Friedrich Kleinhapl, Vogtland Philharmonie & Simon Edelmann
Biography Friedrich Kleinhapl, Vogtland Philharmonie & Simon Edelmann
Friedrich Kleinhapl
is a celebrated Austrian-Belgian cellist, considered by both audiences and the international music press to be one of the best in the world. With his precise, innovative style, he captivates audiences in an unprecedented way and enchants them with unique sounds.
"Playing the cello is like breathing for me – simply essential. The instrument resonates within me – through its expressiveness, its warmth and richness of tone, its closeness to the human voice – it goes straight to my heart. And when you play music that speaks to you and to which you yourself have something to say – then you naturally become a storyteller."
When music and language begin to merge in this way, with one continuing where the other reaches its limits, the search for ever more tonal colors and expressive possibilities allows one to take steps beyond everything learned and heard—in extreme cases, as happened to me in Paris, leading to the development of a completely personal cello technique and, over years, my own personal cello setup, combined with strings and bows specially designed for me.
When studying a work or developing a new program, tensions inevitably arise that seek to surface in the music. It's as if I'm being drawn into the composer's inner life. This engagement with the composer's personality and biography involuntarily gives rise to captivating new perspectives and approaches to interpretation.
It was a natural step to share this captivating content with our audience: whether through storytelling on stage, in the form of dialogues we write and which are read by actors, or through tango dance interludes. The success shows that these approaches enthrall audiences – regardless of whether they are already familiar with classical music or are just beginning to explore it.
During my studies, I saw a film about Mario del Monaco. I was fascinated: his singing seemed so lifelike, as if he weren't on a stage but right in the middle of life. Not mere beautiful singing, but pure expression. All the means of expression were entirely in service of the narrative.
That day changed my life, my expectations of my playing. It led to the development of my own personal cello technique in Paris: a special chair with a backrest, the cello much flatter, and the bow arm almost fully extended – a completely different posture that offers me much more freedom of expression.
