# Favorites Cello Sonatas



## Chrythes

We had a thread about about our favourite violin sonatas, so I believe having one dedicated to our favourite cello sonatas is appropriate. 

Ii'll start with - Schnitkke First Cello Sonata, Weinberg first Cello Sonata, Faure's basically every work for the Cello, especially those preformed by Steven Isserlis and Brahms both Cello sonatas.


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## Ukko

Beethoven's last two. Enescu's 2nd


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## spradlig

Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata. Both of Brahms's. Most of Beethoven's are at least very good.


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## mmsbls

I'll give a very strong second to the Brahms. Both are wonderful. I love Beethoven's 3rd sonata. I have not heard the 4th so I should definitely give that a listen.

I also love both of Mendelssohn's sonatas and Nicolai Myaskovsky's sonata.


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## principe

Beethoven's five Sonatas are the best and most inspiring music for this medium. They are the most musical, the most audacious and the most effective for both the cello and the piano. Each one is a stroke of genius, but, perhaps the last one in D major is the most beautiful with a tempestuous First movement (listen to the recording of DuPre/Covacevich: absolutely breathtaking), a magnificent and sublime slow one and a perfect fugato Finale to honour Bach as well.
From the Romantic era, Brahms is solid, impressive and quite demanding for both players. Saint-Saen's First Sonata is also a great work to listen as well as the two by Faure.
Finally, from the actual 20th century, Shostakovich's Sonata is by far the best work ever composed for the instrument since Beethoven. Weinberg, Myaskovsky and the rest follow him (Weinberg is very effective), but they cannot reach the Master's magnificent Sonata.

Principe


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## Mephistopheles

I think Steven Isserlis's disc of Faure's Cello Works is wonderful, but I think Faure excelled better with the smaller pieces like the Elegie and the Romance. I'm yet to be taken by the sonatas. I would instead give another thumbs up to Brahms, and then a nod to Grieg and Rachmaninov.


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## spradlig

I forgot to mention Shostakovich and Prokofiev. Another poster mentioned Saint-Saens and Mendelssohn - I was unaware they had written any.


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## Head_case

I like the Isserlis recordings of Faurés complete cello works too.

Truls Mork's recordings of the Myaskovsky sonatas, alongside Tarasova's classics are my favourites.

Of the 21st century repertoire, I guess they don't call them cello sonatas much anymore -










I love Patosz's works, especially the cello works by Pawel Szymanski; James Dillon & Henri Dutilleux.


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## principe

If transcriptions of Sonatas can be considered as well, there are plenty of marvelous recordings of the glorious and monumental Violin Sonata in A major by Cesar Franck. It does not sound the same on cello, but, still, it is a marvel of a composition, worthy of further listening.

Principe


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## Sonata

Debussy's Sonata in D Minor. Listening right now!


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## Dongiovanni

Both Brahms sonatas ! I especially like the first one. 

I also have the Steven Isserlis CD with Faure music for piano and cello. I especially like the short pieces.

And, Chopin. Yes, he wrote a sonata for cello and piano. It's not a very popular work compared to his solo piano music.


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## peeyaj

Schubert's Sonata for Arpeggione and Piano (played by the cello, obviously). The most beautiful "cello" sonata ever written.

Favorite recording:


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## Webernite

I've never really liked cello sonatas.


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## joen_cph

A few fine ones not mentioned so far:
Barber (Walfisch recording !), Hindemith op.11,3, Reger´s, Peter Arnold Heise´s, Martinu´s (No.2 in the Accent recording !), Rachmaninov, Anton Rubinstein 1 & 2 (some of his better works IMO), Roslavets 1+2, Prokofiev, York Bowen, Carl Reinecke (3; CPO recording !), Lekeu, Saint-Saens 1+2, Vermeulen 1+2 ...


