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Sat, 02 Sep 2006

Shostakovich and Schnittke, Cello

Shostakovich and Snittke
Cello Sonatas
Alban Gerhardt
Steven Osborne
LP, Hyperion

On this disc are Shostakovich's Sonata in D minor for cello and piano, three pieces from Alfred Schnittke including Sonata No 1 for cello and piano and eight further smaller pieces from Shostakovich.

The first piece was premiered in 1934 and was thought conservative at the time, considering what Shostakovich had been up to a little earlier. He was, of course, within the Soviet Russian system - a system that had its official likes and dislikes, and woe betide you if you went on the wrong side of the fence. As it happens, Shostakovich had been officially censured a little before the cello sonata.

For the most part, most of this CD is for the lovers of darker cello moments. Sprightly is not a word that springs to mind here. (Baron K)

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