Robert Schumann & Johannes Brahms: Cello Works

Review: MusicWebInternational
Review: Classica

Johannes Brahms 
Cello Sonata No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 38 
1. I. Allegro non troppo
2. II. Allegretto quasi menuetto
3. III. Allegro

Robert Schumann 
Adagio and Allegro in A flat major, Op. 70 
4. I. Langsam, mit inniger Ausdruck
5. II. Sehr lebhaft

5 Stücke im Volkston, Op. 102 
6. I. Mit Humor – Vanitas vanitatum
7. II. Langsam
8. III. Nicht schnell, mit viel Ton zu spielen
9. IV. Nicht zu rasch
10. V. Stark und markiert

Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 
11. I. Zart und mit Ausdruck
12. II. Lebhaft, leicht
13. III. Rasch und mit Feuer

Brahms and the Cello ©
Unlike Schumann, who was composing in something of a frenzy, it took Brahms three years to complete his E minor sonata for cello and piano. It was the first time he had composed for the piano and another instrument and the new work was given the title ‘Sonate für Klavier und Violoncello’, (‘Sonata for Piano
and Cello’). It had not been intended that the cello should take on the leading role, rather that both instruments should play in partnership. By allowing the cello line to inhabit the instrument’s deep and middle registers whilst the piano has the melody in one or both hands, a broadness of tone is created that has a symphonic quality. In the first published edition, the sonata consisted of four movements but a slow movement was subsequently taken out. This movement possibly reappeared in a revised form in the later F major sonata. The last movement of the E minor sonata was composed in 1865, the same year in which Brahms’ mother died.
Brahms was very interested in older music and collected original early music manuscripts. He had been inspired by J. S. Bach’s Kunst der Fuge, (The Art
of Fugue), and here the first movement’s main theme and the last movement’s fugal theme draw on ‘Contrapunctus 4’ and ‘Contrapunctus 13’ respectively.
The darkness of the first movement with its weight and breadth can also bring to mind the opening movements of some of Brahms’ symphonies. The two powerful outer movements are bound together by a Minuet and Trio and this special construction is in itself associated with earlier music. The sonata is dedicated to Joseph Gänsbacher who was a patron and an enthusiastic amateur cellist.

RELEASE DATE: APRIL 2020

CATALOGUE NUMBER: DACOCD 860

EAN: 5709499860007