Brahms: The Cello Sonatas

1. Sonata for Cello & Piano No. 1 in E minor, Op. 38
Composed by Johannes Brahms
with Christoph Henkel , Elisabeth Westenholz

2. Sonata for Cello & Piano No. 2 in F major, Op. 99
Composed by Johannes Brahms
with Christoph Henkel , Elisabeth Westenholz

Brahms: The Cello Sonatas,Christoph Henkel,Johannes Brahms,Elisabeth Westenholz,Bis,Cello with Keyboard,Chamber,Chamber Music & Recitals,Classical

Average customer rating: Heart on the sleeve STEPHEN AND STEVEN ARE A GREAT MUSICAL TEAM

Brahms: Cello Sonatas Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Chabrier: Piano Music Fauré: Complete Works for Cello Mendelssohn: The Piano Trios Shostakovich: Piano Trios Nos. 1 & 2; Seven Romances Children's Cello ASIN: B000BOIWU0 Release Date: 2006-01-10

Tracks:

1. Allegro Non Troppo
2. Allegretto Quasi Menuetto
3. Allegro
4. Waldesruhe Op.68 No.5
5. Rondo In G Minor Op.94
6. Ballade In D Minor Op.3 No.1
7. Serenade In A Major Op.3 No.2
8. Allegro Vivace
9. Adagio Affettuoso
10. Allegro Passionato
11. Allegro Molto

Amazon.com

Steven Isserlis is not only one of our best, but one of our most adventurous cellists, always searching out neglected works as well as both personal and artistic links between composers. On this recording, the Brahms Sonatas flank less-familiar pieces by two composers intimately related to each other and also connected with Brahms: Dvorák and his pupil and son-in-law, Josef Suk. In "Silent Woods," arranged from one of his own piano duets, Dvorák's gift for capturing the sounds and atmosphere of nature beautifully evokes the forest's repose and awakening. The Rondo contrasts a song-like, pensive, gracious theme with more vigorous, brilliant episodes; minor and major alternate and combine in the coda. Suk's Ballade is passionate, dramatic and rhapsodic; the Serenade is a lively, charming dance, whose light-heartedness is interrupted by a startling modulation like a passing cloud. The playing throughout is superb: technically impeccable, tonally beautiful, warm and varied, deeply expressive. With the close rapport of frequent partners, Isserlis and the splendid pianist Stephen Hough engage in wonderful conversational interplay. They give Brahms' first sonata an inward, autumnal mellowness and the second - amazingly written 20 years later - a youthful, vigorous exuberance; the sunlit Finale floats on air. One can hardly imagine a better performance. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Heart on the sleeve.......2006-02-19

Isserlis' playing seems even more passionate than in previous recordings, if that is possible. The tone is juicy and emotional, with a great range of colors, matching the musical content. The vibrato is so incredibly expressive; it is a lesson for other cellists. The gems are the two pieces by Suk and the Dvorak. "Silent Woods" is played very poetically, with a touch of melancholy. The partnership with Hough is ideal, perfect balance and blend. Sure, the balance is set in the studio by the engineers, but if you hear the duo live, you will see that the recording matches the perfection of balance on stage. The two Brahms sonatas are played with great respect for the architecture of the works, but with a refreshing approach to timing and phrasing. The first movement of the E Minor Sonata has a beautiful pace, telling a musical story that is captivating. Perfect tempo, unlike older recordings by Du Pre or Rostropovich that are ponderous. Drama is present throughout. This is a great recording, very inspiring, worthy of a Grammy. Hope it gets nominated.

STEPHEN AND STEVEN ARE A GREAT MUSICAL TEAM.......2006-01-24

As I have previously expressed on this board, I feel that Stephen Hough and Steven Isserlis make a stupendous duo for chamber music. Individually they are, of course, masters of their chosen instrument. When they team up, the sparks DO fly in a most marvelous way. This album of the Brahms's Cello Sonatas is no exception. These works, to me, are at the pinnacle of chamber music for cello and piano. I personally don't feel that there are any better that have been written. Brahms obviously loved the cello and the piano; these works could have only been written by someone that had a deep affection for both instruments. The aforesaid certainly comes through most clearly in this recording! Always the sensitive artist, Hough never over powers Isserlis's cello (as could so easily be done in these works). Nevertheless, he plays his part passionately as does Isserlis who spins out Brahms's melodies beautifully with none of those (what I call) "glottal" (aka rough/harsh) attacks on the strings. In other words they form a team-a sublime Chamber Musical team that, in this album, is at the very peak of its form.

