After 45 years of engagement with Britten's Cello Suites, Pieter Wispelwey releases a new recording of Benjamin Britten's three solo works for cello on the Evil Penguin Records label to critical acclaim.
New York Times, October 2026
"In his third recording of the suites, the Dutch cellist Pieter Wispelwey captures these singular compositions in a way that's scrupulously attentive to detail but carries great expressive intensity. Key to his approach is the range of timbrel shadings he brings to the music. He's seemingly able to marshal an almost infinite variety of articulating Britten's melodies, harmonics, and pizzicato rhythms. At times Britten's music seems almost wholly consumed by shadows, especially in the Second Suite, which sounds even more austere than its companions. Wispelwey plays these stretches with a somber, almost confessional feel that quietly underlines the deep emotion of these magnificent works"
BBC Music Magazine, October 2026 *****
"This latest version from Wispelwey feels very much like a masterful resume of ideas culled over 45 years playing these suites […] Wispelwey is the captivating storyteller who knows the twists of the plot – knows the sadness, knows the levity. Just knows.”
Gramophone Magazine, October 2026: Editor’s Choice
"a fascinating journey, which this cellist's admirers will enjoy following.“
Süddeutsche Zeitung, 9 September 2026
"Overall, a recording of these haunting solo cello monologues that is gripping and sets new standards in every respect – truly "grand repertoire," as Pieter Wispelwey puts it.“
Pizzicato Magazine, 5 September 2026
"With a light touch and a sure instinct, Wispelwey succeeds in bringing out the characteristics of the works. (…) Above all, Wispelwey delivers an interpretation that has grown from within, evoking moods that seem almost improvisational.“
Magazin O-Ton, 1 September 2026
“An important tribute to an important composer of the 20th century!” (Michael S. Zerban, from 05:34)
“The Dutch cellist makes this complexity perceptible without sacrificing the naturalness of the discourse. Every change of register, every silence, and every melodic inflection acquires meaning within the overall conception of the work.”
Musik AUDIO+stereoplay, Andreas Fritz
"Cellist Pieter Wispelwey, who is now presenting his second complete recording of these pieces, shines in the suites with his nuanced playing and expressive tone. He interprets the demanding music eloquently and in a way that is always accessible. The sound, in turn, impresses with its warmth and clarity.”
“The cellist achieves such an illusion of polyphony that one forgets one is listening to a single instrument. (…) After more than forty-five years of living with this repertoire, Pieter Wispelwey seems to know every corner of it. And yet he continues to discover something new.”
de Volkskrant, Guido van Oorschot
"Pieter Wispelwey has played Britten's three cello suites for almost half a century. Now, with this third recording, only one conclusion can be drawn: the music is in his soul."
