Of course, we play virtuosic pieces for fun, but there is no Paganini of the cello. Young cellists are not expected to be pyrotechnic whiz kids. And the British musical nature is directly linked to the British nature. The British do seem to have a soft spot for the cello. It's seen as the emotionally and spiritually uplifting one, the soulful one.
People really do go for it.
I recently coached a school orchestra that contained 10 first violins, eight seconds, one viola - and 23 cellos. Then there's the Elgar Cello Concerto, that wonderful work that has a knack of coaxing a nostalgic tear from even the sturdiest British breast. Natalie Clein, in her early 20s and carving out an already successful career, is now studying with Heinrich Schiff in Vienna. According to her, the Elgar is a significant factor in Britain's love of the cello. Austrian audiences tend not to rate the piece very highly.