I love Brahms and I especially love his chamber music. This recording of the Cello sonatas certainly satisfies, in a big way, my insatiable appetite for chamber music by Brahms! In addition to the Brahms, included in the album are works by Suk and Dvorak works which are wonderful with Stephen and Steven investing them too with their usual divine artistry. As a recent convert to the music of Suk, I particularly enjoyed the two works by that composer

Believe me, I've spent many enjoyable hours listening to this album-I just can't take it off of my CD player! Therefore, I listen to it repeatedly. If you love Brahms's chamber music, as I do, buy this CD. Your ears will thank you!

Average customer rating: a beautiful expression of a musical dialogue in the great Romantic fashion... Good, but not great. Beautiful, just beautiful! THIS ONE WILL GROW ON YOU When the Rich Russian Sound Meets the Soulful German....

Brahms: The Cello Sonatas Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Rostropovich, Mstislav | ( R ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Rostropovich, Mstislav | ( R ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Rostropovich, Master Cellist Haydn: Cello Concertos Beethoven: Complete Music for Cello & Piano Schubert, Debussy / Rostropovich, Britten Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6 ASIN: B000001G4M Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello e-moll Op. 38: 1. Allegro non troppo
2. Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello e-moll Op. 38: 2. Allegretto quasi Menuetto
3. Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello e-moll Op. 38: 3. Allegro
4. Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello F-dur Op. 99: 1. Allegro vivace
5. Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello F-dur Op. 99: 2. Adagio affettuoso
6. Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello F-dur Op. 99: 3. Allegro passionato
7. Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello F-dur Op. 99: 4. Allegro molto

Customer Reviews:

a beautiful expression of a musical dialogue in the great Romantic fashion..........2007-05-20

Two of classical musics most remarkable artists meet at the full blossoming of thier careers: Mstislav Rostropovich who plays out the sadness of these pieces in his natural Russian style, and Rudolf Serkin who plays flawlessly.

These sonatas for cello and piano make for a beautiful expression of a musical dialogue in the great Romantic fashion, and I am not even a very big fan of Brahms.

Good, but not great........2005-01-22

While this recording is performed well, after listening to Jacqueline Dupré's rendition of this piece it is hard to rate this performance with the full five stars. Dupré takes the music to another level with even richer tones and smoother legatos. Another difference when comparing these two recordings is the coordination between the cellist and the accompanist. Dupré played with her husband, the pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim. Those two connect at a much deeper level than the pair in Rostropovich's recording, who at times are clearly not together. However, this review is by no means intended as an affront on Rostropovich's clearly masterful abilities as a cellist. It is just that in the comparison of the two recordings, I feel that Ms. Dupré's passionate and more liberal style of play better suits this particular piece.

Beautiful, just beautiful!.......2004-01-16

I have never cared much for Brahm's music. Yet, I play this cd over and over again. The music is glorious and because of this recording, I have started to sample more of his works. This is a cd truly worth owning.

THIS ONE WILL GROW ON YOU.......2003-08-15

The balance is not quite right, with the cello too prominent, but once I got used to that the performances started to take me over. Here we have two of the greatest classical interpreters of their time taking us into the special world of Brahms, and they had me thinking about the composer in a way I have not done in years. Most books and articles I have read about him have a lot to say about Beethoven, but I really doubt whether Brahms's music would have been much different if Beethoven had never lived. Both consciously and by instinct, Brahms was the guardian of the great German musical tradition embodied above all in Bach -- a tradition where pure 'absolute' music expressed itself through an intellectual apparatus of polyphonic and structural devices. Since Bach's time Haydn and Mozart had perfected for instrumental music a compositional system usually called the 'sonata' style. Beethoven had naturally picked this up, but what he forced on to it was a special dimension of highly personalised expression, and it is precisely this way of treating it that Brahms turned his back on. With him we are back, in his own deeply original way, to music using the composer to express ITself.

