Chopin, Rachmaninoff: Cello Sonatas

by Jean-Guihen Queyras, Alexander Melnikov

Overview

Cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras is not exactly a household name, at least not outside France, but he is emerging at the top of the pack. He has a wonderful sound in the classic French tradition, precise and yet delicately lyrical. The Chopin Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 65, fits his talents, and those of pianist Alexander Melnikov, beautifully. The Chopin sonata is virtually the only large, multi-movement work of the composer's full maturity, and it makes one curious about the directions in which he might have gone had he not died young. Queyras captures its polyphonic and motivic density -- much of the whole big first movement evolves from a single cell stated at the beginning -- with flashes of melody periodically penetrating the mists. Rachmaninov's Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19, is an ideal pairing for the Chopin and indeed was explicitly modeled on it, with a hefty first movement followed by three shorter studies. Queyras and Melnikov make the connections especially clear, and in general this is a recital that's both cohesive and beautiful. Superb sound from Berlin's Teldex Studio is a major plus. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	06/17/2022
Label:	Harmonia Mundi
UPC:	3149020943779
Rank:	75033

Tracks

1. Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 65~I. Allegro moderato
2. Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 65~II. Scherzo - Allegro con brio
3. Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 65~III. Largo
4. Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 65~IV. Finale - Allegro
5. Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19~I. Lento - Allegro moderato
6. Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19~II. Allegro scherzando
7. Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19~III. Andante
8. Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19~IV. Allegro mosso

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jean-Guihen Queyras   Primary Artist,Cello
Alexander Melnikov   Primary Artist,Piano

Technical Credits

Martin Sauer   Editing,Realization,Artistic Director
Charles Johnston   Liner Note Translation
Uwe Arens   Photography
Cecile Combes   Interviewer,Liner Notes
Thomas Boessl   Engineer
Gioffredo Cappa   Instrument Design
Irene Weber-Froboese   Liner Note Translation
Isabelle Rouard   Liner Notes
Frederic Chopin   Composer
Sergey Rachmaninov   Composer