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## appoggiatura

Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Brahms... Needs no explanation I think


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## principe

Rachmaninov is a "heavy", unashamedly deep Romantic work. Not for everyone. Chopin is a Sonata for Piano, which happen to have a cello line too! Saint'Saens no. 1 have been mentioned by me. Is a wonderful balanced Romantic work. Prokofiev's is a transcription (if I remember well). Rubinstein, Lekeu, Reinecke and the more modern are of limited interest to those who can embark in the respective eras and composers.
Arpegione is a very beautiful Sonata, but it is not originally for Cello. So, it can count along with the transcriptions, but, there, we have Franck's Sonata in A (originally for Violin) and, then, the competition gets very hard...

Principe


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## Beban

Pejačević 
Cello Sonata


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## DiesIraeCX

1. *Beethoven #4*, Op. 102/1 (1815)

2. *Debussy*, L. 135 (1915)

3. *Beethoven #5*, Op. 102/2 (1815)

4. *Schubert Arpeggione Sonata*, D. 821 (1824)

5. *Brahms #1*, Op. 38 (1862-65)


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## worov

Ginastera :


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## Bayreuth

DiesIraeCX said:


> 1. *Beethoven #4*, Op. 102/1 (1815)
> 
> 2. *Debussy*, L. 135 (1915)
> 
> 3. *Beethoven #5*, Op. 102/2 (1815)
> 
> 4. *Schubert Arpeggione Sonata*, D. 821 (1824)
> 
> 5. *Brahms #1*, Op. 38 (1862-65)


I think that, changing Beethoven 5 for Shostakovich, I could totally relate with your ranking


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## KenOC

SweetJesus said:


> I think that, changing Beethoven 5 for Shostakovich, I could totally relate with your ranking


But...you can't have a list with Shostakovich's cello sonata without including Prokofiev's as well.


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## LHB

How has no one mentioned the Kodaly yet? :O


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## Art Rock

Brahms' two sonatas stand out a mile for me in this repertoire. After these I would pick Shostakovich.


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## Guest

KenOC said:


> But...you can't have a list with Shostakovich's cello sonata without including Prokofiev's as well.


Ditch 'em both for Carter's, if that's the case.


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## Bayreuth

KenOC said:


> But...you can't have a list with Shostakovich's cello sonata without including Prokofiev's as well.


Can you believe that I'm not familiar with Prokofiev's cello sonata?? Now I realize what an indecency that is. I need to change that. Do you have any particular performer in mind??


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Does anyone else like Michael Hersch's cello sonatas?


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## Animal the Drummer

Rachmaninov's masterpiece for me. Samuel Barber's sonata is a gem too.


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## worov

SweetJesus said:


> Can you believe that I'm not familiar with Prokofiev's cello sonata?? Now I realize what an indecency that is. I need to change that. Do you have any particular performer in mind??


That's an unforgivable sin :devil:

You can listen to your friend Martha and Gidon Kremer. They play these very good.


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## PeterF

1. Brahms
2. Beethoven
3. Franck
4. Mendelssohn

Haven't heard the Schubert piece arranged for cello, but need to do so.


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## TurnaboutVox

My favourites include:

Hummel
Beethoven Op 5/1, 5/2, 102/1 & 102/2
Faure 1 & 2 (both late works, and quite 'elusive')
Kodaly (a composer who seems often to be overlooked)
Bridge (ditto!)
Debussy
Prokofiev
Shostakovich
Poulenc (this is typical, quirky and boisterous but with that faint tone of amused nostalgia which Poulenc always seems to induce in me!)


I don't know the Mendelssohn or Martinů sonatas well, or the Schnittke or Carter, although I have heard each at least once, but I intend to get to know them better.


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## Cosmos

I haven't listened to many cello sonatas  I need to get on that right away,

Of the ones I DO know, my favorites are those by Chopin, Rachmaninov, Brahms (2), the last two by Beethoven, and Poulenc


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## Ilarion

I am particularly fond of the Cello Sonatas by Brahms and Rachmaninov...