I seem to find that Brahms gets more instinctive understanding from performers than Beethoven does, and I believe quite simply that that is because he understands himself better than Beethoven does himself. Teetering on the verge of incoherence at times was all part of Beethoven's unique greatness, and it is not disrespectful -- quite the reverse -- to say so. I have heard far more good performances than bad ones of these two wonderful sonatas, and the special meaning these particular accounts have for me is not something that I felt at first hearing. When a pianist of very special and unusual gifts is aged 80 or so and has retained his technique and evenness of touch, when he has spent a lifetime developing an austere and uncompromising vision of the instrumental music that we normally think of as being the 'greatest', when he studies completely afresh the works he is to perform with the greatest cellist of the next generation, there is a good chance we are going to get something very special, and I do not believe I am imagining it. This is a totally unique artistic combination offering a very special -- not eccentric in any way but still very special -- insight into a composer that many of us know by heart without really getting our minds round the phenomenon he represents. This record is a milestone in my musical pilgrimage and maybe it will be in yours.

When the Rich Russian Sound Meets the Soulful German...........2001-04-11

From the very first note of the e minor sonata, one can notice how perfectly the warmth and control in Rostropovich's sound match the cogitating works of Brahms. In such maturiy and wisdom gained over many a decade, there are things to learn from this recording. The full and rich, yet sensitive tone draws the listener through every movement with assuarance and thrill, and the complete control -- especially apparent in the unhurried tempi -- of both of these maestros should be especially admired. Of course, control and maturity do not mean lack of passion and vigour by any means; the series of robust broken chords of the first movement of the E minor sonata, and the passionate third movement of the F major sonata are no less powerful than any younger perfomers' recordings, if not greater. This is a recording to be enjoyed and studied by all.

Average customer rating: Amazing

Brahms: Cello Sonatas Brahms , Yo-Yo Ma , and Emanuel Ax Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Ma, Yo-Yo | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music $7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Ma, Yo-Yo | ( M ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Simply Baroque Beethoven: Sonatas for Cello & Piano Nos. 1 & 2 The Dvorak Album Bach: The 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites Vivaldi's Cello ASIN: B0001TSWLE Release Date: 2004-04-20

Tracks:

1. Allegro Non Troppo
2. Allegretto Quasi Menuetto
3. Allegro
4. Allegro Vivace
5. Adagio Affettuoso
6. Allegro Passionato
7. Allegro Molto

Customer Reviews:

Amazing.......2005-03-24

Some people may say Yo-Yo Ma is overrated, unprofessional, and most of his fame is due to his name. I, sadly, used to be a believer in this notion, but I realized that I was terribly wrong. Yo-Yo Ma played a concert on TV along with Itzhak Perlman, and it was one of the most professional displays of musicianship I have ever seen. Every note and every gesture seemed deeply inspired, and he seemed to have a very firm grasp on what the music was about. This CD is no exception. Every song is wonderfully performed, and the sound quality is great.

Average customer rating: indulgent but intimate..............

Brahms: Cello Sonatas Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music $7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Great Recordings Of The Century - Brahms: Violin Sonatas nos 1 - 3 / Perlman, Ashkenazy Jacqueline du Pré - Chopin: Cello Sonata in G minor, Franck: Sonata in A / Barenboim Jacqueline du Pre - Favourite Cello Concertos ~ Boccherini, Dvorak, Elgar, Haydn, Monn, Saint-Saens, Schumann Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter Beethoven: Cello Sonatas & Variations ASIN: B0001O3Y8K Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

1. I: Allegro Non Troppo
2. II: Allegretto Quasi Menuetto & Trio
3. III: Allegro - Piu Presto
4. I: Allegro Vivace
5. II: Adagio Affettuoso
6. III: Allegro Passionato
7. IV: Allegro Molto - Piu Presto

Customer Reviews:

indulgent but intimate.....................2006-12-03

But for the artists allowing themselves changes in tempo from one movement to the next, I tend to believe this recording would rate as the definitive interpretation. It depends on what one tolerates as artistic licence. I have the original LP, and the microphone placement and simple mixing of the day has resulted in warm and detailed Cello reproduction. The playing is accurate and engaging, and it is evident the two artists are very much in accord as regards their preferred rendition.The alternative, earlier 1955 Fournier recording apparently suffers from restricted frequency response. I have not heard the Rostropovich recording.

