Trace Johnson: Works for Cello

“Trace Johnson is the rare example of a cerebral cellist. On WORKS FOR CELLO, the Wisconsinite pursues his advocacy for contemporary composition, presenting a meticulously-equilibrated mix of old and new. The curation is precise, razor-sharp even, just like Johnson’s playing. The past is featured in the form of compositions by Samuel Barber (American) and Erwin Schulhoff (Czech); the present with works of Melinda Wagner, Jonathan Harvey and Laura Schwendinger (American) and Guillaume Connesson (French). Johnson gives an impeccable, seamless performance, expertly matching the cohesiveness of his finely-tuned program with great intellectual rigor.”