Composer: Johannes Brahms, Franz Peter Schubert, Robert Schumann, Richard Strauss
Performer: David Geringas, Tatjana Geringas
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Es-Dur
Catalogue: ES2067
Release: 2016
Size: 286 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Schubert: Sonata in A minor ‘Arpeggione’, D821
01. I. Allegro moderato (Arr. For Cello & Piano)
02. II. Adagio (Arr. For Cello & Piano)
03. III. Allegretto (Arr. For Cello & Piano)
Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73
04. No. 1, Zart und mit Ausdruck
05. No. 2, Lebhaft, leicht
06. No. 3, Rasch und mit Feuer
Schumann: Stücke im Volkston, Op. 102
07. No. 1, Mit Humor
08. No. 2, Langsam
09. No. 3, Nicht schnell, mit viel Ton zu spielen
10. No. 4, Nicht zu rasch
11. No. 5, Stark und markiert
Brahms: 6 Lieder, Op. 86
12. No. 2, Feldeinsamkeit (Arr. For cello and piano)
Brahms: Lieder, Op. 105
13. No. 1, Wie Melodien zieht es mir (Arr. For cello and piano)
Brahms: 5 Lieder, Op. 94
14. No. 4. Sapphische Ode
Brahms: Wiegenlied, Op. 49
15. No. 4, Wiegenlied (Arr. For cello and piano)
Brahms: Minnelied Op. 71
16. No. 5, Minnelied (Arr. For cello and piano)
Brahms: 6 Gesänge, Op. 3
17. No. 1. Liebestreu
18. Strauss: Romanze in F Major, TrV 118 (Version for cello and piano)
‘Romantic Cello’ is the title of ES-Dur’s special compilation released for the 70th birthday of the eminent Lithuanian cellist David Geringas. It features works from the early to late romantic periods – by Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Richard Strauss.
The cellist’s wife, pianist Tatjana Geringas, was an ideal and passionate duet partner for 42 years. Even back in their Moscow Conservatory days – David Geringas with Mstislav Rostropovich, Tatjana Schatz in the master classes of Heinrich and Stanislav Neuhaus – the pair realised their joint destiny. After relocating from the Soviet Union to West Germany in 1975, the duo continued making music together and the composers here formed a major part of their joint repertoire.
Schubert’s Sonata for Arpeggione and Piano was composed in 1824 especially for the then new ‘guitare d’amour’ – a six-stringed instrument designed for playing in quartets. The work is often played on the violin or the viola, but the sound and the tonal range of the cello is evidently more comparable and has a wonderful songlike quality.
In the “most fruitful” year of his life, 1849, Robert Schumann composed two works which feature on the present recording: Fantasy Pieces op. 73 for clarinet (or cello), and the uniquely original Fünf Stücke im Volkston for cello and piano op. 102.
Brahms’s six Song transcriptions for cello and piano were published in 1896, a year before the composer’s death. These selected Lieder encompass the entire output of piano songs from the very first published songs, through to the Lieder of his final years. The 19-year-old Richard Strauss wrote Romance in F major for cello and piano in 1883 for his uncle, the magistrate Anton Ritter von Knözinger, reputedly an accomplished cellist.