Hidden Legacies

In the shadow of history, the works of Mieczysław Weinberg and Erich Wolfgang Korngold are moving testimonies to the resilience of the human spirit. Both composers, marked by the turbulent currents of the 20th century, experienced the cruel reality of persecution firsthand. Their music, full of deep emotion and compositional refinement, reflects not only the personal trials of the makers, but is also an enduring legacy of hope and beauty amid despair. Motivated by her passion for important projects, cellist Kristina Reiko Cooper brought the New York premiere of Mieczysław Weinberg's Fantasy for Cello and Orchestra op. 52 and Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Cello Concerto in C major to life in 2025. Together with her longtime musical partner, conductor Constantine Orbelian, and the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra, she has now brought these two works and Weinberg's Cello Concerto together on this album. Three extraordinary compositions for cello and orchestra – created by two of the most important composers of the 20th century.