Cello Suites (Britten)

The "Cello Suites" by Benjamin Britten (opp. 72, 80, and 87) are a series of three compositions for solo cello, dedicated to Mstislav Rostropovich. The suites were the first original solo instrumental music that Britten wrote for and dedicated to Rostropovich, but Britten had earlier composed a cadenza for Joseph Haydn's Cello Concerto in C major, for Rostropovich, in 1964. Rostropovich gave the first performances of each work, and recorded Suites Nos 1 and 2 commercially. [Anderson, Robert, Review of "Britten: Two Suites for Cello, op 72 and op 80" (1970). "The Musical Times", 111 (1532): p. 1005.]

Cello Suite No 1, Opus 72

Britten wrote the First Suite at the end of 1964. The premiere was at the Aldeburgh Festival [cite journal | url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0040-2982(196523)2%3A74%3C23%3ATNBW%3E2.0.CO%3B2-S | last=Walsh | first=Stephen | title=First Performances: Three New Britten Works | journal=Tempo (New Ser.) | volume=74 | pages=23–24 | date=Autumn 1965 | accessdate=2008-02-29] on 27 June 1965 [Mann, William, "Festival Reports: Aldeburgh" (August 1965). "The Musical Times", 106 (1470): pp. 615-618.] . The suite is in nine movements, played without pause:
* "Canto primo"
* "Fuga"
* "Lamento"
* "Canto secondo"
* "Serenata"
* "Marcia"
* "Canto terzo"
* "Bordone"
* "Moto perpetuo e Canto quarto"The score was published in 1966. [cite journal | url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0027-4224(196707)48%3A3%3C293%3ASO7%3E2.0.CO%3B2-D | last=M.T. | title=Review of Music: Britten, Benjamin, "Suite", Op. 72" | journal=Music & Letters | volume=48 | issue=3 | pages=293 | date=1967 | accessdate=2008-02-29]

Cello Suite No 2, Opus 80

The Second Suite dates from the summer of 1967. Rostropovich gave the premiere at the Aldeburgh Festival, Snape Maltings, on 17 June 1968. The score was published in 1969. [cite journal | url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0027-4224(197001)51%3A1%3C92%3ASSO8%3E2.0.CO%3B2-F | last=M.T. | title=Reviews of Music: Second Suite, Op. 80 | journal=Music & Letters | volume=51 | issue=1 | pages=92–93 | date=1970 | accessdate=2008-03-02] The movements are as follows:
* "Declamato: Largo"
* "Fuga: Andante"
* "Scherzo: Allegro molto"
* "Andante lento"
* "Ciaccona: Allegro"

Cello Suite No 3, Opus 87

Britten composed the Third Suite in 1971 [cite journal | url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0027-4224(197707)58%3A3%3C352%3ACVTDOS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-M | last=Evans | first=Peter | title=Reviews of Music: "Canticle V: The Death of Saint Narcissus, Op. 89"; "Third Suite for Cello, Op. 87" | journal=Music & Letters | volume=58 | issue=3 | pages=352–353 | date=July 1977 | accessdate=2008-02-29] , inspired by Rostropovich's playing of the unaccompanied cello suites of Bach. Rostropovich first performed the suite at the Snape Maltings, 21 December 1974.

The Third Suite is in nine movements, performed without pause:
* "Introduzione: Lento"
* "Marcia: Allegro"
* "Canto: Con Moto"
* "Barcarolla: Lento"
* "Dialogo: Allegretto"
* "Fuga: Andante espressivo"
* "Recitativo: Fantastico"
* "Moto perpetuo: Presto"
* "Passacaglia: Lento solenne"The work incorporates four Russian themes, including three arrangements of folksongs by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky [cite journal | url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0027-4666(198106)122%3A1660%3C388%3ATSFCO%3E2.0.CO%3B2-D | last=Anderson | first=Robert | title=Record Reviews: Bridge/Britten/Ireland | journal=The Musical Times | volume=122 | issue=1660 | pages=388 | date=1981 | accessdate=2008-02-29] , reminiscent of Beethoven's use of Russian themes in the Razumovsky quartets. The final Russian tune, stated simply at the end of the set, is the "Kontakion", the Russian Orthodox Hymn for the Dead. Phillip Brett considers the Third Suite to be the most passionate of the three.

References

ources

* Philip Brett: "Benjamin Britten", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy.
* Aquino, F. Avellar de. "Song of Sorrow". in The Strad Magazine, London, v. 117, Vol. 1391, p. 52-57, 2006. (on Britten's Third Cello Suite)