Cello travels in style

Press, 27 October 1982, Page 16

Cello travels in style

When the German cellist, Maria Kliegel. goes overseas she is accompanied by her 1840 cello. The instrument is too valuable to travel in an aircraft’s luggage compartment, and usually occupies a seat alongside its owner. Professor Kliegel and her cello were in Christchurch

last week to give a recital at the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, and take a master class at the University of Canterbury.

She is spending several days sightseeing in Queens-, town and Milford Sound before flying home to West Germany, where she is a professor at the Folkwang University, near Dusseldorf. Coming from a musical family. Maria Kliegel, who turns 30 next month, started

playing the piano at the age of six.

At the age of 10, she was encouraged to take up the cello to add variety to the musical evenings often given by her family. Other family members played the violin, piano, viola, and French horn.

“Every week we would have a chamber music evening after we finished working on a piece,” she said. Professor Kliegel finished school at 18 and studied music at the Dr Hoch’schen Conservatorium in Frankfurt. about 100 km from Dillenburg where she grew up. Later, she went on to study music at the Indiana University in the United States, where she found a very high standard.

In 1975, the cellist returned to Germany where she is now a professor teaching 16 students how to play the cello.

"The cello has become a very popular instrument, particularly in the last two years. The technique has developed a lot more, and people like to play it as a solo instrument,” she said.

Professor Kliegel has noticed more women playing the cello. “This could be something to do with emancipation as it is a big instrument.”

"The cello is very similar to the human voice and that is why I like it so much," she said.

As well as her university job. Maria Kliegel travels widely, mainly to give re-

citals, but also to take master classes. She travels mostly in Europe and her recent win in the Rostropovich competition for cello players has brought many invitations to play in France. She has also played in South Korea. This is her first visit to New Zealand, and she has taken master classes in Wellington and Christchurch. Professor Kliegel believes it is more difficult for New Zealand cellists as they do not have competition from other countries, as musicians in Europe do. The answer, she said, was to travel.

Apart from music, the cellist enjoys tennis, and ski-ing. She admits to having to be careful on the ski slopes however, in case of injury to her hands.