Russian Cello Zoe Knighton & Amir Farid

• Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 - 1943):
• 1 Vocalise, Op. 34 No 14 05:31
• Reinhold Glière (1875 - 1956):
• 2 12 Album Leaves 03:43
• Igor Stravinsky (1882 - 1971):
• 3 Chanson Russe (Russian Maiden's Song) 04:03
• Alexander Glazunov (1865 - 1936):
• 4 Chant du ménéstral, Op. 71 (Minstrel Song) 04:12
• 5 Elégie, Op. 17 07:08
• Alexander Gretchaninov (1864 - 1956):
• 6 Sonata for violoncello and piano, Op. 113 06:15
• 7 Sonata for violoncello and piano, Op. 113 08:43
• 8 Sonata for violoncello and piano, Op. 113 03:27
• Nikolay Sokolov (1859 - 1922):
• 9 Preludium, Op. 26: No. 1 10:19
• Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953):
• 10 Sonata for violoncello and piano, Op. 119 12:47
• 11 Sonata for violoncello and piano, Op. 119 05:47
• 12 Sonata for violoncello and piano, Op. 119 09:10
• Total Runtime 01:21:05

Info for Russian Cello

Enter the world of Russia. Zoe Knighton and Amir Farid present a mix of unknown works alongside much loved classics. The recording celebrates a romanticism in composition inspired by the combination of cello and piano.

A duo that relishes playing unknown works alongside much loved classics, Zoe Knighton and Amir Farid enter the world of Russia with the launch of their their fifth album on the MOVE label - Russian Cello.

Inspired by the combination of cello and piano, they perform works by Rachmaninov, Gretchaninoff, Prokofiev, Stravinksy and Glière in an album celebrating a romanticism in composition.

"This album is chockablock with luscious melody after luscious melody. These Russian composers really knew how to tear at heart strings and to make an audience sit up and listen" writes cellist Zoe Knighton "It has been a really rewarding album to record - we are particularly proud of unearthing the Gretchaninov sonata which is a real gem."

Reviewing the concert to launch the album on 20 April 2015, Joel Carnegie (The Age) said: "Endearing and earnest, the duo commenced the concert with the crowd pleasing Vocalise from Rachmaninoff – a performance that offered exquisite and at times surprising moments from the pair. Grechaninov's Sonata for cello and piano in E, Op.133 followed – with the contrasting and extended work allowing for jaunty dance-like sequences, floating cello lines, and vigorous melodic back and forths between cello and piano – requiring complete focus from Knighton and Farid.

"Glazunov's Elegy in G minor, Op. 44 continued the exploration of mood, with cellist and pianist presenting a collection of emotional states, in this sombre lament for a deceased person. Knighton's reflective and 'heart softening' cello lines in particular were particularly noteworthy.

"Stravinsky's Russian Maiden's Song from his comic one-act opera Mavra set Knighton and Farid the task of depicting a woman embroidering in her living room. Gliere's Album Leaf No. 5 offered the pair space to indulge the audience with some quiet contemplation, and Prokofiev's Sonata in C, Op. 119 rounded out an well-rounded evening of hallmark expat Russian fare."

“The great discovery (for me at least) was the cello sonata by Alexander Gretchaninov, his opus 113, a work completely unknown to me, but a knockout, and beautifully played by these two artists as well.” (Phillip Sametz, ABC Classic FM)

Zoë Knighton, cello
Amir Farid, piano

Zoe Knighton
is at the fore of a new generation of performer intent on forging an innovative path for the enjoyment of 'classical' music. She is a founding member of Flinders Quartet

In 2008, Zoe founded the Melbourne Chamber Feast, a biannual festival celebrating the wealth of chamber music talent in Melbourne and in 2009 was the Artistic Director of the Montsalvat 20 concert series. She is currently a board member of 3MBS FM and on the Musica Viva review panel.

A passionate pedagogue, Zoe and the Flinders Quartet are regular tutors for the Australian Youth Orchestra and the Mount Buller Chamber Music Summer School. Zoe coaches chamber music and cello studies at the Victorian College of the Arts and the University of Melbourne where in 2008, she was Acting Co-ordinator of Strings. She has been guest lecturer at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music and guest principal cellist with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Zoe plays with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and is a core member of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. The Flinders Quartet has toured internationally through Sweden, Canada and the UK and appears regularly at Australian festivals as well as its own celebrated subscription series.

With pianist Amir Farid, the duo made an impressive debut at the Melbourne Recital Centre to great critical acclaim. Their partnership continues with recordings for the ABC and concerts throughout Australia.

Amir Farid
Pianist Amir Farid has been described as "a highly creative musician - a pianist of great intelligence and integrity. He brings strong musical substance to all that he does, imbuing it with his own particular experience and understanding", and who "in a well populated field...distinguishes himself for all the right reasons". Winner of the 2006 Australian National Piano Award.

In 2004 Mr. Farid completed his B.Mus (Hon) at the University of Melbourne under the guidance of Ronald Farren-Price, and later attended the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) studying with Rita Reichman, the late Geoffrey Tozer and Timothy Young. In 2009, he graduated with distinction as a Scholar supported by the Gordon Calway Stone Memorial Award at the Royal College of Music London, studying with Andrew Ball.

He has performed concerti with the Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Melbourne Youth and ANAM Orchestras, including Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl with the Melbourne Symphony in front of a capacity 13,000 strong crowd. Collaborations with conductors include Graham Abbott, Peter Bandy, Alexander Briger, Oleg Caetani, Brett Dean, Marko Letonja and Benjamin Northey.

As a chamber musician, Mr. Farid is pianist of the acclaimed Benaud Trio (www.benaudtrio.com), winning the Piano Trio prize at the 2005 Australian Chamber Music Competition, and with whom he undertook a residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada.

As an associate artist, he was winner of the prize for best pianist at the 2006 Mietta Song Recital award, and the 2007 Geoffrey Parsons Award. Collaborations include cellists Alexander Baillie, Mats Lidstrom and Martin Loveday, saxophonist Claude Delangle, clarinetist Dong Jun-Mo, contralto Liane Keegan, pianist Max Olding, soprano Merlyn Quaife, the Tin Alley String Quartet and mezzo-soprano Pamela Turner.

Throughout his studies, Mr. Farid has participated in lessons and masterclasses with Michele Campanella, Aquiles Delle Vigne, Nikolai Demidenko, Christopher Elton, Gordon Fergus-Thompson, Cord Garben, Mark Gasser, Angela Hewitt, Ian Holtham, Leslie Howard, Julian Jacobson, Geoffrey Lancaster, Stephen McIntyre, Malcolm Martineau, Dominique Merlet, Hamish Milne, Lisa Moore, Ian Munro, Ruth Nye, Adrian Oetiker, Max Olding, Bart van Oort, Christina Ortiz, John Perry, Geoffrey Saba, Natasha Vlassenko, Frank Wibaut, Gerard Willems, Oxana Yablonskaya and John York.

Mr. Farid would like to acknowledge the support and generosity of the following organizations and individuals: Mr. Neville Arthur, the Australia Business Arts Foundation, the Australian Music Foundation, the Australian National Academy of Music, Mr. John Garran, Mrs. Lois Goodin, Mrs. Heather de Haes, the Ian Potter Cultural Trust, the Royal College of Music, The Swiss Global Artistic Foundation, the Tait Memorial Foundation, the Turnbull Family and the University of Melbourne.

Booklet for Russian Cello