Gidon Kremer mourns leading cellist, 50

The Latvian musician Marta Sudraba, leader of the Kremerata Baltica cellos, died this weekend of an incurable disease, at the age of 50.

Gidon Kremer has sent us this personal appreciation:

Dearest…. Marta!
You will not be able to read these lines, but I feel the necessity to write them to you, as for all friends of yours, that are deeply mourning your departure from us.

We met at the very first audition – me creating Kremerata Baltica in 1996/97 and you wanting to become a member of (at that time) an unknown yet special project.

I remember so vividly- you entered the room and your smile already lightened up the whole space…You were and remained a real sunshine for many years to come.

We shared your positive approach in all those following years playing tons of music- recording and performing around the globe- meeting partners and new scores. Your positive energy projected on us the feeling to be “alive” and allowed us for many years to discover real values- in Kremerata, in chamber music , discovering and playing Astor Piazzollas “Maria de Buenos Aires”. We were united despite all differences in thoughts, discussions . We simply had a lot of fun together and appreciated to speak “music”.

Please be aware- all this will remain with me, with us forever. Rules of life – often very unfair ones-are not known. But one thing is clear-You are not “gone”- we are still with you as you are in us!

Dearest Marta!
Deeply objecting the fact, that you had to depart to a different world, allow me to express the feeling of love and share it with the dear husband Sebastian (Basti) and your son Kristaps.They both – the closest people to you- need to be assured, that all your friends ( and me along them too) will carry in our selves the “jewel of life” you shared with all of us.

Yours Gidon.