Offenbach Recordings

Cellists Paul Christopher and Ruth Drummond are recording Offenbach’s “Cours Methodique de Duos pour Deux Violoncelles,” a collection of six books of cello duos, Opus 49-54. With the exception of Opus 54, these wonderful duos have either not been recorded in their entirety or are out of print. This project is being produced by Helen and Beecher Wood and recorded and engineered by Roger Barnes in Shreveport, Louisiana, for the Human Metronome label.

Currently, three of Ms. Drummond’s and Mr. Christopher’s Offenbach CDs, “The Gift of Melody,” “The Perfect Gift” and “The Master's Gift” are available from cdbaby.com and have received favorable reviews in the United States and Europe. In addition, the performers offer an entertaining lecture recital on the Offenbach cello duos guaranteed to delight and educate. Please click here to request more information about an Offenbach lecture recital.

Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) is known as the “creator of French operetta.” In works such as “Orpheus in the Underworld,” with its famous can-can, Offenbach exhibited a gift for light-hearted joie de vivre, sentimental melody and social satire that epitomized the cultural life of Paris in the mid-1800’s. What is less well known is that Offenbach was not French, and began his career as a virtuoso cellist. Born Jacob Offenbach, near Frankfurt, Germany, he entered the Paris Conservatory at the age of sixteen and quickly established himself as a performer and composer of brilliant solo and ensemble cello music.