Christian Poltéra in an interview

"Chamber music has always been central to me."

Christian Poltéra, born in Zurich in 1977, has established himself internationally as a cellist. He performs both as a soloist and as a chamber musician. His discography does not yet include the ubiquitous cello concertos, but rather interesting compositions from the 20th century.

How would you characterize your cello playing?
I lack the necessary distance and objectivity to describe my own playing.

You studied for a long time with Heinrich Schiff, who also greatly encouraged you. What was his experience as a teacher like?
After lessons with my first teacher, Nancy Chumachenco, and a brief period of study with the much too early deceased Boris Pergamenschikow in Cologne, my studies with Heinrich Schiff in Salzburg and Vienna were decisively formative. Hardly any other cellist of his stature has ever invested so much time, energy, and patience in generations of students.

Do you also teach yourself?
Yes, since autumn 2011 I have been teaching a small number of students at the Lucerne University of Music.

Most soloists launch their careers by winning major competitions. With you, it seems to be quite different. Did you consciously choose a different path?
To be able to make music with inspiration, I need to feel comfortable, to be able to concentrate on the music. I never experienced that feeling in a competitive setting. I'm grateful that I've never had to rely on competitions.

Why did you choose the Swedish company BIS for your CD recordings?
These days, record labels that don't primarily focus on quick commercial success, but instead plan for the long term and patiently develop an artist, have become rare. With BIS, I can discuss musical content, and the recordings are produced with the utmost care and high quality standards.

So far, you've mainly recorded pieces from the 20th century. Does this music particularly fascinate you?
A great deal of exciting repertoire for the cello was created in the 20th century. Mstislav Rostropovich alone commissioned and premiered over 100 cello concertos! In addition, there are important works by composers such as Martin, Martinů, and Hindemith, which have generally been recorded relatively infrequently. As a very young cellist, filling such gaps seemed more sensible and enjoyable to me than starting with Haydn or Dvořák right away.

Will you also be recording the well-known and most frequently performed cello concertos, or will you remain true to your approach of recording less frequently recorded works?
It looks like a mix is ​​likely in the future.

You formed a string trio with Frank Peter Zimmermann and Antoine Tamestit. How did this group come about?
After an initial collaboration on Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, Frank Peter was so impressed by Antoine that he finally wanted to realize his long-held dream of a permanent string trio. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have become the third member! The intensive work periods, concert tours, and CD recordings have become absolute highlights for the three of us, both musically and personally.

You emphasize that chamber music is very important to you alongside your solo work. Could you imagine sacrificing your solo career for a permanent string quartet or piano trio in order to dedicate yourself fully to chamber music?
Chamber music has always been central to me. At the same time, however, I don't want to miss out on the sometimes exciting experiences as a soloist with a large orchestra. I enjoy the contrast between these roles.

Interview by Florian Schär | Classicpoint.ch | March 1, 2012
Photo: Marco Borggreve

Next concerts

May 2nd, 2027 - Wettinger Chamber Concerts