" Jewish Songs"


new revue of the recording "Chants Juifs" by an British online magazine : "A rare treat, music with which most listeners will not be familiar. ..." (link to the online original)

" Beginning with Monteverdi"


hanks to her stunning virtuosity, Sonia Wieder-Atherton actually takes advantage of any difficulties in these pages in order to bring out their most expressive contents.

Paris - Le Monde de la Musique

t indeed took all of this French cellist’s commitment and tact to dare to engage in such a new musical adventure, cleverly stimulated by reminiscences of Monteverdi, fearlessly straddling four centuries of music. Leading us from Kurtág to Donatoni, not to mention Berio, Sonia Wieder-Atherton unselfishly conveys the generous eloquence of her cello.It indeed took all of this French cellist’s commitment and tact to dare to engage in such a new musical adventure, cleverly stimulated by reminiscences of Monteverdi, fearlessly straddling four centuries of music. Leading us from Kurtág to Donatoni, not to mention Berio, Sonia Wieder-Atherton unselfishly conveys the generous eloquence of her cello..

Paris - Diapason

h, our clever and generous Sonia! All while dreaming of recording and promoting Dusapin, Donatoni or Dutilleux, she had the brilliant idea to adorn these reputedly “difficult” scores with the least contestable reference…
The twenty-some minutes of Monteverdi are alone a rare feast, but also a most excellent means of bringing reticent music lovers to listen to contemporary music.
A generous soul coupled with a generous musicality magnify a highly uncommon program that conjugates tenderness and strength. A rare disc!

Harry Halbreich
Bruxelles - Crescendo

t is not only the maturity of the cellist Sonia Wieder Atherton that is fascinating, but also her subtlety and vigor, true allies of her intelligence that devours the world with curiosity and enthusiasm. We are obviously transported by her playing; her imagination and mastery over the instrument appear to be unique…
The radiance of her timbre and her willful rhythmics stand out as much “on record” as on the stage. A case in point is her incredible “Beginning with Monteverdi” where she confronts well-known arias by Monteverdi with contemporary composers; Kurtág, Berio, Dusapin and Dutilleux, whose scores resonate with the same tears of joy and sorrow from four centuries earlier.

À nous Paris

his original trajectory linking transcriptions of Monteverdi with contemporary solo works symbolizes Sonia Wieder-Atherton’s personal itinerary.
The result is a superb disc that appears like a hand extended out to the listener, a hand whose palm holds the lifelines of this young cellist.

Paris - Le Monde

onia Wieder-Atherton, that striking musician, regularly surprises us perhaps because she unceasingly dreams of surprising herself. And she obviously knows those who can gracefully inflict the same to her cello – the ideal intermediary of all her musical desires, be they from our most ancient roots or from the strongest covenants of contemporary creation.
This disc is part of her personal history and, in that sense, resembles her…
It is as though she teaches the works to live among themselves: to invent new dialogues, to grow thanks to one another, be it in terms of pure vocalization (Monteverdi), or of deep yet calm poetry (Kurtág), of enigmatic recitativos (Berio), or of the expressive range of string effects (Dusapin), of virtuostic variations (Dutilleux) or of rasping and flamboyant sensuality (Donatoni). It is absolutely necessary to listen to this disc and to listen to it in the order Sonia Wieder-Atherton has chosen. Make this journey with her and follow her cello in blind confidence. Sixty minutes of forgetting…almost everything… is guaranteed.

altamusica.com - avril 2001

his is an unusual title for a cello recital. It could have been an absurd idea, yet, it is totally effective! It is not a marketing catch but an eminently sincere personal quest. Monteverdi’s profound and prophetic chant resonates unexpectedly with those of Berio, Donatoni, Kurtág, Dutilleux, and especially Pascal Dusapin, who has found a true musical soul-sister in Sonia Wieder-Atherton.

Le Figaro Novembre 2001

"Jewish Songs" RCA Red Seal (BMG) CD 74321 425 332

his is undoubtedly one of the most intense musical emotions in a long time, presented to us by the cellist Sonia Wieder-Atherton and the pianist Daria Hovora… Malice and misfortune, shared warmth and solitude, it is all woven and unwoven in these songs; everything is said here. It is as though the listner is reading a great book, is watching an epic unravel before him– with all its grandeur, gentleness, pain and tumults. Sonia Wieder-Atherton’s dense and subtle interpretation is a new song unto itself, being the attentive “reader” she is. … An exceptional event.

Telerama - Juillet 1999

ike a prayer, like an old tale, their song makes us vibrate within, reminding us of our human sort…Time here is abolished. True, it’s not very cheerful. But it is strong and beautiful.

Sud Ouest - Janvier 1999

disc that has a strong message, powerful music and musicians: these gifts we all come back to when searching for our own roots.

Crescendo - Avril 1998

his adaptation of “Jewish Songs” is tastefully done, without any excessive emotion. The interpretation is excellent. We particularly recommend this disc.

Fanfare (USA) - 1999

“Schubert, Trios and Arpeggione” with Imogen Cooper and Raphaël Oleg

…From now on, two artists to be reckoned with: Sonia Wieder Atherton and Imogen Cooper… For the first time, we can rightfully speak of “the cello’s diction” …. The slow movement draws tears from our eyes as if the cello has imposed its own words to the music … Schubert has been resuscitated!

Crescendo - Avril 99

“Duos” for violin and cello (Kodaly, Martinu) with Raphaël Oleg

uch ardor, such prodigious intensity are never acheived at the cost of pure musical beauty…
In summary: the radiant and pure nobility, the lofty yet oh so human zeal of the Martha Argerich of the cello coupled with the perhaps more inner but equally intense lyricism of her partner, all in a perfectly beautiful program. Not to be missed, under any circumstances.

Crescendo - Décembre 95

“Duos” for violin and cello (Glière, Ravel, Halvorsen, Schulhoff) with Raphaël Oleg

rare and fascinating disc, superbly performed and full of discoveries…Ravel is remarkably interpreted here by two of the finest French artists who make us forget their astonishing technique through their impeccable and resolute musicianship.

Crescendo - Septembre 98

“Ohana, ‘In Dark and Blue’” cello concerto
Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Arturo Tamayo, conductor Caecilia Prize, Brussels1998

onia Wieder-Atherton’s performance is ideally perfect…

"Choc" Le Monde de la Musique - Mars 98

uperbly performed…

"Diapason d'Or" Diapason - Mars 98

a vast musical imagination, an inner soul that creates new climates, the gift of song, all of these qualities are foundfound here in Sonia Wieder-Atherton.

"Joker" Crescendo - Mars 98

onia Wieder-Atherton once again gives us proof of her muscial generosity, to which we have become accustomed.

" ffff " Telerama - Mars 98