Sol Gabetta Releases SAINT-SAËNS & LALO: CELLO CONCERTOS Album

Cellist Sol Gabetta's new album Saint-Saëns & Lalo: Cello Concertos is out today on Sony Classical. Recorded with the French orchestra Les Siècles, performing on period instruments, the cellist presents Camille Saint-Saëns' two Cello Concertos alongside Edouard Lalo's Cello Concerto in D minor—three cornerstone works of the Romantic cello repertoire.

Bringing together historically informed orchestral sound with her own distinctive voice, Sol Gabetta explores the contrasting musical worlds of these concertos. Saint-Saëns' First Concerto and Lalo's concerto, composed within a span of just a few years, both place a strong emphasis on the orchestra, creating a dynamic dialogue between soloist and ensemble. By contrast, Saint-Saëns' Second Concerto—written three decades later—emerges as a highly virtuosic and structurally expansive work that demands exceptional technical and expressive range from the soloist.

Known for her expressive intensity and clarity of interpretation, Sol Gabetta shapes each of these works with a strong sense of narrative and colour, highlighting their lyrical qualities while bringing out their distinctive characters. The collaboration with Les Siècles adds a further dimension to the recording, offering a sound palette that reflects the stylistic context of the late 19th century while remaining vivid and immediate.

Saint-Saëns & Lalo: Cello Concertos by Sol Gabetta with Les Siècles will be available from September 18, 2026 on CD, as well as for download and streaming in Stereo and in Dolby Atmos.

Sol Gabetta is one of the leading cellists of her generation, internationally acclaimed for her expressive playing and wide-ranging repertoire. She performs regularly with major orchestras and conductors worldwide and is known for her close engagement with both core repertoire and lesser-known works. She appears with leading orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, and London Symphony Orchestra, and is a frequent guest at major international venues and festivals including the Lucerne Festival and New York's Lincoln Center. Following her recent return to the United States, she made her debut with the New York Philharmonic and appeared with The Cleveland Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, while her international touring activity has also taken her to Asia, including appearances at the BBC Proms Japan. Sol Gabetta performs on a rare Matteo Goffriller cello from 1730.

Repertoire

Camille Saint-Saëns:

Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33

I. Allegro non troppo

II. Allegretto con moto

III. Molto allegro

Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 119

I. Allegro moderato e maestoso – Andante sostenuto

II. Allegro non troppo – Cadenza – Molto allegro

Edouard Lalo:

Cello Concerto in D Minor

I. Prélude. Lento – Allegro maestoso

II. Intermezzo. Andantino con moto – Allegro presto

III. Introduction. Andante – Allegro vivace