Average customer rating: Like the Brahms, Avoid the Chopin and Franck

Brahms, Chopin & Franck: Cello Sonatas Johannes Brahms , Fryderyk Chopin , Cesar Franck , Daniel Barenboim , and Jacqueline du Pre Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Franck, César | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: French Music for Cello and Piano Brahms: Symphony No. 4; Tragic Overture; Schicksalslied Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 3 Bach: Cello Suites Jacqueline du Pre In Portrait ASIN: B0002XV306 Release Date: 2005-02-15

Tracks:

1. I. Allegro Non Troppo
2. II. Allegretto Quasi Menuetto
3. III. Allegro
4. I. Allegro Vivace
5. II. Adagio Affetuoso
6. III. Allegro Passionato
7. IV. Allegro Molto

Tracks:

1. I. Allegro Moderato
2. II. Scherzo (Allegro Con Brio)
3. III. Largo
4. IV. Finale (Allegro)
5. I. Allegro Ben Moderato
6. II. Allegro
7. III. Recitativo - Fantasia (Ben Moderato - Molto Lento)
8. IV. Allegretto Poco Mosso

Customer Reviews:

Like the Brahms, Avoid the Chopin and Franck.......2006-12-14

The Chopin and Franck recordings were made while Jacqueline duPre was ill and near the end of her life. As heroic as it may have been to make these recordings in that condition, the quality suffers. The Brahms sonatas are tighter; they have the usual Jacqueline duPre warmth to the sound, and they are much better. If it comes down to buying this album or one with just the Brahms, and there is a price reason to choose the Brahms, I'd pass on this one. But if you can get this compilation for the same price as just the Brahms sonatas, you might as well, unless you don't want any subpar recordings in your collection.

Average customer rating: Brahms, Ma, Ax - A Warm Camaraderie For the performance.... AND sound A genuinely musical partnership

Brahms: Sonatas for Cello and Piano Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Chopin: Polonaise brilliante; Cello Sonata; Piano Trio Beethoven: Complete Sonatas for Piano & Cello Beethoven: Complete Music for Cello & Piano Great Recordings Of The Century - Brahms: Violin Sonatas nos 1 - 3 / Perlman, Ashkenazy Vivaldi's Cello ASIN: B0000027VY Release Date: 1992-10-06

Tracks:

1. Sonata For Cello And Piano In E Minor, Op. 38: I. Allegro non troppo
2. Sonata For Cello And Piano In E Minor, Op. 38: II. Allegretto quasi Menuetto - Trio
3. Sonata For Cello And Piano In E Minor, Op. 38: III. Allegro
4. Sonata For Cello And Piano In F Major, Op. 99: I. Allegro vivace
5. Sonata For Cello And Piano In F Major, Op. 99: II. Adagio affettuoso
6. Sonata For Cello And Piano In F Major, Op. 99: III. Allegro passionato - Trio
7. Sonata For Cello And Piano In F Major, Op. 99: IV. Allegro molto
8. Sonata For Violin (Cello) And Piano In D Minor, Op. 108: I. Allegro
9. Sonata For Violin (Cello) And Piano In D Minor, Op. 108: II. Adagio
10. Sonata For Violin (Cello) And Piano In D Minor, Op. 108: III. Un poco presto e con sentimento
11. Sonata For Violin (Cello) And Piano In D Minor, Op. 108: IV. Presto agitato

Customer Reviews:

Brahms, Ma, Ax - A Warm Camaraderie.......2006-06-19

Many place Brahm's Cello Sonatas as his most personal music while others feel that Brahms is best in the bigger works. The two sonatas of cello and piano - E minor, Op. 38, F major, Op. 99, and and for violin and piano D minor, Op. 108 - cover the course of Brahms' musical career and the variations in his approach to melody, but all three of the works are some of the more introspective, radiantly beautiful works from his chamber pieces.

Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax have performed together and have been close musical comrades for many years so it comes as no surprise that their collaboration is as glued as any other duo work. They seem to sense each other's presence in a most respectful and admiring way. The result is Brahms played with not only technical finesse but with the love that comes from such superb collaboration. Ma's lush cello tone is matched by Ax's subtle phrasing. This is a recital to cherish. Grady Harp, June 06

For the performance.... AND sound.......2003-09-07

I have both the RCA and this Sony recording of the cello sonatas by Brahms. Not easy for me to decide. Both are very good. I took some time comparing the performance and sound of each sonata (as well as each movement). They come VERY close. Sorta like the 2000 presedential election recount in Florida (which is why I call it "The Recount State" : ) [I'm not going to say what political party I support]). Anyway, I've read one review that says the RCA is better. Well, after carefully comparing the two CDs, my preference is the Sony. Not because of the 20-bit digital recording, but the performance is slightly better. As for the price, if you want to save money, I think you could get the RCA recording. It's up to you.

A genuinely musical partnership.......2001-02-24

The Amazon.com customer reviews of the Ma/Ax recording of the two cello sonatas for RCA were generally positive, though this eminent duo did seem to leave room for improvement. I have not heard the RCA recording but this Sony remake avoids the problems that plagues the earlier disc. Nowhere do I find Ax "dull" or either artist mechanical. Both are highly sensitive to the introspective nature of the music. There is an ingenuousness, a sense of spontaneous give and take here that makes one forget the star calibre of the players. Excellent recording balance, too. As a worthwhile bonus, the two include their transcription for cello of Brahms' D minor violin sonata. It certainly is an interesting version even if it does not replace the violin version.

Average customer rating:

The Art of Ruggiero Ricci Manufacturer: Vox (Classical) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Bruch | Bruch, Max | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ernst, Heinrich Wilhelm | ( E ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Goldmark | Goldmark, Karl | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Hindemith | Hindemith, Paul | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Lalo, Edouard | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Paganini, Niccolò | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sarasate | Sarasate, Pablo de | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sibelius | Sibelius, Jean | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tartini | Tartini, Giuseppe | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wieniawski | Wieniawski, Henri | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Concertinos | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Milstein (4CD Set) The Art of Ivry Gitlis Leonid Kogan Edition [Box Set] Ivry Gitlis [DVD Video] Lazar Berman Edition (Box Set) ASIN: B0001NPTX4 Release Date: 2005-10-18

Average customer rating: Preferable to Serkin / Rostropovich & Ax / Ma Get Mercury Living Presence Before Its Dead so talented!

Brahms, Mendelssohn: Cello Sonatas Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Starker, János | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Janos Starker Italian Cello Sonatas Starker Plays Kodaly Dvorak: Concerto for cello in Bm; Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme Janos Starker Virtuoso Music for Cello ASIN: B0000057N8 Release Date: 1996-08-13

Tracks:

1. Sonatas For Cello And Piano: No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 38: 1. Allegro non troppo
2. Sonatas For Cello And Piano: No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 38: 2. Allegretto quasi Menuetto
3. Sonatas For Cello And Piano: No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 38: 3. Allegro
4. No. 2 In F Major, Op. 99: 1. Allegro vivace
5. No. 2 In F Major, Op. 99: 2. Adagio affetuoso
6. No. 2 In F Major, Op. 99: 3. Allegro passionato
7. No. 2 In F Major, Op. 99: 4. Allegro molto
8. Sonata No. 2 In D Major, Op. 58: 1. Allegro assai vivace
9. Sonata No. 2 In D Major, Op. 58: 2. Allegretto scherzando
10. Sonata No. 2 In D Major, Op. 58: 3. Adagio
11. Sonata No. 2 In D Major, Op. 58: 4. Molto allegro e vivace

Customer Reviews:

