Cellist Lynn Harrell was born in New York City in 1944. Both of his parents were musicians. He studied cello with Leonard Rose at the Juilliard School of Music and with Orlando Cole at the Curtis Institute of Music, and attended the master classes of Gregor Piatigorsky in Dallas, Texas, and Pablo Casals in Marlboro, Vermont.
Harrell made his performing debut in a 1961 New York Philharmonic Young People's Concert. At the age of eighteen he became a member of the Cleveland Orchestra, later attaining the position of principal cellist. In 1975, Harrell and pianist Murray Perahia were joint recipients of the first Avery Fisher Prize.
Harrell began his teaching career in 1971, at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He was appointed to the faculty of the Juilliard School of Music in 1976, and in 1986 he was named the Gregor Piatigorsky Chair at the University of Southern California. Concurrently, he held the International Chair for Cello Studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he also served as principal from 1993 to 1995. For decades he has taught, performed, and conducted master classes at the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado and the Verbier Festival in Switzerland.
In addition to making extensive tours as a recitalist, Harrell is a frequent guest--performing under the direction of conductors such as James Levine, Zubin Mehta, Kurt Mazur, and others--of the world's major orchestras. In recent years he has enjoyed a partnership with violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and her husband, pianist André Previn.
Harrell's extensive discography of more than thirty recordings includes two Grammy Award-winning Angel/EMI recordings, which he made with violinist Itzhak Perlman and pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy. The first recording, from 1981, features Tchaikovsky's Trio in A Minor, op. 50; the second, from 1986, comprises the complete piano trios of Beethoven.
Discography
Lynn Harrell plays cello on all items.
1965
Vanguard VRS 1147
Alexander Schneider & Felix Galimar, violins; Michael Tree, viola; David Soyer, cello.
Boccherini, Luigi
Quintet for 2 Violins, Viola and 2 Violoncellos in E Major, Op. 13, No. 5, G. 275
Reissues: Vanguard SRV 291 SD (1969)
Bach Guild HM 43 SD (1973)
Vanguard Classics OVC 8006 (1991)
1971
Library of Congress Concert 1971-11-26.
LWO 6690.
LWO 6606 (edited for broadcast)
Phyllis Curtin, soprano; Stanley Ritchie, violin; David Glazer, clarinet; Ryan Edwards, piano.
Schubert, Franz
Totus in corde lanqueo, from "Erstes Offertorium," Op. 46
Meyerbeer, Giacomo
Hirtenlied
Spohr, Ludwig
Four German songs from "Sechs deutsche Lieder," Op. 103
Rorem, Ned
Ariel
Shostakovich, Dmitri
Seven romances for soprano, violin, violoncello, and piano, Op. 127
Kupferman, Meyer
The Conceptual Wheel
1973
Library of Congress Concert 1973-03-16.
LWO 7247
LWO 7121 (edited for broadcast).
Richard Goode, piano.
Janácek, Leos
Pohadka: A Tale
Hindemith, Paul
Sonata for Violoncello, Op. 25, No. 3
Beethoven, Ludwig van
Sonata for Piano in A-flat Major, Op. 110
Brahms, Johannes
Sonata for Cello and Piano in F Major, Op. 99
Debussey, Claude
Sonata No. 1 in D minor for Cello and Piano
1975
RCA Red Seal ARL1-1155
London Symphony Orchestra, James Levine, conductor.
Dvorák, Antonin
Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104
Reissue: RCA Red Seal 68086 (1995)
RCA Red Seal ARL1-1262
James Levine, piano.
Prokofiev, Sergei
Sonata for Violoncello and Piano in C Major, Op. 119
Debussey, Claude
Sonata for Violoncello and Piano in D minor
Webern, Anton von
Drei Kleine Stucke, Op. 11
1976
RCA Red Seal ARL1-1568
James Levine, piano.
Schubert, Franz
Sonata in A minor, D. 821, "Arpeggione"
Mendelssohn, Felix
Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 58
Reissue of Schubert: RCA Red Seal 55270 (2004)
1977
RCA Red Seal ARL2-2241 - "Beethoven: The Five Sonatas for Piano and Cello"
James Levine, piano
Beethoven, Ludwig van
Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 1 in F Major, Op. 5, No. 1
Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 2 in G minor, Op. 5, No. 2
Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69
Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102, No. 1
Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 5 in D Major, Op. 102, No. 2
1979
Columbia Masterworks 35152
Itzhak Perlman, violin; Pinchas Zuckerman, viola.
