Customer Reviews

Beethoven: The 5 Cello Sonatas

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This is a superb recording of Beethoven's sonatas for cello and piano. Richter and Rostropovich play beautifully. The other reviewer is mistaken, however, in stating that these sonatas haven't been released in the U.S. and are only available in this import edition; Philips released this recording in 1994 as part of a "2-for-1" set entitled "Beethoven: Complete Music for Cello & Piano." Type "B0000041A9" in the search field and you'll find it. The cover art is different, but it's the same recording. The disc is available for $17.98; $3.50 less than this edition, and also includes 30 minutes of music featuring Jean Francaix and Maurice Gendron that this import edition doesn't have: Beethoven's variations based on themes from Mozart's 'The Magic Flute' and Handel's 'Judas Maccabaeus.'

What a fabulous treasure these recordings are!

Bring together two musicians of such renown as Richter and Rostropovich and you usually get a collision of two massive forces. But such is not the case here. The play with incredible unison; you would swear they had played together for decades when they made these recordings.

Rostropovich has proved himself very adept at melding into ensembles, so for his part I am not surprised. For example, on two occassions he has joined forces with a well known string quartet ensemeble to pull together fabulous recordings of the Schubert String Quintet (once in the 1970s with the Melos Quartet on Amazon asin #B000001G6G, then again in the 1990s with the Emerson Quartet on Amazon asin # B000001GFA).

Equally, some of Richter's memorable lieder accompaniments come to mind as testaments of his adaptability, so that these two could get together and make such a great team should come as no surprise.

Kudos to Amazon for importing this title, for Philips chose not to make it available in the USA in general.

Waste no time. Get this in your collection now!

Here are two legendary musicians, at the absolute top of their game, giving possibly the best rendition of these pieces in the last 50 years.

There are plenty of notable recordings out there, including Jacqueline du Pre and Daniel Baremboim, but they all sound limp and lacklustre compared to the utterly invigorating playing here. Richter's virtuosity and passion is nothing short of miraculous and Rostrapovic's cello is from another world altogether. Together they blow every other pretender out of the water.

A must-have.

A very fine recording which gives justice to two great performers.

Highly recommended.