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## Aecio

Often overlooked, but Onslow Cello Sonatas op.16 are quite nice


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## TurnaboutVox

^^^^Thanks, Aecio, I will have a listen.


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## pianississimo

Shostakovich is hard to beat. I also love Prokofiev.
I've been listening to this guy a lot recently. This is a good recording http://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/kabalevsky-cello-concerto-prokofiev-cello-sonata


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## Vaneyes

This album's a long-time favorite. :tiphat:


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## Guest

Not a genre with a huge repertoire. Therefore, we can treasure these pieces! I don't think there will be a lot of disagreement if I say that Beethoven and Brahms are the richest pieces. (Shostakovich only wrote one).

I found a list of the core cello repertoire. Compositions in braquets are peripheral. They write:_ some are infrequently performed today but still hold a certain place in the repertoire, while others are gaining acceptance_.(Taken from: http://www.allthingsstrings.com/lay...IDES/A-Guide-to-the-Standard-Cello-Repertoire)

*Cello Sonatas*

Breval: C Major, Op. 40, No. 1 (same as Concertino No. 2)

[Hindemith: Kleine Sonata]

Romberg: Three Sonatas, Op. 43

Romberg: Three Sonatas, Op. 38

Vivaldi: E Minor, F. XIV, No. 5

[Vivaldi: Nine sonatas, F. XIV, Nos. 1-9]

Eccles: G Minor

Corelli: D Minor, Op. 5, No. 8 (Lindner)

[Telemann: D Major]

[B. Marcello: Six sonatas]

Sammartini: G Major (probably not by G.B. Sammartini)

[Handel-Lindner: Three sonatas]

[Beethoven: Op. 17, "Horn Sonata"]

Beethoven: Sonata in G Minor, Op. 5, No. 2

Beethoven: Sonata in F Major, Op. 5, No. 1

Breval: G Major, Op. 12, No. 5 (Moffat)

Boccherini-Piatti: Adagio and Allegro (from the Sonata in A Major)

Brahms: No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 38

Bach: Three Gamba Sonatas, BWV 1027-1029

Barber: C Minor, Op. 6

Shostakovich: D Minor, Op. 40

[Boccherini: 42 sonatas (at least this many)]

[Mendelssohn: No. 1 in B* Major, Op. 45]

[Kodály: Op. 4]

[Saint-Saëns: No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 32]

[Bridge: Sonata]

Francoeur: E Major (Trowell)

Beethoven: No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69

Debussy: D Minor

Mendelssohn: No. 2 in D Major, Op. 58

Beethoven: No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102, No. 1

Brahms: No. 2 in F Major, Op. 99

Valentini: E Major (Piatti)

Prokofiev: C Major, Op. 119

Rachmaninov: G Minor, Op. 19

Strauss: F Major, Op. 6

Grieg: A Minor, Op. 36

[Dohnányi: B Major, Op. 8]

[Martinu: No. 2]

[Hindemith: Op. 11, No. 3]

Beethoven: D Major, Op. 102, No. 2

Chopin: G Minor, Op. 65

Schubert: A Minor, "Arpeggione," D. 821

Franck: A Major (Delsart)

Britten: C Major, Op. 65

Poulenc: Sonate

Locatelli: D Major (Piatti)

[Kabalevsky: B Major, Op. 71]

[Carter: Sonata]

[Hindemith: Sonata (1948)]*


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## TurnaboutVox

There are also cello sonatas by Delius, Moeran, Rubbra, Ireland, Zemlinsky and Goldmark, from memory.

The only one of those I know well is the Delius, which is quite a curious work and quite elusive too. Raphael Wallfisch and Julian Lloyd-Webber have recorded it, amongst others.


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## Kjetil Heggelund

Pieter Wispelwey made cello sonatas out of Schubert's violin sonatinas  I especially like Schnittke's (1st) sonata. My wife also likes cello music so we listen to a lot of cello/piano, but often not sonatas. Mischa Maisky has some great recordings!


