Album Notes

OFFENBACH CELLO DUETS
Opus 49, #1-6 & Opus 50, #1-3

THE GIFT OF MELODY

PERFORMED BY PAUL CHRISTOPHER AND RUTH DRUMMOND
© 2004 HUMAN METRONOME

ABOUT THIS CD____

This CD marks the first known recording of these Offenbach opus numbers. One would not expect to hear cello duets from this composer. These cello duet numbers were composed more than 124 years ago.

This recording's memorable sound of a small-room performance was achieved by applying the "3 Second Theater" choice provided in the digital sound engineering software, among other technological tweaks in the mastering/mixing software.

ABOUT THE COMPOSER, JACQUES OFFENBACH (1819-1880)___

Jacques Offenbach, son of a German cantor, is known as the father of French Operetta, most notably for the tune "Can Can" from his Orpheus in the Underworld. Less known is that he was a child virtuoso cellist.

ABOUT THE CELLISTS ___

Paul Christopher was born in 1959 in Syracuse, New York. He plays a modern cello built particularly for him by the husband-and-wife team of cello makers "Moes and Moes" in Stamford, Connecticut. He earned the Bachelor of Music Education degree from the New England Conservatory of Music and the Master of Music in Violoncello Performance degree from the University of Memphis. He is Principal Cellist for the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra (SSO), the Shreveport Opera, Longview Symphony Orchestra (Longview, TX) and most recently won a prestigious position with the Nashville String Machine.

Ruth Drummond was born in 1951 in Shelbyville, Kentucky. She plays an Italian cello built circa 1750 in Milan, which carries an official certification by Dario D'Attili. She earned the Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Kentucky. She is Principal Cellist for the Shreveport Summer Music Festival, the Baroque Artists of Shreveport and is a devoted, integral member of the SSO.

ABOUT HUMAN METRONOME ___

Human Metronome was founded in Shreveport, Louisiana by amateur cellists Helen and Beecher Wood. The Woods' love of the cello and their own "at home" cello duets, their cello lessons from Paul Christopher and their periodic hosting of various small chamber music recitals by the pros, inspired them to launch their own classical music record label. The Gift of Melody is their inaugural product.

Human Metronome is an ideal example of entrepreneurial achievement in music production. The CD, while produced on a small budget, was created using distinguished professional cellists and sound engineers.

The producers, musicians and engineers live in Shreveport, Louisiana.