Preferable to Serkin / Rostropovich & Ax / Ma.......2006-03-19

The Brahms cello sonatas are favorites of mine. I've owned this recording, the Ma / Ax version on Sony, and the Rostropovich / Serkin version on DG. This version by Starker and Sebok takes the cake. I think Ma's playing is so refined that it can become precious. Rostropovich strikes me as being the opposite: very big and brash and overly macho. The sound quality on the DG recording is also a bit strident. Starker is somewhere in the middle, and I like that. He is probably closer to Ma, but there's a sort of honesty and straighforwardness in Starker that appeals to me more than Ma's refinement or Rostro's brashness. The Mercury sound is also top drawer. The piano is slightly recessed relative to the cello, but the effect is never distracting or unpleasing. The Sony sound is better than the DG, and maybe even slightly preferable to the Mercury. None of the pianists made enough of an impression on me to really comment confidently about their differences. Anyway, I don't think you can go wrong with this disc.

Get Mercury Living Presence Before Its Dead.......2003-07-12

When I first started collecting classical CDs, I only had a few Mercury Living Presence (MLP) titles. In my quest to get the absolute best, or at least a definitive recording, of the major works of the standard repertoire, MLP discs rarely topped the critics' lists. In fact, only three MLP recordings have been earmarked as "Essential Recordings" by amazon -- Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, Byron Janis performing Rachmaninov's 2nd & 3rd Piano Concertos, and Yehudi Menuhin performing Bartok's 2nd Violin Concerto, all three with Antal Dorati as conductor. It is also safe to say that three other titles are equally essential for their historical value alone. They are Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake by Dorati (the first recording of the complete ballet), Janis performing Liszt's Piano Concertos (the first recordings made in the Soviet Union by American technicians, musical staff and equipment), and Kubelik's Chicago Symphony performance of Pictures at an Exhibition (one of, if not the single best mono recording ever, and the one that led the New York Times critic to coin the phrase "Living Presence," from which the label named its series). But how does a CD line go from having a half-dozen must have recordings, to being this reviewer's all-time favorite classical label?

The answer: consistently magical performances, captured in brilliant golden-age stereo sound, that offer a slightly different take on your typical interpretation of the great works. While MLP titles may not offer the best standard account of a work, they always surprise you and open you up to all the possibilities that the music has to offer. For example, this performance of Brahms' Cello Sonatas by Starker and Sebok may not be the consensus first choice recording -- for most that would probably be the Du Pre/Barenboim, or one of the two Ma/Ax recordings -- but I constantly come back to this disc for a different perspective, and its vibrancy and splendor never disappoint me. Maybe that is why collectors prize these recordings, because they are a breath of fresh air in a homogenized world of listening. Of course, collectors love a challenge too, and MLP CDs are becoming increasingly hard to find. It has taken years for me to finally find all of the MLP CDs released to date, and unfortunately I don't think there will be any new releases forthcoming. So collectors, and even those who aspire to be, should pick up as many Mercury Living Presence discs as possible now, before they all die.

so talented!.......2003-05-25

this is one of the best albums that i have heard on brahms over any other recordings of the prominent cellists

Average customer rating: Fantastic Fournier

Les Introuvables de Pierre Fournier Manufacturer: EMI ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Boccherini | Boccherini, Luigi | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Granados, Enrique | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Kreisler | Kreisler, Fritz | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ravel, Maurice | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rubinstein | Rubinstein, Anton | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Saint-Saëns, Camille | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Stravinsky | Stravinsky, Igor | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Organ | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music English Horn | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Fournier, Pierre | ( F ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Pierre Fournier: Aristocrat of the Cello [United Kingdom] Bach: 6 Suiten für Violoncello solo Beethoven: Complete Works for Cello & Piano Shafran: Russian Archives Lazar Berman Edition (Box Set) ASIN: B0000241DO Release Date: 2002-08-05

Tracks:

1. Cello Concerto No. 2 In D Major, H. 7b Op. 101
2. Cello Concerto In A Minor, Op. 129
3. Phantasiestke (3 Fantasy Pieces) For Clarinet (Or Cello Or Violin) & Piano, Op
4. Variations On A Rococo Theme, For Cello & Orchestra (Or Cello & Piano) In A Majo
5. Sonata For Cello & Piano No. 1 In F Major, Op. 5/1
6. Sonata For Cello & Piano No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 5/2
7. Sonata For Cello & Piano No. 3 In A Major, Op. 69
8. Sonata For Cello & Piano No. 4 In C Major, Op. 102/1
9. Sonata For Cello & Piano No. 5 In D Major, Op. 102/2
10. Sonata For Arpeggione & Piano In A Minor, D.821
11. Pieces For Children Big And Small For Piano, 4 Hands Op. 85
12. Feldeinsamkeit ("Ich Ruhe Still Im Hohen Gren Gras"), Song For Voice & Piano,
13. Romance For Cello & Piano, Op. 69
14. Shylock, Incidental Music And Suite For Tenor & Orch., Op. 57
15. Mavra, Opera Buffa In One Act
16. Nocturne For Violin (Or Flute) & Piano
17. Melody In F, Various Arrangements, Op. 3/1
18. Introduction & Polonaise Brilliante For Cello & Piano In C Major, Op. 3
19. Song Without Words For Cello & Piano In D Major, Op. 109
20. Le Coq D'or (The Golden Cockerel; Zolotoy Petushok), Concert Suite For Orchestra
21. The Tale Of Tsar Saltan, Op. 57
22. Carnival Of The Animals, Zoological Fantasy For 2 Pianos & Ensemble
23. Berceuse, For Violin & Piano (Or Orchestra) In D Major, Op. 16
24. Tonadillas Al Estilo Antiguo, Songs (10) For Voice & Piano, H. 136
25. Goyescas (Serenata Goyesca; Dusk), For Piano, H. 63
26. La Gitana For Violin & Piano (After An 18th Century Arabo-Spanish Gypsy Song)
27. Papillon, For Cello & Piano, Op. 77
28. L' Enfant Prodigue, Sce Lyrique For Voices & Orchestra, L. 57
29. Pie En Forme De Habanera, For Solo Instrument & Keyboard (Arr.)
30. Kaddisch, Song For Voice & Piano (Modie Hraue No. 1)
31. O Mensch, Bewein' Dein' Sde Gross, Chorale Prelude For Organ (Orgel-Bhlein N
32. Herzlich Tut Mich Verlangen, Chorale Prelude For Organ, Bwv 727 (Bc K109)
33. Ich Ruf Zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ (I), Chorale Prelude For Organ (Orgel-Bhlein
34. Nun Komm Der Heiden Heiland (I), Chorale Prelude For Organ (Orgel-Bhlein No. 1
35. Sonata For Cello & Continuo In C Major, G. 6 (Six Sonatas No. 2)

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Fournier.......2004-02-16

On this 4CD EMI Import, the great cellist Pierre Fournier performs a variety of orchestral and chamber recordings, recorded primarily in mono from the 1940s and early 50s. There are three orchestral works -- Haydn's 2nd Concerto (Kubelik/Philharmonia, 1951), Schumann's Concerto (Sargent/Philharmonia, 1956 in stereo), and Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations (Bigot/Lamoureux, 1941). Disc two, and half of disc three, contain Beethoven Cello Sonatas with the great Artur Schnabel, while the fourth disc features a variety of pieces, from Bach and Boccherini to Debussy and Ravel, with pianist Gerald Moore. I'm withholding a fifth star because the collection contains mostly historical recordings, though it certainly captures one of history's greatest cellists in his prime. With that being said, "Les Introuvables de Pierre Fournier" is a must buy for cello entusiasts.

Average customer rating: A Viola Master In His Prime Heartrending

William Primrose Collection Vol.2 Manufacturer: Doremi Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Boccherini | Boccherini, Luigi | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Foster, Stephen | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Kreisler | Kreisler, Fritz | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Paganini, Niccolò | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Clarinet | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Primrose, William | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: William Primrose Collection, Vol.1 William Primrose Collection, Vol. 3 William Primrose Collection Vol. 4 Handel: Concerto in B/Walton: Viola Concerto/Williams: Flos Campi/Bach: Komm/Schubert: Litanei/Dvorak: Humoresque/Nev The Early Recordings, Violin and Viola ASIN: B00004KD3Q Release Date: 2000-03-14

