Shostakovich: Cello Concertos #1,2; Satires

If one read the booklet included in this Yedang CD, written by Boris Gontarev, one would think this is a marvelous product. He speaks so warmly about all the (major) musicians involved...
Alas, my opinion is much lesser than that. Yet, both concerti are a playful way of developing a lyrical theme, quite melodic in fact. Regardless, these concertos are necessary in a good music collection.

Interesting to know was that Shostakovich (Šostakovič ) had actually dedicated the 2nd concerto, and written for Rostropovich the 1st concerto.

Now, what an interesting duo. I have not known that Rostropovich played the piano (like that, of course). The married couple, Rostropovich and Vishnevskaya interpret the satires.


Composer: Shostakovich (Дмитрий Дмитриевич Шостакович)
Cello: Mstislav Rostropovich (Мстисла́в Леопо́льдович Ростропо́вич)
Conductor: David Oistrakh
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Cello Concerto #1	Eb	Op.107		Recorded 24.01.1965, mono
Cello Concerto #2	G	Op.126		Recorded 12.11.1967, mono
Satires (Pictures of the Past) To a critic Spring Awakening Descendents Misunderstanding Kreutzer Sonata		Op.109	Soprano: Galina Vishnevskaya Piano: Mstislav Rostropovich	Five Romances for Soprano and Piano. Dedicated to Galina Vishnevskaya. Recorded 21.10.1967

Schubert: Streichquintett C-dur D 956

I have to say that it took me like 10 times to appreciate this quintet. I do not have memory of having heard it before I bought it. The first times, I just thought it was a waste of emotiveness. I had to listen to it a few times, to start identifying passages I liked.
Now I can say that it is among the music that I undoubtedly had to have in my collection. In the allegro, it has stubborn repetitions with accompanying lyricism, alternations of impetus and reflexions. I particularly enjoy the tension Schubert creates whenever he wants to emphasize. Listen particularly to the main theme of the adagio. The allegretto has a playful slavic air. It becomes stubborn too.

This is a live version by the Emerson String Quartet with guest Mstislav Rostropovich as second Violoncello.

String Quintet in C major, D 956 (op.posth. 163)

1. Allegro ma non troppo (19'15)
2. Adagio (14'50)
3. Scherzo. Presto - Trio. Andante sostenuto (10'02)
4. Allegretto (9'22)

[(blogginography note: draft initiated http://blistener.blogspot.com/2007/05/schubert-string-quintet.html)]

Bach: Cello Suites

This was perhaps the first CD that I heard when I started building my collection. One and a half years later, I listen to Casals again, and I definitely appreciate his interpretation. Before I thought it sounded to harsh, now, I think it is dramatic. The difference in choice of words clearly demonstrates that I have (finally) added to my criteria the intention of the performer.
Casals attack are fierce, conveying a shocking impression which fills the space. The recordings (1936, 1938, 1939) are not flawless (acoustic and precision-wise) yet neither criteria is why you would buy this 2 CD set for.
Casals definitely opened a new way of interpreting Bach, and it is completely portrayed in the Cello Suiten.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
CD 1
Suite #1	G	BWV 1007
Suite #2	Dm	BWV 1008
Suite #3	C	BWV 1009
CD 2
Suite #4	Eb	BWV 1010
Suite #5	Cm	BWV 1011
Suite #6	D	BWV 1012

Brahms: Sonatas for Cello & Piano (Op. 38,99,108)

Beautiful 1991 Sony Classical recording of Yo-Yo Ma (cello) and Emanuel Ax (piano). This CD is full with so many emotions and states. From competing lines, to quiet listening of the other instrument, to merging melody and support, all three sonatas are beautiful and interesting.
I particularly enjoy the Allegro vivace of the Sonata in F, and the ending of its last movement (allegro molto)
Noteworthy about this CD is that it holds Yo-yo- Ma's early recordings, which are known to be of more sensibility than later recordings.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Sonata for Cello and Piano	Em	Op.38
Sonata for Cello and Piano	F	Op.99
Sonata for Violin and Piano	Dm	Op.108		originally for violin, here for the Cello

Beethoven: The Cello Sonatas

Pau Casals hums through the profound and rich Cello Sonatas in the 1993 recording with Rudolf Serkin. A super bit mapping CD from Sony Classical, The Cello Sonatas: complete edition. This 2CD cannot be missed !!
Amazing.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Disc 1
Sonata no.1	F	Op.5 no.1		recorded 1953
Sonata no.2	Gm	Op.5 no.2		recorded 1951
Sonata no.4	C	Op.102 no.1		recorded 1953
Disc 2
Sonata no.3	A	Op.69		recorded 1953
Sonata no.5	D	Op.102 no.2		recorded 1953
7 Variations on "Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen"		WoO 46		from Mozart's "Die Zauberflöte", recorded 1951
12 Variations on "Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen"		WoO 66		from Mozart's "Die Zauberflöte", recorded 1951

