Classical Music | Cello Music

Recorded on 12/20/2011, uploaded on 12/20/2011

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Sergei Rachmaninoff completed his one and only sonata for the cello in November 1901, and premiered the work on December 2 with Anatoliy Brandukov as the soloist. Several changes were made after its premiere and are the reason the date “12 December 1901” appears on the score. Rachmaninoff himself did not think of the work as a sonata for cello, but instead as a collaborative work for both instruments. His choice of title reflects this and, indeed, hearkens back to a Classical nomenclature that was revived in the official titles of the chamber sonatas of Johannes Brahms, but is even today hardly used. Indeed, in Rachmaninoff’s sonata, the piano at times even assumes the greater role between the two instruments.

The sonata opens with a slow introduction establishing the key of G minor before leading into the main body of the first movement. At the start of the Allegro moderato, a dramatic but lyrical theme is heard and punctuated by a forceful motif in the piano. A more subdued melody, yet one that at times soars into heaven, later appears as the movement’s second theme. A stormy development ensues driven in large part by the piano, who eventually usurps the full attention of the listener from the soloist, towards its close. Both themes are reprised and the movement closes with Rachmaninoff’s signature conclusive flourish.

The following Allegro scherzando abounds with an almost demonic energy and is propelled forward by its agitated and rhythmic motif. A gentler theme, however, appears in the Trio section that builds into a passionate and beautiful climax as the soloist soars into its upper register. The piano then provides a dramatic reintroduction of the scherzo which leads to a quiet, sinister ending.

Considered the best of the sonata’s four movements, the Andante begins with a lovely and charming melody in the piano atop gentle broken chords, to which the cello answers with its own impassioned song. The material of this theme is developed through the course of the movement, eventually leading to a powerful and emotional climax.

Shifting to G major, the finale opens with an exuberant theme in the piano that is quickly taken up by the soloist and expanded. At first the movement sounds somewhat removed from the composer’s typical manner, but the beautifully lyrical second theme is purely Rachmaninoff. Both themes appear throughout the movement’s middle section but it is the spirit of the first theme that largely prevails. A mysterious section of arpeggios and cello pizzicati appears close to the end of the development and provides the impetus to build to the reprise of the first theme. Like earlier in the movement, the second theme is once again lovingly dwelt upon, but this time leads into a coda. Beginning in a slower tempo with melodic fragments over resonant chords in the piano, the coda later adopts the joyous first theme to close the sonata.      Joseph DuBose

The Steans Music Institute is the Ravinia Festival's professional studies program for young musicians.