Like Sisters: Patricia Kopatchinskaja and Sol Gabetta

What role does trust play for you in your work?

Sol: It’s no coincidence that certain musicians come together and others don’t. It’s a matter of taste, a feeling. You seek out people who are exciting, but also share similarities with you. There are not many you can go such a long way with as Pat and I have done. Each of us is pursuing our own career, but when we see each other, I always feel that we can pick up exactly where we left off last time. This kind of relationship is rare. I’ve become extremely choosy when it comes to conductors and playing partners. But it is important to retain a sense of curiosity. Pat’s inquisitiveness and openness to new avenues is what fascinates me and draws me to her.

Pat: Trust is everything. When you make music, you never know exactly what will happen, but you trust that something will happen. Knowing that the other is behind you and will catch you like an acrobat, you can explore new paths perform daring new pirouettes. As Sol said, both opposites and likes attract. Musicians naturally also look for new perspectives, otherwise art would never develop. But trust is a deeply human thing. You embark on an adventure on stage, but you want to be sure that you have accomplices, that you are not on your own.

What connects the two of you?

Pat: We are very similar. We share humanity and warmth – I hope that I am as humane as Sol.

Sol: We also share an empathy with others – we both feel that strongly.

Pat: But also a self-reliance as women. We want to be strong and not dependent on anyone. And we share a similar sense of humour. We both seek adventure and are never bored.

What was it like the first time you met?

Sol: I remember exactly: it was in Switzerland. We were both still very young and played together as a trio with a Finnish pianist. I had full trust in Patricia from our very first concert. I never felt that I had to adapt. You either have something to offer or not. Pat is like a sister to me. When I came to Switzerland, I was a bit lonely. Maybe Patricia too; she had also just moved here. She lived in Bern, I lived in Basel. Together we found our musical family in Switzerland, and with it a kind of security in life.

Pat: The repertoire for violin and cello is not very large. In fact, we always work on the same pieces and they continue to mature. We are also growing independently of each other and have plenty of experiences in our lives outside of music. When we meet up, it’s like continuing a conversation. The stage is the space where we keep talking to each other. And I see us as two eighty-year-old women still on stage, still talking.

What role does the audience play when they watch you do this?

Sol: It very much depends. When I play with Patricia, I’m not very bothered about the audience because I don’t feel alone. Right now I’m on tour and, as a soloist, all alone at the front. When I come on stage, I immediately feel the audience’s energy. And if it’s bad, it takes me almost an hour until I feel at ease. It’s extremely difficult to fulfil such different expectations. We didn’t have that under control at first. People come from all kinds of places and not everyone has the same level of focus. In the first ten minutes, everyone is still settling in. Listening then creates a moment of calm before an almost religious atmosphere gradually develops.

Pat: I would say we do care about the audience, but when we perform together, we are less dependent on it.

Does performing also entail a responsibility for you?

Sol: We deliver a top performance on this stage, mentally and physically. And we bear the responsibility for it. Although we do what we love, it is sometimes difficult to deal with the loneliness backstage. If I play a concert in the evening, the entire day is organised towards the performance. For example, I can’t drink coffee and have to sleep in the afternoon. So there is a clear focus. But that’s exactly what fascinates me about it.

Pat: It’s not just on the day of the concert: it determines our whole lives, including our families. We are not doing them a favour by being soloists. This all comes at a very high price. Sometimes that feels like loneliness, selfishness or exhibitionism. But the organisation it takes to learn a piece, to catch a plane or a train, to be on stage on time, gives me the structure I need. I couldn’t imagine being dependent on any boss. We are very lucky to be able to live our lives in this way and open our souls.

Do you trust in the power of music?

Pat: Yes, music is everything. We are like painters who see colours and recognise shapes and use them to build our lives. We hope that our music will open hearts and foster empathy or curiosity. Music is like a scalpel that we use to wake people up from their torpor time and again.