The latter half of the 19th century produced relatively few chamber works featuring the cello. Among those that did emerge by prominent composers, many are neglected and underperformed on today's concert stages. Two such works are the Chopin G minor Sonata -- the venerable pianist's final published composition -- and Saint-Saëns' Second Sonata in F major. Both of these sonatas were the product of an unusually long and arduous compositional process for the two composers who frequently penned works quickly. The results, ...
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The latter half of the 19th century produced relatively few chamber works featuring the cello. Among those that did emerge by prominent composers, many are neglected and underperformed on today's concert stages. Two such works are the Chopin G minor Sonata -- the venerable pianist's final published composition -- and Saint-Saëns' Second Sonata in F major. Both of these sonatas were the product of an unusually long and arduous compositional process for the two composers who frequently penned works quickly. The results, however, make all the revisions worthwhile. The Saint-Saëns sonata is a vibrant, overtly virtuosic piece that belies the septuagenarian's advancing years; the drama and tumult in Chopin's final years play out in the sometimes brooding G minor Sonata. In both cases, the writing for each instrument is highly idiomatic, and together they form well-balanced, dynamic chamber music partnerships. So, too, do cellist Jamie Walton and pianist Daniel Grimwood in this gripping Signum Classics album....
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