Beethoven, Ludwig van
String Trio in D Major, Op. 8
Dohnányi, Ernö
String Trio in C Major, Op. 10
RCA Red Seal ARL1-3376
James Levine, piano; Robert Mann, violin; Michael Ouzounian, viola.
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Quartet in G minor for Piano and Strings, K. 478
Deutsche Grammophon 2531 209
LaSalle Quartet.
Schubert, Franz
Quintet for 2 Violins, Viola, and 2 Violoncellos in C Major, D. 956
1980
London CS 7195
Cleveland Orchestra, Lorin Maazel, conductor.
Elgar, Edward
Cello Concerto, Op. 85
Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich
Variations on a Rococo Theme
Pezzo Capriccioso
Reissue of Elgar: Belart 450 021 (2002)
Angel S-37738
English Chamber Orchestra, Pinchas Zukerman, conductor.
Bach, Carl Philipp Emannuel
Concerto for Violoncello and String Orchestra in A Major, W. 172
Couperin, François
Pieces en concert: Gouts reunis (arr. Bazelaire)
CBS Masterworks 79406
Yvonne Minton, Sprechstimme; Pinchas Zukerman, violin and viola; Michel Debost, flute and piccolo; Antony Pay, clarinet and bass clarinet; Daniel Barenboim, piano.
Schoenberg, Arnold
Pierrot Lunaire, op. 21
Reissue: Sony Classical 48466 (1993)
1981
Angel S-37678
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano; Itzhak Perlman, violin.
Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich
Trio in A minor, Op. 50
Reissue: EMI Classics 47988 (1990)
Angel S-37756
Ray Still, oboe; Itzhak Perlman, violin; Pinchas Zukerman, viola.
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Quartet in F Major, K. 370
Stamitz, Carl
Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 8, No. 4
Bach, Johann Christian
Quartet in B-flat Major (arranged)
Wanhal, Johann Baptiste
Quartet in F Major, Op. 7, No. 1
CBS Masterworks 35894
Pinchas Zukerman, violin; New York Philharmonic; Zubin Mehta, conductor.
Brahms, Johannes
Concerto in A minor for Violin and Cello, Op. 102
Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80
Reissue of Concerto: CBS Masterworks 45828 (1991)
London CS 7208
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano.
Brahms, Johannes
Sonata for Cello and Piano in E minor, Op. 38
Sonata for Cello and Piano in F Major, Op. 99
Angel S-(unknown)
English Chamber Orchestra. Pinchas Zukerman, conductor.
Vivaldi, Antonio
Concerto for Cello in G Major, RV 413
Concerto for Cello in G minor, RV 417
Reissues: EMI Classics 69847 (1997)
EMI Classics 74734 in 92002)
1982
Angel S-37818
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano; Itzhak Perlman, violin.
Beethoven, Ludwig van
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 6 in B-flat Major, Op. 97, "Archduke"
Trio for Piano and Strings in B-flat Major, WoO 39
Reissue: EMI Classics 47010 (1990)
1983
London LDR 71104
Kiri Te Kanawa, soprano; English Chamber Orchestra (7 cellos plus Harrell), Jeffrey Tate, conductor.
Villa Loboa, Hector
Bachianas Brasileiras, No. 5
Reissue: London/Decca 444 995 (1995)
London 410 019
Cleveland Orchestra, Neville Marriner, conductor.
Schumann, Robert
Cello Concerto, Op. 129
Saint-Saens
Cello Concerto No. 1, Op. 33
Reissue of Schumann: Decca 467 455 (????)
Complete Reissue: Decca 448 712 (1996)
London LDR 71108
Philharmonia Orchesta Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor.
Dvorák, Antonin
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104
Bruch, Max
Kol Nidre for violoncello and orchestra: Adagio
Co-issue: London 410 144 (1983)
Angel S-37843
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Neville Marriner, conductor.
Haydn, Franz Joseph
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in C Major, Hob. VIIb: 1
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in D Major, Hob. VIIb: 2
Reissues: EMI 64326 (1992)
EMI Classic 74734 (2002)
1984
London 417 387
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Riccardo Chailly, conductor.
Lalo, Edouard
Cello Concerto in D minor
Saint-Saëns, Camille
Cello Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 199
Fauré, Gabriel
Elegie, Op. 24
Reissue of Lalo: Decca 448 712 (1996)
1985
Electra/Nonesuch 79118 - "Joan Tower: Meet the Composer"
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin, conductor.