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## fluteman

I actually much prefer the list in wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cello_sonata, which includes the Kodaly sonata for solo cello Op. 8 and a number of works by major composers neglected entirely in this list, such as the Ravel violin and cello sonata. Also, this list describes important 20th century works as "peripheral", such as those of Carter, Kodaly and Hindemith.


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## Woodduck

There is a little-known but very attractive cello sonata by Ludwig Thuille.


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## EdwardBast

nathanb said:


> Ditch 'em both for Carter's, if that's the case.


I won't do any ditching, but must second the vote for Carter. Amazing in a good performance. The best I have heard was, alas, by a conservatory student.


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## quack

A few off the beaten track I like:

Bernd Alois Zimmermann - 



Lubos Sluka - 



 - D-S-C-H for Cello and Piano (couldn't find his cello sonata)
Andrew Violette - 



Lera Auerbach - 



Franco Alfano - 



Sofia Gubaidulina - 



 - Rejoice for cello and violin, extra squeaky
George Crumb -


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## Guest

This is a good Cello CD I'm enjoying:


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## starthrower

Webernite said:


> I've never really liked cello sonatas.


Me either, even though I love the cello. I like solo cello, and concertos. Ligeti's sonata for solo cello is a favorite. I'll have to give the Brahm's another listen. I have two recordings. Janos Starker, and Rostropovich with Serkin. And I need to listen to some of Schnittke's chamber music.


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## GKC

Brahms (no. 1), Schubert, Beethoven no. 4, Shostakovich, Mahler (just kidding on that last one).


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## KenOC

GKC, you forgot Prokofiev! I place it narrowly ahead of Shostakovich, a rare thing for me.


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## hpowders

I don't see much written about the Chopin Cello Sonata, one of his greatest works. Love the meltingly beautiful slow movement!


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## Bachiana

At random and still incomplete. But I’ll give it a first try:

Beethoven #3 op. 69
Pierné op.46
Rachmaninoff op. 19
Alkan op. 47
Brahms #2 op. 99
Schubert Arpeggione
Greif op. 283 (Sonata de Requiem)
Kodály op. 8 (solo-sonata)
Martinu #3 op. 340
Shostakovich op. 40
Mendelssohn #1 op. 45 en #2 op. 58
Prokofiev op. 119
Fauré #2 op. 117
Koechlin op. 66
Grieg op. 36
Goldmark op. 39
Hurlstone


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## Pugg

Schubert Arpeggione and Grieg op. 36.


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## starthrower

Prokofiev is my new fave! I've only heard it performed live just last night.


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## Judith

Saw Steven Isserlis perform Beethoven Cello Sonata no 3 live in Harrogate with Connie Shih. It was beautiful so yes, it has become one of my favourite Cello Sonata. I could here similarities to the Beethoven Violin Sonata no 9. What does anyone else think?


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## Vaneyes

Never met a cello sonata that I didn't like. Stand-outs include LvB, Brahms, the French, the Russians. :tiphat:


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## Judith

Judith said:


> Saw Steven Isserlis perform Beethoven Cello Sonata no 3 live in Harrogate with Connie Shih. It was beautiful so yes, it has become one of my favourite Cello Sonata. I could here similarities to the Beethoven Violin Sonata no 9. What does anyone else think?


Just seen my post now and horrified!! Apologies for poor grammar. Couldn't see what I was typing on phone at the time.


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## Omicron9

If we're including solo cello sonatas, might I submit Benjamin Britten's three solo cello works:






For those with piano, Martinu:


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## hpowders

The Chopin is incomparable. Better than the 2 Brahms sonatas, IMO.


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## Brahmsian Colors

The Brahms No. 1. Favorite performance is Du Pre/Barenboim on EMI. I also enjoy Starker/Sebok on Mercury and Fournier/Firkusny on DG.


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