Shostakovich intended his Cello Sonata to be the first in a series of instrumental sonatas, aiming to address a perceived lack of such works by Soviet composers, who he felt excelled more in symphonies and operas.
Composition History
Sergei Prokofiev composed his Cello Sonata in C, Op. 119, in 1949, inspired by Mstislav Rostropovich's playing, despite having recently faced public criticism for his music.
Composition History
Dmitri Shostakovich's Cello Sonata in D Minor, Op. 40, was composed in 1934 during a period of personal turmoil for the composer, including a brief separation from his wife, Nina Varzar.
Historical Context
The premiere of Prokofiev's Cello Sonata faced bureaucratic hurdles, requiring performances for the Composer's Union and Radio Committee before a public debut, reflecting the challenges artists faced in the Soviet Union.
Composition History
Aram Khachaturian's Sonata-fantasia for Solo Cello, written in 1974, was the first of three solo string works composed in his final years, much of it while he was unwell in hospital.
Performer Biography
Marina Tarasova, the cellist on this album, is a renowned Russian cellist and winner of international competitions, including a Grand Prix in Paris for her performance of the Shostakovich Cello Sonata.
Compositional Technique
Khachaturian's Sonata-fantasia incorporates elements of Armenian folk music, with ornamented melodies suggesting improvised elaborations and a second theme invoking liturgical chant.
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