My Favourite Cello (Tortelier, de Machula, Fournier, Piatigorsky)

This is a sampler of different legendary cello players, with digitally remastered recordings from 1946-1950. I found Gregor Piatigorsky especially good playing Dvořák's concerto, which I have heard with Rostropovich. This Centurion Classics CD is well worth (and very cheap) because of Dvořák's concerto. The Beethoven's variations are interesting, too.

Name	Author	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
12 Variations: Mädchen, for cello and piano	Beethoven	Op.66	Paul Tortelier, Cello, Karl Engel, piano
Abendlied	Schumann	Op.85 no.1	Tibor de Machula, Residentie Orkest den Haag c. Willem van Otterloo	arr. Machula, for Cello and Orchestra
Abendlied	Schumann	Op.85 no.12	P.Fournier, pellas-Lemon, piano	for cello and piano
Concerto for cello and orchestra in Bm	Dvořák	Op. 104	Gregor Piatigorsky, Cello, Eugene Ormandy cond. Philadelphia Orchestra

Haydn: Violoncello Concertos & Symphony

Lovely. Joyful! Superb. Light and inspirational.
Wispelwey is quickly becoming one of my few favorite interpreters. 73 minutes of nonstop barroque beauty.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Concerto per il Violoncello	C			Adagio has cadenza form 18th century
Symphony	D	no. 104		transription for flute, 2 violins, viola, violoncello and pianoforte
Concerto per il Violoncello	D			all cadenzas Wispelwey's

Oistrakh: Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Prokofiev 2/2

What a lovely interpretation by David Ositrakh and Pierre Fournier. It is the second disc of the EMI Classics, double forte, that has Beethoven's Triple Concerto and Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3.
Full of passages from where to make postcards, I loved especially the theme for the 3rd movement, Vivace non troppo - Poco meno allegro, directed by Alceo Galliera and the Philarmonia Orchestra. In the first movement, just after its first third, the intertwining of both soloists, just before the entrance of the orchestra is quite beautiful. It could well be one scene he wanted to capture while he was writing this next to a lake. It resembles to me those little tableclothes that are of picked cotton.
As for Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 in Gm, Op. 63, I can say what a graceful interpretation of a bland ouevre. With a comic British ending of the 2nd movement, I cannot say more.
The double forte 2CD edition seems to be out of print, but this is the most similar I found.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Brahms: Double concerto	Am	Opus 102	Oistrakh(violin),Fournier(cello)
Prokofiev: Violin concerto #2	Gm	Opus 63

Schubert, Schumann, Debussy: Arpeggione

As the booklet quotes, the sound quality is amazing... it is so warm yet harsh. Both musicians, Rostropovich(cello) & Britten(piano) are so well coupled that it sounds as a perfect unit. And though the Schubert's Arpeggione sonata is simple, it is so direct and with such an emotional interpretation that it keeps resounding after it is over. Amazing sound produced by the cello, with plucked chords at some point.
Schumann's five pieces are quite lively and wholehearted.
Debussy is more contemplative and excessively tentative, instead of inspired to my taste.

Definitely a must buy!!
Decca: Legendary Performances, Legends 1968
engineered at 96Khz 24-bit (Super Digital transfer) above standards

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Franz Schubert: Sonata for arpeggione and piano		D821		Recorded Snape, 1968
Robert Schumann: Fünf Stücke im Volkston		p.102		London 1961
Claude Debussy: Sonata for cello and piano		L.135		London 1961

Dvořák / Tchaikovsky : Cello Concerto / Rococo Variations

Beautiful! How many themes can fit into a Concerto, that boasts of creativity. How many "profound" themes for movie scores or similar have been inspired by Dvořák's Cello Concerto in Bm, op.104.
And such a nice interpretation by Rostropovich (Мстисла́в Леопо́льдович Ростропо́вич), with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Seiji Ozawa, an Elatus CD.

The Rococo Variations Op.33 remind us of Tchaikovsy's (Чайкoвский) pompousness. Nice listening, nevertheless.

Dvořák: Cello concerto in Bm Op.104



• Allegro


• Adagio ma non troppo


• Finale: Allegro moderato



Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op.33