Document

  1985
    January 1985
        Chamber Music
                Beethoven Cello Sonatas.

Beethoven Cello Sonata—No. 1 in F, Op. 5 No. 1. Cello Sonata—No. 2 in G minor, Op. 5 No. 2. Cello Sonata—No. 3 in A, Op. 69. Cello Sonata—No. 4 in C, Op. 102 No. 1. Cello Sonata—No. 5 in D, Op. 102 No. 2. Mstislav Rostropovich (vc) Sviatoslav Richter (pf)

Philips (Full price) (LP) 412 256-1PH2 (two records, nas) (Cassette) 412 256-4PH2 (CD) 412 256-2PH2. (digitally re-mastered) From SAL3453/4 (2/64).

This was one of the great recordings of the 1960s, and it still sounds magnificent. Richter rightly sees the piano as being of equal importance with the cello, yet although he plays with assertion and virility, he never drowns the cello. (All praise to the balance engineer.) His technique is phenomenal. Would any other pianist today risk such a breakneck tempo in the finale of the G minor? In the first movement (both repeats take it almost up to 20 minutes, and I'm not complaining), some of Richter's triplet quavers come very near to losing their clarity, but his flamboyance and aggression pay off, and his phrasing is always a joy. Then there's Rostropovich, the supreme cellist of our time, his technique astonishing, his musicianship mesmeric. In my experience, the Op. 5 Sonatas have never sounded so compelling. I did just wonder if the Op. 69 Sonata in A might have benefited from a slightly more relaxed approach from the pianist, a touch more expression in the slow movement (why, on why did Beethoven limit it to only 18 bars?), but this too is an unforgettable performance of the highest quality, and in those enigmatic Op. 102 Sonatas the players reveal subtleties that make them much more approachable than usual.

In murky piano writing below the bass stave, for instance in the D major's fugue, the CD version is a little clearer than the LP, but in general the latter is almost as pleasing. In short, these are splendid recordings of inspirational performances, and they can be strongly recommended both on CD and LP.

RF



		This was one of the great recordings of the 1960s, and it still sounds magnificent. Richter rightly sees the piano as being of equal importance with the cello, yet although he plays with assertion and virility, he never drowns the cello. (All praise to the balance engineer.) His technique is phenomenal. Would any other pianist today risk such a breakneck tempo in the finale of the G minor? In the first movement (both repeats take it almost up to 20 minutes, and I'm not complaining), some of Richter's triplet quavers come very near to losing their clarity, but his flamboyance and aggression pay off, and his phrasing is always a joy. Then there's Rostropovich, the supreme cellist of our time, his technique astonishing, his musicianship mesmeric. In my experience, the Op. 5 Sonatas have never sounded so compelling. I did just wonder if the Op. 69 Sonata in A might have benefited from a slightly more relaxed approach from the pianist, a touch more expression in the slow movement (why, on why did Beethoven limit it to only 18 bars?), but this too is an unforgettable performance of the highest quality, and in those enigmatic Op. 102 Sonatas the players reveal subtleties that make them much more approachable than usual.



		In murky piano writing below the bass stave, for instance in the D major's fugue, the CD version is a little clearer than the LP, but in general the latter is almost as pleasing. In short, these are splendid recordings of inspirational performances, and they can be strongly recommended both on CD and LP.