Johann Stiastny - Works for Two Violoncellos, Vol. 4 (Alexander Hülshoff; Martin Rummel)

Information

Composer: Johann Stiastny

• Six Pièces Faciles pour le Violoncelle avec accompagnement de Basse, Op. 5
• Six Solos pour Violoncelle avec accompaniment d'un 2d Violoncelle, Op. 11

Alexander Hülshoff & Martin Rummel, cellos

Date: 2026

Label: paladino music

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Despite sparse and contradictory historical sources regarding Czech cellist and composer Johann Stiastny (c.1764–c.1830), cellists Alexander Hülshoff and Martin Rummel conclude their comprehensive recording project dedicated to his duo repertoire. Stiastny—born František Jan Šťastný into a musical Prague family—composed works primarily centered on the cello. This final release showcases his Op. 5 arranged for two cellos alongside a selected duo from the Op. 11 Six Solos. By systematically recording these historically elusive works, Hülshoff and Rummel successfully preserve Stiastny's chamber compositions and make his refined cello duos accessible to contemporary classical music audiences.

Raised in Germany’s Palatinate region, cellist Alexander Hülshoff is an internationally acclaimed soloist and chamber musician renowned for his warm, expressive tone and nuanced technique. Trained at the Musikhochschule Karlsruhe and the University of Southern California under Lynn Harrell, he regularly collaborates with major global orchestras and prestigious chamber partners at iconic venues like the Berlin Philharmonie and Wigmore Hall. A professor of violoncello at the Folkwang University of the Arts since 1997, Hülshoff also serves as Artistic Director of the Orchesterzentrum | NRW, Villa Musica, and the Kloster Kamp Chamber Music Festival, while maintaining a diverse, multi-label discography.

Austrian cellist Martin Rummel is a multifaceted musician, academic, and cultural manager known for focusing on artistic content over tradition. A student of the legendary William Pleeth, Rummel has recorded nearly 70 albums that highlight both standard repertoire and hidden gems. As an educator, he edited Bärenreiter’s definitive cello étude series and held leadership roles at the University of Auckland. Since 2021, he has served as President of the Anton Bruckner Private University, alongside leading the Austrian Private Universities Conference. Through international performances, sheet music editions, and administrative roles, Rummel champions music education and a modernized approach to classical performance.