Rostropovich and Richter: Beethoven cello sonatas

On August 30 1964 the two great Soviet artists Mstislav Rostropovich and Sviatoslav Richter appeared together on the stage of the Usher Hall to give an epic concert consisting of all five of Beethoven’s Cello Sonatas.  This was part of the Edinburgh Festival, of which Lord Harewood was then Director.  The event was remarkable, not only for the artistic combination of these two great artists, but because the series of sonatas had rarely been played in their entirety anywhere in the world.

Only two sonatas in the series survive in the Music Preserved collection in playable form and these are the Third and Fourth Sonatas in A major, op 69 and D major, op 102 No 1.  The Third Sonata was written in 1807-8, around the time of the Fifth Symphony.  Up to this time such works had been written primarily as a vehicle for the pianist, with the stringed instrument playing a subsidiary role.  The Third Sonata is the first where the two players are treated as equals and become the model for the future.  Its classical and highly melodic style made it highly popular with audiences from the very start.

The two Cello Sonatas of op 102 were written seven years later, between May and December 1815 and were published in 1817.  This was a difficult period for Beethoven with the increasing onset of his deafness and they demonstrate the growing complexity and visionary nature of his writing.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)

Track 1:

Sonata for Cello and Piano in A major, op 69

1. Allegro ma non tanto
2. Scherzo. Allegro molto
3. Adagio cantabile – Allegro vivace

Track 2:

Sonata for Cello and Piano in C major, op 102, No 1

1. Andante – Allegro vivace
2. Adagio – Tempo d’andante – Allegro vivace

This recording was made from a relay of a concert given in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh on August 30 1964 as part of the Edinburgh Festival.

The recording is in the Saul Collection at Music Preserved.

• Mstislav Rostropovich
  Cello
• Sviatoslav Richter
  Piano