Raphael WALLFISCH
General Management
With a discography of over 70 discs, Raphael Wallfisch is one of the most recorded classical artists in the world. A BBC survey named Wallfisch’s recording of the Dvorak Cello Concerto the best recording of the work in the past 25 years. He is one of the world’s most celebrated cellists, renowned for his curiosity and commitment to exploring and broadening the full range of repertoire for the instrument, and drawing on a rich musical heritage.
The depth of Raphael Wallfisch’s interest in the repertoire is borne out in his extraordinary discography – including a long relationship with Chandos, a complete Vivaldi series on Naxos with Nicholas Kraemer, and with EMI, Decca, Black Box, ASV, CPO and Nimbus – which explores both the mainstream and countless lesser-known works by Barber, Dohnanyi, Hindemith and Respighi, and what is considered the benchmark recording of Martinů concertos with the Czech Philharmonic and Jiří Bělohlávek. Wallfisch is a particular champion of British repertoire, recording concertos by Bax, Bliss, Britten, Delius, Finzi, Moeran and Walton, written for Piatigorsky, which he was privileged to record for the Chandos Walton Edition.
Raphael Wallfisch’s commanding interpretation of Elgar’s Cello Concerto
The Strad
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Raphael Wallfisch is absolutely splendid, playing very eloquently and persuasively
MusicWeb International
Since winning the Cassadó International Competition in Florence at the age of 24, Wallfisch has enjoyed a global career, much loved in his home country where he has forged close relationships with orchestras including the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Philharmonia, BBC Symphony, BBC Philharmonic, Hallé, BBC NOW, Royal Scottish National, BBC Scottish and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic; and respected around the world, working throughout Europe with the Leipzig Gewandhaus, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, WDR Symphony, RAI Torino, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Gulbenkian, Bergen Philharmonic, Gothenburg Symphony, Lahti Symphony and Budapest Festival orchestras, and further afield with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Sydney Symphony, New Zealand Symphony and Singapore Symphony.
Wallfisch is dedicated to expanding the cello repertoire, working closely with many of Britain’s leading composers, many of whom have written works especially for him, including Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Kenneth Leighton, Giles Swayne, Sir John Tavener and Sir James MacMillan, which he recorded with the BBC Scottish Symphony with Osmo Vänskä. He plays regularly at the Jewish Museum in Berlin and is currently focused on a series of recordings of Jewish refugee composers for CPO ‘Voices in the Wilderness’, including Dutch composer Henriëtte Bosmans and joined by the recording of a new work ‘In Exile’ by Jonathan Dove for cello, baritone and orchestra with Simon Keenlyside, the City of Birmingham Symphony and Gergely Madaras released in 2023 (Lyrita). Other recent project highlights include a collaboration with the Royal Ballet and Carlos Acosta at Covent Garden which they then took to the Barbican in multiple performances.
As a soloist and consummate chamber musician, Wallfisch has toured worldwide, performing at many of the world’s prestigious halls and festivals including the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Wiener Konzerthaus and Berliner Philharmonie, alongside regular festival appearances including Spoleto, Schleswig Holstein, Enescu and Pablo Casals, Adelaide and Perth festivals, as well as the BBC Proms, Aldeburgh and Edinburgh International festivals. His Trio Shaham Erez Wallfisch with Hagai Shaham (violin) and Arnon Erez (piano) has received critical acclaim, was invited for the Beethoven 2020 anniversary to perform the complete Beethoven trios at Wigmore Hall, where Wallfisch enjoys a long and fruitful relationship.
Raphael Wallfisch plays the 1733 Montagnana “Ex-Romberg” and the 1865 Vuillaume “Ex-Sheremetev”.
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Finzi
Elgar - with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Richard Dickins
SEW Trio Brahms
Schelomo - with BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Benjamin Wallfisch
