Investigation of the historically informed performance movement with regard to its influence on violoncello playing since 1981 is approached in this critical commentary through the analysis of three different interpretations of Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C major. These interpretations are recordings by prominent cellists who have influenced or been influenced by the rise in popularity of the historically informed performance movement, namely Anner Bylsma, Pieter Wispelwey and Yo-Yo Ma. The critical commentary includes a brief summary of the musical careers of each individual and reports on the publicity surrounding them in an attempt to discover each performer’s views on the importance of historical performance practice and the extent to which these views are reflected in their performances. In order to establish what constitutes a historically informed interpretation of Haydn’s Cello Concerto, this document provides a brief background to the historical performance movement and also to the work itself. In the critical commentary, this work is analysed in relation to six specific aspects of historically informed interpretation: instrumentation, pitch, vibrato, tempo, ornamentation and cadential improvisation. By examining and comparing these aspects in the aforementioned twentieth-century recordings, this critical commentary concludes in support of Taruskin’s (1984) position on the now fashionable debate of historical performance practice. Namely, that the historical performance movement has been influenced as much by modern taste and aesthetics as by the attempt to create historically ‘accurate’ music.

Investigation of the historically informed performance movement with regard to its influence on violoncello playing since 1981 is approached in this critical commentary through the analysis of three different interpretations of Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C major. These interpretations are recordings by prominent cellists who have influenced or been influenced by the rise in popularity of the historically informed performance movement, namely Anner Bylsma, Pieter Wispelwey and Yo-Yo Ma. The critical commentary includes a brief summary of the musical careers of each individual and reports on the publicity surrounding them in an attempt to discover each performer’s views on the importance of historical performance practice and the extent to which these views are reflected in their performances. In order to establish what constitutes a historically informed interpretation of Haydn’s Cello Concerto, this document provides a brief background to the historical performance movement and also to the work itself. In the critical commentary, this work is analysed in relation to six specific aspects of historically informed interpretation: instrumentation, pitch, vibrato, tempo, ornamentation and cadential improvisation. By examining and comparing these aspects in the aforementioned twentieth-century recordings, this critical commentary concludes in support of Taruskin’s (1984) position on the now fashionable debate of historical performance practice. Namely, that the historical performance movement has been influenced as much by modern taste and aesthetics as by the attempt to create historically ‘accurate’ music.

Investigation of the historically informed performance movement with regard to its influence on violoncello playing since 1981 is approached in this critical commentary through the analysis of three different interpretations of Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C major. These interpretations are recordings by prominent cellists who have influenced or been influenced by the rise in popularity of the historically informed performance movement, namely Anner Bylsma, Pieter Wispelwey and Yo-Yo Ma. The critical commentary includes a brief summary of the musical careers of each individual and reports on the publicity surrounding them in an attempt to discover each performer’s views on the importance of historical performance practice and the extent to which these views are reflected in their performances. In order to establish what constitutes a historically informed interpretation of Haydn’s Cello Concerto, this document provides a brief background to the historical performance movement and also to the work itself. In the critical commentary, this work is analysed in relation to six specific aspects of historically informed interpretation: instrumentation, pitch, vibrato, tempo, ornamentation and cadential improvisation. By examining and comparing these aspects in the aforementioned twentieth-century recordings, this critical commentary concludes in support of Taruskin’s (1984) position on the now fashionable debate of historical performance practice. Namely, that the historical performance movement has been influenced as much by modern taste and aesthetics as by the attempt to create historically ‘accurate’ music.