Beethoven with Daniel Hope, Lynn Harrell and ZKO

Posted by Maxim Lando, on May 16, 2020

This was an experience I will never forget – a three generation concert tour with Daniel Hope, Lynn Harrell, and the Zurich Chamber Orchestra. A few months later the world lost Lynn Harrell, one of the most beloved cellists of his generation and a very special individual who I am so thankful to have met.

We played an all Beethoven program, including the Triple Concerto as well as trios, in beautiful venues such as Tonhalle Maag in Zurich, the historic Frauenkirche in Dresden, and Heinrich-Landes Halle in Erlangen. The concerts were magical, as was the premise of the concerts. Lynn Harrell was one of Daniel Hope’s mentors when he was younger, and for the last few years Daniel Hope has played an incredibly important mentorship role in my life. The Zurich Chamber Orchestra, led by Daniel Hope, is simply as good as it gets! The orchestra plays with total passion, and features the most fantastic musicians with ensemble playing that seems to read each others minds. In the more personal side, the Zürcher Kammerorchester players were generous, warm hearted, and made me feel right at home.

Some of the most unforgettable moments of the trip were quiet ones that I spent with Lynn Harrell – chatting backstage, or in the hotel bar, at restaurants, or during travel. Here is where I discovered Lynn as one of the funniest and most down to earth people I have ever met. Then there were the stories during rehearsals and recounting of past experiences after rehearsals! We bonded during this trip, and I left hopeful that there would be future opportunities to collaborate together. I am so sad that this will never happen.

Lynn left our world in April. He is missed by musicians, audiences, and loved ones all over the world. I only had the chance to know him for this one short tour, but I already sorely miss Lynn’s wickedly funny sense of humor, his gentleness, and his one-of -a-kind personality.

Read about the concerts here: https://vivamost.com/a-magical-night-with-daniel-hope-lynn-harrel-and-maxim-lando-with-the-zurich-chamber-orchestra/

and about the three generation aspect here: https://vivamost.com/three-generation-trio-hope-harrell-and-lando/