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Martinu's three cello sonatas represent the most distinguished contribution to the genre by a 20th-century composer. In fact, there are only two other groups of works that stand up in comparison with them, those by Beethoven and Brahms. Music for piano and a low pitched instrument like the cello is very difficult to write, because the keyboard very easily overwhelms the string player, particularly in the deeper registers. Martinu rose to the challenge with unfailing musical imagination and his usual impeccable technique. These are tuneful, appealing pieces with exciting, propulsive quick movements and hauntingly lyrical slow ones. Rudolf Firkusny and János Starker are simply unbeatable, and chamber music lovers should snap this up without delay.
--David Hurwitz