Tracks:

1. Son in f, Op.120 No.1: I. Allegro Appassionata - William Primrose/William Kapell
2. Son in f, Op.120 No.1: II. Andante Un Poco Adagio - William Primrose/William Kapell
3. Son in f, Op.120 No.1: III. Allegretto Grazioso - William Primrose/William Kapell
4. Son in f, Op.120 No.1: IV. Vivace - William Primrose/William Kapell
5. Son in E flat, Op.120 No.1: I. Allegro Amabile - William Primrose/Gerald Moore
6. Son in E flat, Op.120 No.1: II. Allegro Appassionato - William Primrose/Gerald Moore
7. Son in E flat, Op.120 No.1: III. Andante Con Moto - William Primrose/Gerald Moore
8. Son No.6 in A: I. Adagio Molto - William Primrose/Joseph Kahn
9. Son No.6 in A: III. Allegro Moderato - William Primrose/Joseph Kahn
10. Concert Hall Recordings: Armed Forces Radio Service: Caprice No.24 - William Primrose
11. Concert Hall Recordings: Armed Forces Radio Service: Policinelle - William Primrose
12. Concert Hall Recordings: Armed Forces Radio Service: I Dream Of Jeannie With The Light-Brown Hair - William Primrose
13. Concert Hall Recordings: Armed Forces Radio Service: Andante Cantabile Op.11 - William Primrose

Customer Reviews:

A Viola Master In His Prime.......2005-05-01

William Primrose (1904-1982) was arguably the greatest of all violists. These recordings demonstrate that his virtuosity went hand in hand with supreme musicianship. The major items here are the two Brahms Sonatas, originally written for clarinet but later arranged by the composer for viola and piano. #1 (recorded 1946) is with pianist William Kapell, while #2 (recorded 1937) is with Gerald Moore. The transfers here are superior to Pearl's (both sonatas) and RCA's Kapell Edition (#1 only). I prefer these bolder performances to Primrose's later accounts with Rudolf Firkusny (Angel).

In #1 the tragically short-lived Kapell is a superb partner in a reading that is more dynamic and dramatic than any other I've heard. The sound here is warm and full. Moore is a fine accompanist in #2, which suffers a bit from its older sound.

The Boccherini Sonata #6 (1939, with Joseph Kahn) is a lovely work, and it's performed with great sensitivity and noble tone. The four encore items (from wartime Armed forces radio broadcasts) are delightful: a dazzling Paganini Caprice, Kreisler's Policinelle, an arrangement of Tchaikovsky's Andante Cantabile, and a gorgeously schmalzy rendition of Foster's "I dream of Jeannie with the light-brown hair."

I'm keeping this CD and weeding my other versions.

Highly recommended.

Heartrending.......2004-03-27

As a player and passionate fan of the viola, I can personally say that these are the most gorgeous pieces for solo viola I've heard. Wiliam Primrose is the king of the viola- his instrument sings like only a viola can on these recordings. If you love the rich, mellow sound of a viola, or are wondering what on earth a viola is, I highly recommend this recording. Either way, you won't be disappointed.

Track Listings:

1. Bronislaw Huberman in Performance
2. Bruch: Odysseus
3. Cara: Fiamma Amorosa et Bella
4. Carmina Burana & Great Classical Marches (Box Set) [Box set]
5. Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor Op. 11; Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor Op. 21
6. Chopin Piano Concertos
7. Cinema:Silent Film Music by J.S. Zamecnik
8. Classical Piano
9. Complete Solo Piano Music
10. Composers' Voice Portrait

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Ultimate Collection [Import]

Best of Christmas

Boogie To Heaven

The Last Dance of Mr. X

Bonafide [Import]

Bless the Name of Jesus

Bonsoir Amis [Enhanced] [Import] [Live]

Arturo Toscanini Collection, Volumes 67-70: The Philadelphia Orchestra Recordings

Break in the Storm

Bird on 52nd Street [Live]

Bury The Hatchet [Explicit Cover] [Explicit Lyrics]

Beyond the Valley of the... [Import]

Brainwashed [CD-single] [Import]

I Commit

Barbeque Dog