Amit Peled Breathes New Life into Pablo Casals' Cello

It all started because Amit Peled wanted to impress a girl. Where others of us might have grabbed an electric guitar or gone out for football, young Amit had a different idea... He would learn to play the cello. While I do not have any solid information on whether or not Peled was successful in his romantic endeavor, he has been enormously successful in his musical one.  During those early studies, he listened to a recording someone had given him of Pablo Casals.  He was mesmerized. Now, 30 years after that first "meeting" with Casals, Amit Peled embarks on a mission given to him by one of his teachers, Bernard Greenhouse, who told him... Amit, it is now your responsibility to pass on the knowledge and musical heritage to the next generation. Amit Peled is not only on a mission to pass on his  knowledge and musical heritage to the next generation, he is also about to introduce them to Pablo Casals, or at least as close as one can get.  Mr. Casals' widow, Marta Casals Istomin, heard a performance by Peled.  Through a mutual friend, he was invited to play for her in her home.  Eventually, she offered him the opportunity to plays Casals' favorite cello.  Over the course of time, Peled gently persuaded Ms. Casals-Istomin to allow the cello to be refurbished.  It was found to be in need of a complete overhaul.  Now, after a painstaking, year-long restoration and stabilization, Amit Peled plans a series of performances this season which will allow thousands to hear the true voice of Pablo Casals' favorite instrument. Below, you can hear a performance by Casals himself performed at the Abbaye Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa in France, where they now hold the annual Pablo Casals Festival of Prades.  Then, be sure to tune in Thursday morning to hear two pieces played by Amit Peled just before 8:00am. Read Pablo Casals' Cello gets a New Life (Wall Street Journal) Watch an interview with Marta Casals Istomin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBp_R_RcbEw