27 Apr 2019

Works written for Mstislav Rostropovich (1927-2007)

From Appointment, 7:00 pm on 27 April 2019
Rostropovich, Shostakovich and Richter

Rostropovich, Shostakovich and Richter Peoples Artists of the USSR Photo: RIA Novosti archive, image #478141, Commons:RIA Novosti

It’s already been twelve years since the death of Russian cellist and conductor, Mstislav ‘Slava’ Rostropovich.

Of his 80 years, Rostropovich dedicated over 60 to performing, commissioning and conducting works from composers on both sides of the Iron Curtain. And aside from his phenomenal cello technique, perhaps the defining feature of Slava’s career was his steadfast commitment to new music.

Robbie Ellis charts the works written for Rostropovich, with examples of just some of the 100 premières he commissioned written by composers and friends: Dmitri Shostakovich, Sergei Prokofiev, Henri Dutilleux, Witold Lutoslawski, Alfred Schnittke, and Benjamin Britten.

Music Details:

PROKOFIEV: Symphony-Concerto in E minor Op 125: I (EMI CZS 5 72016)
PROKOFIEV: Cello Sonata in C Op 119: I, II (Live Classics LCL 641)
PROKOFIEV: Symphony-Concerto in E minor Op 125: II, III (EMI CZS 5 72016)
WEINBERG: Cello Concerto Op 43: I (EMI CZS 5 72016)
SHOSTAKOVICH: Cello Sonata in D minor Op 40: IV (Channel Classics 20003)
SHOSTAKOVICH: Cello Concerto No 1 in Eb Op 107: II, I, IV (BBC Legends 4143)
BRITTEN: Cello Sonata in C Op 65: I, II (Decca)
A KHACHATURIAN: Concerto Rhapsody (BBC Legends 4073-2)
BRITTEN: Cello Symphony: I, III (Decca Best Of – Rostropovich/ECO/Britten)
SHOSTAKOVICH: Cello Concerto No 2 in G Op 126: II (Signum Classics SIGCD 137)
B TCHAIKOVSKY: Cello Partita: VI (EMI CZS 5 72016)
PÄRT: Cello Concerto, Pro et contra: III (BIS CD 434)
DUTILLEUX: Cello Concerto, Tout un monde lointain: II (EMI CDC 7 49304)
LUTOSŁAWSKI: Cello Concerto: (EMI CDC 7 49304)
BRITTEN: Cello Suite No 3 Op 87: Three Russian folk songs and Requiem melody (Channel Classics 17198)
BERNSTEIN: Slava! A Political Overture (DG 469 8292)
ALBERT: Symphony No 1, RiverRun: II (Naxos 8.559257)
SHOSTAKOVICH: Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk: Act I Scene 3: ‘Kto eto, kto, kto stuchit?’ (EMI 7 499552)
SCHNITTKE: Life with an Idiot: Act II Scene 1: ‘Ekh!’ (Sony S2K 52495)
SCHNITTKE: Cello Sonata No 2: V (EMI CZS 5 72016)
PENDERECKI: Largo for cello and orchestra (Naxos 8.570509)

 

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