The Utrecht based record label TRPTK – well known for its high quality releases – announces that the CD release ‘Canto Interno’ will take place on June 18, 2021. Great news for lovers of classical music!
‘Double bassist Luis Cabrera (Spain, 1985) plays with many well-known European orchestras and has been with the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra since 2006. He studied in Madrid and in London at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with Rinat Ibragimov (1960-2020), a teacher who has had a great influence on him.
It is to him that Cabrera dedicates his debut ‘Canto Interno’, another special release by the adventurous Dutch TRPTK label’, we read in the press release distributed by the label. To continue: ‘In composing his album, Cabrera was guided by the music he has admired since his youth, regardless of whether it was originally written for double bass or not. He is accompanied by pianist Justyna Maj and violinist Sylvia Huang. Almost naturally, his production starts with two pieces by virtuoso Giovanni Bottesini (1821-1889). Romantic music that seems made for the caressing, almost creamy, sound that Cabrera manages to elicit from his instrument’.
Serge Koussevitzky
The legendary Serge Koussevitzky (1874-1951), who enjoyed a dual career as a conductor and double bassist, is represented with a four-piece elegant composition. Playful pieces in which Cabrera can let his double bass sing full-bloodedly. Never does his playing become too heavy, according to TRPTK, “and even in the most complex passages he manages to generate a beautiful open sound. The flexibility of the imposing instrument seems boundless in his hands’. Of particular note is the choice of the ‘Fantasiestücke, Op. 73′ by Robert Schumann (1810-1856), originally written for clarinet and violin. The composer once indicated that the works could also be performed on viola and cello, but Cabrera succeeds in convincingly translating the music to the double bass. A feat that commands admiration,’ says TRPTK.
Sonata for piano and violin
Also worth mentioning, according to the TRPTK: ‘A highlight is the arrangement of the famous ‘Sonata for piano and violin’ by César Franck (1822-1890), a real tour de force. Cabrera goes to the extreme of his abilities, with an unprecedented flexibility for his instrument. The remarkable thing is that the double bass player knows how to combine charm and depth. Canto Interno’ is for him not only a debut, but also “an incredibly beautiful journey with a wealth of experiences, ultimately the album is a portrait of myself”.