The Estonian Cello Valle-Rasmus Roots & Sten Lassmann

• Heino Eller (1887 - 1970): Old Dance in G Major:
• 1Eller: Old Dance in G Major03:37
• Prelude in G Minor:
• 2Eller: Prelude in G Minor04:10
• Poem in A-Flat Major:
• 3Eller: Poem in A-Flat Major04:40
• Evening Song in G Major:
• 4Eller: Evening Song in G Major02:25
• Romance in G Major:
• 5Eller: Romance in G Major03:55
• Andante serioso in D Minor:
• 6Eller: Andante serioso in D Minor04:10
• Prelude in E Minor:
• 7Eller: Prelude in E Minor02:10
• Ballade in E Minor:
• 8Eller: Ballade in E Minor08:08
• Eduard Oja (1905 - 1950): Trilogy of Time for cello and piano:
• 9Oja: Trilogy of Time for cello and piano: I. Life01:55
• 10Oja: Trilogy of Time for cello and piano: II. Eternity02:21
• 11Oja: Trilogy of Time for cello and piano: III. The Present Day01:17
• Villem Reimann (1906 - 1992): Lullaby:
• 12Reimann: Lullaby04:07
• Hermann Känd (1905 - 1952): Poème d'amour:
• 13Känd: Poème d'amour01:54
• Ballade:
• 14Känd: Ballade05:11
• Eduard Tubin (1905 - 1982): Cello Concerto:
• 15Tubin: Cello Concerto: I. Recitativo09:33
• Total Runtime59:33

Info for The Estonian Cello

The strength and richness of Estonian classical music has its origins in two contrasting schools – the international outlook taught by Heino Eller in Tartu and the craftsmanship fostered by Artur Kapp in Tallinn. This album presents Eller’s complete output for cello and piano in its first recording, complemented by works by two of his more important students, Eduard Oja and Eduard Tubin. Villem Reimann and Herman Känd, both students of Kapp, had very different careers, Reimann an established professor in Soviet Estonia, and Känd dying unknown in American exile at only 46. This is the first recording of any of his music in over half a century.

Valle-Rasmus Roots, cello
Sten Lassmann, piano

Valle-Rasmus Roots
(b 1994) is a cellist and conductor. In 2013 he graduated from the Tallinn Music High School (class of Mart Laas) with a degree in cello and in 2020 he received a Master's degree from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. In 2022, Roots obtained a Master's degree in orchestral conducting (supervised by Prof. Paul Mägi). He is currently a doctoral candidate at EMTA under the supervision of Prof. Arvo Volmer. Roots has studied as an exchange student at the University of the Arts in Berlin with Prof. Wolfgang Böttcher and at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with Prof. Marko Ylönen, and has participated in courses with eminent cellists (David Geringas, Wolfgang Boettcher, Marko Ylönen, Francis Gouton, etc.) and conductors (Neeme Järvi, Paavo Järvi, Kristjan Järvi, Leonid Grin, Arvo Volmer, Vello Pähn, Jorma Panula). He has been awarded 1st prize at the Baltic String Players Competition in Vilnius (2018) and won the Yamaha Scholarship Competition (2016).

Sweden has conducted several orchestras, he is the founder and conductor of Orchestra Helikunst and has collaborated with such soloists as Marcel Johannes Kits, Katariina Maria Kits, Sten Lassmann, Karis Trass, Hans Christian Aavik, Tähe-Lee Liiv, Elina Netšajeva and others. As a cellist, he has performed as soloist with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Pärnu City Orchestra, Baden-Baden Philharmonic Orchestra, EMTA Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jüri Alperten, Arvo Volmer, Paul Mägi, Risto Joost, Mikk Murdvee, Kaspar Mänd and others. Roots plays the Celeste Farotti cello (owned by Mrs Maivi Kaljuvee), which has been made available to him by the Estonian Pillifond.

Booklet for The Estonian Cello