Niklas Schmidt, the cellist on this recording, was a founding member of the internationally renowned and award-winning Trio Fontenay for two decades.
Critical Reception
Richard Strauss initially distanced himself from his early Cello Sonata, but since the 1970s, interest in the piece has been rekindled, and it now holds a significant place in late Romantic chamber music.
Composer Biography
Rachmaninoff's first symphony premiere in 1897 was a complete fiasco, leading to a three-year depression where he was unable to compose.
Composition History
Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto, his most successful composition, was written after 1900 and gratefully dedicated to Nikolai Dahl, a psychiatrist whose hypnosis therapy helped him overcome a deep depression.
Compositional Technique
Rachmaninoff specifically titled his work 'Sonata for violoncello and piano' to emphasize the equal importance of the piano in the duo partnership.
Composer Biography
Richard Strauss, as a toddler, was delighted by the sound of the French horn but cried at the sound of the violin.
Composition History
Richard Strauss composed his Cello Sonata in 1881 and dedicated it to Hanuš Wihan, a cello soloist and colleague of Strauss's father.
You might also enjoy...
Chopin & Rachmaninoff Cello Sonatas
Prokofiev & Roslavetz: Works for Cello & Piano
Brahms: Sonatas For Cello And Piano
Shostakovich / Prokofiev / Britten: Sonatas For Cello And Piano
Mendelssohn, Hensel & Sterndale Bennett: Sonatas for Cello & Piano
Joachim Raff – Complete Works for Cello & Piano
Fuchs: Sonatas for Cello and Piano
Fuchs: Sonatas for Cello and Piano
Brahms: Cello sonatas
Russian Cello Sonatas
Fauré, Greig & Rachmaninoff: Works for Cello & Piano
