Beethoven's development as a composer, his evolution from the brilliant virtuoso to the classical creator and finally to the mystic, the deaf seer, is in no other section of his work so clearly demonstrated as in the relatively few works for violoncello and piano. The better known works for violin and piano were for instance composed within the short space of the five years 1798-1803. The cello works, on the contrary, are spread over a period of more than 20 years and thus represent all three creative period fairly equally. While the two Sonatas Op. 5 break new formal ground and reveal hitherto unfamiliar possibilites for display and expressiveness in the violoncello, the A major Sonata Op. 69 exhibits the serene sense of balance and spacious formal conception typical of much of Beethoven's music in his middle period. A valuable enrichment to the cello repertoire is provided by the three works in variation form. Finally, the two cello Sonatas Op. 102, together with the piano Sonata Op. 101, signal the beginning of the late style, at the same time ushering in a pause in Beethoven's chamber music: ten years were to elapse before he took up wirk on the last string quartets. The works for cello, spaced as they are over a wide number of years, outline Beethoven's creative processes as a whole and afford an insight into his evolution as artist and man. For this reason they remain representative of his entire life's work. Tracklisting 1. Cello Sonata No. 4 in C major op. 102 No. 1: Andante | Allegro vivace 8:16 2. Cello Sonata No. 4 in C major op. 102 No. 1: Adagio | Tempo d'Andante | Allegro vivace 7:10 3. Cello Sonata No. 5 in D major op. 102 No. 2: Allegro con brio 6:43 4. Cello Sonata No. 5 in D major op. 102 No. 2: Adagio con molto sentimento d'affetto (attacca) | Allegro | Allegro fugato 13:03 5. 7 Variationen über Mozarts Duett aus der Zauberflöte: «Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen» 9:32 6. 12 Variationen über ein Thema aus Händels «J.Maccabäus» 12:30 7. 12 Variationen über Mozarts Thema aus der Zauberflöte «Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen» 9:50 Disc 2 1. Cello Sonata No. 1 in F Major op. 5: Adagio sostenuto | Allegro 13:54 2. Cello Sonata No. 1 in F major op. 5: Rondo (Allegro vivace) 6:46 3. Cello Sonata No. 2 in G minor op. 5: Adagio sostenuto ed espressivo 5:49 4. Cello Sonata No. 2 in G minor op. 5: Allegro molto piuttosto presto 9:39 5. Cello Sonata No. 2 in G minor op. 5: Rondo (Allegro) 9:01 6. Cello Sonata No. 3 in A major op. 69: Allegro ma non tanto 13:09 7. Cello Sonata No. 3 in A major op. 69: Scherzo (Allegro molto) 5:28 8. Cello Sonata No. 3 in A major op. 69: Adagio cantabile | Allegro vivace 8:52 |
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