Gaïa

Globally renowned cellist Gautier Capuçon presents Gaïa, a bold, emotional, and multi-dimensional project exploring humanity’s connection to the Earth, featuring 17 world-premiere works by 16 contemporary composers, from a rich variety of cultures, backgrounds, and musical genres. The project includes specially commissioned compositions by Ludovico Einaudi, Max Richter, Joe Hisaishi, Bryce Dessner, JB Dunckel, Abel Selaocoe, Olivia Belli, together with works by emerging talents.

Recorded between August and October 2024 at Schloss Elmau, the album reflects themes of resilience, fragility and strength of nature through diverse musical languages.

Gautier Capuçon’s cello becomes the voice of the Earth in an inspired album of world premiere recordings: Gaïa. Uniting seventeen original contributions by sixteen contemporary composers, this project—which takes its name from the Greek goddess of Earth and mother of all life—sets out to explore humanity’s relationship to nature through a multifaceted lens, drawing from different musical genres, aesthetics, and cultural influences as well as the formidable contrasts of the natural world. The recordings showcase diverse new works by innovative contemporary composers, from luminaries in the field—Richter, Einaudi, Hisaishi—to brilliant emerging talents. In Gautier’s words: “Gaïa is an album dedicated to the Earth, inspired by its beauty, fragility, and strength.”