The Swan Hauser & London Symphony Orchestra

• Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921): The Swan:
• 1 Saint-Saëns: The Swan 03:21
• Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924): Après un rêve:
• 2 Fauré: Après un rêve 04:05
• Pavane:
• 3 Fauré: Pavane 02:29
• Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924): O mio babbino caro:
• 4 Puccini: O mio babbino caro 02:37
• Edward Elgar (1857 - 1934): Salut d'Amour:
• 5 Elgar: Salut d'Amour 03:15
• Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897): Hungarian Dance No. 5:
• 6 Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 5 02:28
• Rolf Løvland (b. 1955): You Raise Me Up:
• 7 Løvland: You Raise Me Up 03:56
• Total Runtime 22:11

Info for The Swan

International cello sensation HAUSER adds a grace note to his global hits Classic and Classic II, with the release of The Swan(Sony Classical), a new “musical love letter” to his instrument. The new musical collection features seven beautiful classical melodies transformed by the HAUSER’s deeply felt signature style and virtuosity, once again with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Robert Ziegler.

“The Swan” – a gentle, rapturous melody from Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Carnival of the Animals – is an obvious choice for HAUSER. The piece has a profound, personal meaning to him.

“I was just a few years old when I heard a cello on the radio for the first time, playing Saint-Saëns’ ‘The Swan’,” HAUSER recalls. “I just fell in love with the sound when I heard it. It was like… I can’t describe it. It’s not usual for a child to know what he wants at an early age. But that was the sound. I remember thinking, ‘That’s it.’”

The Swan also includes all-new arrangements of two favorites by the French composer Gabriel Fauré – “Après un rêve” (After a Dream) and the lightly dancing “Pavane”; perhaps Puccini’s most beloved aria, “O mio babbino caro” from the opera Gianni Schicchi, popularized on the soundtrack the classic film A Room with a View; a worldwide hit from over a century ago, Sir Edward Elgar’s charming “Salut d’amour” (Love’s Greeting); and the robust, instantly recognizable zest of Johannes Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 5.

HAUSER tops off this musical bouquet with a new take on the soaring pop anthem “You Raise Me Up,” best known in Josh Groban’s chart-topping recording.

Though Saint-Saëns’ “The Swan” was written for the cello, the other selections on The Swan were written for voice, various other instruments or the orchestra. Like the selections on Classic and Classic II, they reflect HAUSER’s passion for taking the most expressive and unforgettable melodies, and adapting them to showcase the warm, singing tone of the cello.

HAUSER, cello
London Symphony Orchestra
Robert Ziegler, conductor

Stjepan Hauser
Since that fateful moment when he decided to create a new, musical experience out of the long and established traditions of classical, pop and rock music, HAUSER has been playing arena concerts all over the world and, defying the conventions of the established music business. His iconic rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” the vehicle that launched him as an internet sensation and established him as the founding member of the duo 2Cellos, has not only captured the hearts and minds of millions but, more importantly, has cemented HAUSER as one of the world’s most important twenty-first century instrumentalists.

HAUSER’S performance style may only be described as electric; a unique pairing of cello pyrotechnics that align beauty, elegance and true rock muscle.

Fueled by a repertoire base that is as wide and expansive as Lady Gaga is from Tchaikovsky or Shakira is from Shostakovich, HAUSER is the dynamic cellist performing it all and taking the world by storm – for what other classically trained cellist can say they have toured with Elton John?

HAUSER is a study in contrasts; equally at home and comfortable with classical music as he is with pop music and, in possession of an uncommon and near encyclopedic knowledge of both. As part of the quintessential 2Cellos, HAUSER has toured the world – from the Royal Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House to New York’s Madison Square Garden selling more than one million tickets to their live shows. During the Christmas 2021 season, he had the great honor of performing and appearing in front of Pope Francis but he has also given performances to several American Presidents, Prince Charles as well as Queen Elizabeth. His virtuosic and soulful playing style has been recognized with no fewer than 21 first prizes amongst the world’s most prestigious national and international music competitions. Strikingly, it is also said that HAUSER’S greatest talent is his singular ability to communicate contrasting styles and emotional themes; the essences of love, romance and sensuality and even a rocking, dance style all, through the body of his cello.

HAUSER’s innate, musical flexibility has led to a wide range of collaborations with many artistic legends including U2, Elton John, Andrea Bocelli, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, George Michael, and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler. Still, it is his personal, visually stunning YouTube series, “Alone Together,” launched during the 2020 pandemic featuring musical portraits of his home country, Croatia, that stunned audiences with its sheer beauty and helped him reach the #1 spot on the Billboard chart with his very first solo album, “HAUSER – CLASSIC.”

Adored around the world for his genre-defying repertoire and jaw-dropping live shows, HAUSER has made a name for himself with his signature cello artistry. A frequent guest on television’s top-rated morning and evening programs worldwide, HAUSER has appeared on The Bachelorette, Today Show, Good Morning America, Ellen, NFL, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and UEFA Champions League where HAUSER/2Cellos performed at the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final. Likewise, he has been featured in People Magazine’s annual “Sexiest Men Alive” issue and appeared with Lang Lang on CCTV for their New Year’s Eve Gala. Notably, 2Cellos, was also the first instrumental act to ever perform on GLEE as a special guest during the Michael Jackson tribute episode. It landed the 2CELLOS’ self-titled debut album in the Billboard Top 100 and “Smooth Criminal,” a #10 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Digital Songs Chart.

The success of HAUSER himself extends far beyond his many, many millions of social media followers with a devoted, international fan base that continues to grow. With more than a billion audio streams across the globe and more than 4 billion views, the Croatian cellist is a phenomenon that is one part virtuoso and the other that of sheer, animal magnetism. The multi-faceted artist has recently launched a line of premium luxury wines, aptly called HAUSER Wines, available internationally, and produced in the Mád village of Tokaj, a region by virtue of the wines, deemed a historic area considered the Wines of Kings.

For HAUSER’s fans, perhaps it is simply his ability to unify generations of music lovers. HAUSER’s passion for music extends beyond his cello through his work as a philanthropist. He has created the HAUSER Music Foundation with the goal of helping young talented musicians around the world overcome barriers in order to reach their full potential. HAUSER’s Music Foundation is building supportive educative infrastructures, developing lifetime partnerships within communities, and providing fundamental assistance to underprivileged regions where governmental programs are non-existent.

HAUSER. He is a rockstar with a cello…and this is only the beginning.

This album contains no booklet.