PROGRAM NOTE
When Matt Haimovitz approached me about composing a solo cello work for his “Primavera” project, I instantly accepted his invitation, first because I was familiar with Matt’s superlative artistry but also because this meant another opportunity to explore what, to my mind, is the unique power of expression inherent in the cello. It truly is an instrument that “speaks” — grandly, nobly, beautifully. I also relished the idea of engaging with the two Primavera paintings Matt had chosen for his project: Sandro Botticelli’s iconic Primavera (c. 1480) and Charline von Heyl’s Primavera 2020.
While my Echoes of Spring is in no way descriptive of these paintings, their images did serve as points of inspiration for me, however subliminally and instinctually. Enigma, allegory, motion, dance, renewal — these associations, and more, came to mind as I kept gazing at the two images, especially in the formative phase of composing my work.
My composition is divided into three quasi-movements, of which the second and third are played without break. They are:
I. Spring, immutable
II. Primavera con Movimento
III. Awakening
—Shulamit Ran
Please note: Cellist Matt Haimovitz has performance exclusivity of Echoes of Spring through June 2027. The work is unpublished until further notice.
INFORMATION
Commissioned by
Matt Haimovitz for the PRIMAVERA project
First performance:
March 30, 2025
Bach Festival,
Stade, Germany
Matt Haimovitz, cello
Duration: c. 7’