Austrian cellist and composer Christina Ruf was born in Linz and has meanwhile found her home in Denmark. Always on the look for new sounds she reimagines what we usually understand or expect a cello to be. For her project MelloDome she invented an electro-acoustic hybrid-cello which lets the instrument be a sound source but also a loudspeaker – resonance and feedback are welcome and part of the concept. Her 2021 album Estuary consists of seven songs for detuned acoustic cello and invites listeners into an other-worldly realm of sound. On her release Tragbare Leitern (also 2021) Ruf plays a 6-string electric cello in combination with multiple effects, synth and iPad allowing her to dive into a noisier & glitchier sound.
This is the first recording of the series we had to record on two days (3.02. & 31.03.2022). Due to technical issues we were not able to finish the first recording session and finished it almost two months later when Christina Ruf had returned to Vienna.
… how & why:
Several years ago I witnessed one of Christina’s concerts and her performance enchanted me. The soundscapes she builds up with her instrument are beautiful yet mysterious and instantly triggered images in my head. Since then I have followed her career and am always looking forward to her new releases. Luckily she had time (twice) to record a beautiful vinyl for us.