What can be better than two talented, GQ-esque gentlemen playing Nirvana on
cellos? Umm... I'll have get back to you about that, but Croatian
musicians Luka Šulić and Stjepan Hauser of 2CELLOS
are destined to be future faces of modern classical music.
Former rivals in performance competitions, the pair became a Youtube
sensation after a video of them playing Michael Jackson's "Smooth
Criminal" hit three million views in just two weeks. Their online popularity landed them a record deal and even Sir Elton John
asked them to support his summer tour this year.
Not since pianist Christopher O'Riley's renditions of Radiohead have I been
so struck by covers of contemporary songs on classical instruments. Being a kid
who grew up with Mozart, Vivaldi and other tent poles of their eras (plus being
forced through piano, violin AND cello lessons myself), I've a very tender spot
for these instruments (who can say "November Rain" doesn't move
them?). They make any song immediately cinematic, and Šulić and Hauser effectively tap into that quality.
And don't think I've forgotten Apocalyptica, a quartet of metal cellists who started
their band solely with Metallica covers (from Finland of course, the metal part
of the world). But 2CELLOS know just how to render the emotional aspects of the
cello and are able to create a wider range of voices and levels of fury with just two instruments. They definitely left those of us in the Yahoo music room reeling!
Check out 2CELLOS' stunning covers of Michael Jackson's
"Smooth Criminal," Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and U2's "With Or Without You."
Their self-titled debut album was released in July.
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