Cello Sonata (Rachmaninoff)

Sergei Rachmaninoff's Cello Sonata in G minor, op. 19, a sonata for cello and piano, was composed in 1901 and published a year later. As typical of sonatas in the Romantic period, it has four movements. Rachmaninoff disliked calling it a cello sonata because he thought the two instruments were equal. [cite book |last=Culshaw |first=J. |title=Rachmaninoff |year=1949 |publisher=Dobson |location=London |pages=138 ] Because of this, it is often referred to as Sonata in G Minor for Cello and Piano. Most of the themes are introduced by the cello, while they are embellished and expanded in the piano's part.cite book |last=Harrison |first=Max |title=Rachmaninoff: Life, Works, Recordings |year=2006 |publisher=Continuum |location=London |isbn=0-8264-9312-2 |pages=pp. 101-3 ] He dedicated it to Anatoliy Brandukov, who gave the first performance.cite book |last=Norris |first=Geoffrey |title=The Master Musicians: Rachmaninoff |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=aPc2AAAACAAJ |year=1993 |publisher=Schirmer Books |location=New York City |isbn=0-02-870685-4 |pages=11, 19, 33, 38, 40, 123, 124, 168, 177 ] It is hailed as one of the most important cello sonatas of the 20th century.cite book |last=Hinson |first=Maurice |coauthors=Wesley Roberts |title=The Piano in Chamber Ensemble: An Annotated Guide |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=qmHjixiWjhUC |year=2006 |publisher=Indiana University |location=Bloomington, Indiana |isbn=0-253-34696-7 |pages=196 ]

Background

The sonata was overshadowed by the huge success of his second piano concerto, which premiered on November 24, 1901. It was first played in Moscow.

Composition

# Lento – Allegro moderato
# Allegro scherzando
# Andante
# Allegro mosso

The work takes approximately 30 minutes to perform.

Arrangements

Arcadi Volodos transcribed the Andante of this work for piano solo. Volodos also recorded this transcription.

References

External links

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