Tower, Joan
Music for Cello and Orchestra
Reissues: Meet the Composer 79245 (1990)
First Edition 25 (2004)
London 414 163 - "Bach: Suites for Unaccompanied Cello"
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007
Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008
Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009
Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major, BWV 1010
Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011
Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012
Reissue: Decca 466 253 (2002)
1986
Angel DDC-3921 - "Beethoven: The Complete Piano Trios"
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano; Itzhak Perlman, violin.
Beethoven, Ludwig van
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 1, No. 1
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 2 in G Major, Op. 1, No. 2
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 3 in C minor, Op. 1, No. 3
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 8 in B-flat Major, WoO 39
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 11 in G Major, Op. 121a, "Kakadu Variations"
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 11
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 5 in D minor, Op. 70, No. 1, "Ghost"
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 10 in E-flat Major, Op. 44, "Variations on an Original Theme"
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 6 in E-flat Major, Op. 70, No. 2
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 12 in E-flat Major, Hess 48
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 97, "Archduke"
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 11 in E-flat Major, WoO 38
Reissue: EMI Classics 85493 and 85496 (2004)
Reissue of Trios 5, 7 and 9: EMI Classics 62588 (2004)
London 414 162
Concertgebouw Orchestra, Bernard Haitnik, conductor.
Shostakovich, Dmitri
Concerto No. 1 for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 107
Bloch, Ernest
Schelomo: Hebraic Rhapsody for Violoncello and Orchestra
London 414 340 - "Rachmaninov : Complete Works for Cello and Piano"
Vladimir Ashkenzy, piano.
Rachmaninov, Sergei
Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 19
Prelude Op. 2, No. 1 "Oriental Dance"
Romance
Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14
Altschuler, Modest
Melody on a Theme by Rachmaninov
Reissue of Sonata: Decca 473 807 (2003)
London 417 184
Robert Vernon, viola; Cleveland Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor.
Strauss, Richard
Don Quixote, Op. 35
Salome's Dance from Op. 54: Dance of the Seven Veils
1988
London 417 672
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Neville Marriner, conductor.
Herbert, Victor
Cello Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 8
Cello Concerto No. 2 in E minor, Op. 30
Five Pieces for Cello and Strings
1990
London 425 478
Concertgebauw Chamber Orchestra, Lynn Harrell, violoncello and director.
Bach, Carl Philipp Emmanuel
Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra in A Major
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Adagio in E Major, K. 261 (arranged)
Gluck, Christoph Willibald
Melody in B minor (arranged)
Danzi, Franz
Variations on a Theme from Mozart's Don Giovanni
Haydn, Franz Joseph
Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra in D Major
London 425 611 - "Andante Cantabile"
Bruno Canino, piano.
Fauré, Gabriel
Apres un reve (arr. Milton Katims)
Sicilienne, Op. 78
Paradis, Maria-Theresia
Sicilienne (arr. for violin by S. Dushkin ; trans. for cello by Lynn Harrell)
Debussy, Claude
Beau soir (trans. Gretchaninoff)
Ravel, Maurice
Piece en forme de habanera
Duparc, Henri
Phidylâe
Saint-Saëns, Camille
The swan : from Carnival of the animals (ed. L. Rose)
DeFalla, Manuel
Nana : berceuse : from "Suite populaire espagnole"
Glazunov, Alexander
Spanish serenade, Op. 70
Granados, Enrique
Intermezzo from Goyescas
Schubert, Franz
Moment musical, Op. 94 No. 3 (arr. Leo Schulz)
An die Musik, D547
Nacht und Trèaume, Op. 43 No. 2
Schumann, Robert
Traumerei : from Kinderszenen
Reissue of 11 tracks: Decca 000233402 (2004)
1992
New World 80415
Saint Louis Symphony, Leonard Slatkin, conductor.
Erb, Donald
Concerto for Brass and Orchestra
Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra
Ritual Observances
1993
Albany TROY 092 - "Donald Erb: Chamber Music"
Erb, Donald
Aura II (only work with Harrell)
1994
Justice JR 1801 - "The Papal Concert to Commemorate the Holocaust"
Richard Dreyfuss, narrator; The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Gilbert Levine, conductor; His Holiness Pope John Paul II
Bruch, Max
Kol nidrei
Beethoven, Ludwig van
Symphony No. 9 in D minor, 3rd movement
Schubert, Franz
Psalm 92
Bernstein, Leonard
Symphony No. 3, "Kaddish"
Chichester psalms. 2nd movement, 3rd movement
Closing remarks by His Holiness Pope John Paul II.
