Sergei Rachmaninoff's Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19, a sonata for cello and piano, was composed in 1901 and published a year later. As typical of sonatas in the Romantic period, it has four movements. Rachmaninoff disliked calling it a cello sonata because he thought the two instruments were equal. Because of this, it is often referred to as Sonata in G Minor for Cello and Piano. Most of the themes are introduced by the cello, while they are em...
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Sergei Rachmaninoff's Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19, a sonata for cello and piano, was composed in 1901 and published a year later. As typical of sonatas in the Romantic period, it has four movements. Rachmaninoff disliked calling it a cello sonata because he thought the two instruments were equal. Because of this, it is often referred to as Sonata in G Minor for Cello and Piano. Most of the themes are introduced by the cello, while they are embellished and expanded in the piano's part. He dedicated it to Anatoliy Brandukov, who gave the first performance. It is hailed as one of the most important cello sonatas of the 20th century.
The sonata was overshadowed by the huge success of his second piano concerto, which premiered on November 24, 1901. It was first played in Moscow.
The work takes approximately 30 minutes to perform.
Arcadi Volodos transcribed the Andante of this work for piano solo. Volodos also recorded this transcription.
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