American:
November 21, 1991
CELLO WORK IMPRESSES (Headline)
"...they are well matched and their performance was beautifully detailed, highly polished and very exciting."

Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
November 21, 1991
"They played well together. In addition to nimble fingers, the two possess keen musical sensibilities."

Reading Eagle/Reading Times:
November 11, 1991
CELLO CONCERTO IS BIG HIGHLIGHT OF RSO CONCERT (Headline)
"Hearing a new piece of music is a rare experience to be treasured; hearing one that is sure to become a classic in the symphonic repertoire is enough to make a music critic turn handsprings."

Tribune-Star:
November 13, 1989
TWO CELLOS DOESN'T DISAPPOINT (Headline)
"...they reveled in the concerto's romantic melodies; its virtuoso cadenza, its brilliant allegros, and their superb playing had even the orchestra members spellbound and brought the crowd to its feet for three curtain calls."

L to R: Steven Honigberg, Mistislav Rostropovich, David Ott, David Teie

Homage to Mstislav Rostropovich