EMI Classics 54725
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano; Itzhak Perlman, violin.
Brahms, Johannes
Piano Trio No. 1 in B Major, Op. 8
Piano Trio No. 2 in C Major, Op. 87
Piano Trio No. 3 in C minor, Op. 101
Piano Trio No. 4 in A Major (spurious?), Anh. 4/5
1995
London 444 318
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano; Itzhak Perlman, violin.
Ravel, Maurice
Piano Trio in A minor
Debussy, Claude
Sonata for Violin and Piano
Sonata for Cello and Piano
1997
EMI Classics 56163 - "Bella Italia"
Nadja Selerno-Sonnerberg, violin; Beny Kim, violin; Masao Kawasaki, viola; Ryo Sasaki, viola; Mats Lindstrom, cello.
Wolf, Hugo
Italian Serenade
Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich
Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70
Lindstrom, Mats
Carnival of Venice: Variations on a Very Famous Theme
Paganini, Niccolo
Moto Perpetuo (arr. David Rime)
Reissue of Paganini and Tchaikovsky (2nd movement): EMI Classics 56908 (1999)
EMI Classics 56440
Stephen Kovacevik, piano.
Brahms, Johannes
Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor, Op. 38
Cello Sonata No. 2 in F Major, Op. 99
Variations and fugue on a theme by Handel, Op. 24
Decca 455 685
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano; Pinchas Zukerman, violin.
Schubert, Franz
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 99 / D 898
Trio for Piano and Strings No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op. 100 / D 929
2000
Telarc 80518
Robert McDuffie, violin; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Yoel Levi, conductor.
Rózsa, Miklós
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 24
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra
Theme and Variations for, Violin, Cello and Orchestra, Op. 29a
EMI Classics 56963
Nigel Kennedy, violin.
Ravel, Maurice
Sonata for Violin and Cello
Kodály, Zoltán
Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7
Bach, Johann Sebastian
Two-Part Invention No. 6 in E Major, BWV 777
Halvorsen, Johan
Passacaglia and Sarabande with Variations in G minor after Handel
2001
London/Decca 466 733 - "Beethoven: Complete Cello Sonatas"
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano.
Beethoven, Ludwig van
Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 1 in F Major, Op. 5, No. 1
Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 2 in G minor, Op. 5, No. 2
Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69
Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102, No. 1
Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 5 in D Major, Op. 102, No. 2
Recorded in 1984 but no earlier issue can be traced.
2003
Classico 1403
David Greenlees, viola; Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Gerard Schwarz, conductor.
Strauss, Richard
Don Quixote, Op. 35
Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich
Variations for Cello and Orchestra on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33
Decca 473 807
Vladimir Ashkenazy, piano; Fitzwilliam String Quartet.
Rachmaninov. Sergei
Sonata for Cello and Piano in G minor, Op. 19
Five Pieces for Cello and Piano
Prokofiev, Sergei
Sonata for Cello and Piano in C Major, Op. 119
Shostakovich, Dmitri
Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor, Op. 40
Moderato for Cello and Piano in A minor
Two Pieces for String Quartet
Quintet for Piano and Strings in G minor, Op. 57
Decca 473 259
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor.
Prokofiev, Sergei
Concerto for Cello in E minor, Op. 58
Symphony-Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in E minor, Op. 125
2005
Deutsche Grammophon 000449602
Ilya Gringolts, violin; Nobuko Imai, viola; Vadim Repin, violin; Mikhail Pletnev, piano.
Taneyev, Sergei
Quintet for Piano and Strings in G minor, Op. 30
Trio for Piano and Strings in D Major, Op. 22
DISCLAIMER:
This discography was assembled using available catalog records, internet resources, discographies, and other works. Especially included are the performers' Library of Congress concert appearances, the recordings of which reside in the Library of Congress's Recorded Sound collections. Excluded are the numerous promotional and special market reissues of excerpts of complete recordings.
Although every attempt has been made to be comprehensive, some recordings may have inadvertently been missed. Please send any additions and corrections to https://www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/ask-perform.html.
While many of the recordings listed here are in the collections of the Library of Congress, not all are. If you have a question about specific recordings, please contact the Recorded Sound Reference Center at 202-707-7833. All recordings listed are protected by applicable Federal and State laws. The Library of Congress cannot provide copies of any of these recordings without proper permission from the copyright holder(s).