# Sublime works for solo cello (+/- piano)



## MagneticGhost

The following are some of my favourite pieces for cello solo. I've probably missed some of my own favourites out, such is the size of the repertoire. And I've definitely missed some of yours out.
Which ones?


Bach's Cello Suites (obviously)
Chopin - Cello Sonata
Rachmaninov - Cello Sonata
Brahms - Cello Sonata no.1 in E minor
Faure - Elegy
Mendelssohn - Cello Sonatas 1+2
Shostakovich - Cello Sonata
Henze - Serenade for Cello Solo
Debussy - Cello Sonata


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## ahammel

Kodály's _Sonata_ is my favourite work for solo cello, despite Bach's _Suites_.


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## PetrB

The Solo 'Cello suites by Britten are pretty terrific.

The Duo for Violin & 'Cello of Kodaly is another winner.

The Sonata for 'Cello and Piano of Elliott Carter is quite wonderful, too.


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## Aramis

As far as romantic cello sonatas go, Grieg shouldn't be forgotten. Like his SQs, the sonata is positively accessible and typically Scandinavian-flavour piece.


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## Ukko

Alkan's cello sonata is also 'accessible'. The composer's correspondence expressed that care was taken to make it so.


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## Klavierspieler

Barber's Cello Sonata is another goody.

Schumann's _Fünf Stücke im Volkston_ for Cello and Piano are very tasty indeed.


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## Jokke

Schubert's "arpeggione" sonata for cello and piano is very nice also.

Take some time and have a listen :


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## ahammel

Weberns _Three Little Pieces_ are good if you're in a hurry. He wasn't kidding when he said they were little.


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## elgar's ghost

In addition to some mentioned above I also like those by Poulenc, Roslavets, Myaskovsky, Prokofiev, Hindemith and Schnittke.

Oh, and Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata, if that's allowed.


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## Fortinbras Armstrong

Yoyo Ma did a brilliant job playing cello on Mark O'Connor's Appalachia Waltz


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## Larkenfield

_Vocalise_ transcription for cello and piano:


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## flamencosketches

I really believe in this genre, but I have yet to find pieces that I would rate as sublime. I have hope for Chopin's cello sonata, but the only recording I have, Pierre Fournier and his son, features less than remarkable piano playing. If someone can recommend to me a recording of this work featuring two world class musicians, that would be appreciated.

Two great works that come to mind are Anton Webern's 3 Kleine Stücke, op.11, and Alfred Schnittke's Sonata for Cello and Piano (if there are multiple, I forget, I think it's the first one).


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## elgar's ghost

For solo cello I would also suggest the three suites by Max Reger, the _After Reading Shakespeare_ suite by Ned Rorem, the solo cello sonata op.25 no.3 by Paul Hindemith and the _Madrigal in Memoriam Oleg Kagan_ by Schnittke.


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## chesapeake bay

I'll add Bloch cello suite no 1, Reger's cello suites, Ligeti cello sonata and Sibelius theme and variations for solo cello


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## Ras

flamencosketches said:


> I really believe in this genre, but I have yet to find pieces that I would rate as sublime.


Have you tried the Russian approach: *Rachmaninov? Shostakovich?*

*Shostakovich made a good recording of his own cello sonata with Daniel Safran on cello.* But the sound is very bad - it's a very old recording.

For a good recording and good sound in both Rach and Shosty Ashkenazy and Lynn Harrell is very good:











> I have hope for Chopin's cello sonata, but the only recording I have, Pierre Fournier and his son, features less than remarkable piano playing. If someone can recommend to me a recording of this work featuring two world class musicians, that would be appreciated.


For *Chopin* these Scandinavian kids are unbeatable:


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## Ras

flamencosketches said:


> I really believe in this genre, but I have yet to find pieces that I would rate as sublime. .


You do know Beethoven's 3rd, opus 69, right? Don't you like it?


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## flamencosketches

Ras said:


> You do know Beethoven's 3rd, opus 69, right? Don't you like it?


I like it, but again, I've only heard the recording with Fournier and his son, which I feel is less than stellar.

I'll have to check out those Russian cello sonatas, thanks.


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## Merl

flamencosketches said:


> I really believe in this genre, but I have yet to find pieces that I would rate as sublime. I have hope for Chopin's cello sonata, but the only recording I have, Pierre Fournier and his son, features less than remarkable piano playing. If someone can recommend to me a recording of this work featuring two world class musicians, that would be appreciated.
> .


I like this one a lot.


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## insomniclassicac

Ernest Chausson, _Piéce For Cello And Piano_, Op.39


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## chesapeake bay

can't remember where I ran across this but it is a cool piece

__
https://soundcloud.com/sara-corry%2Fsets


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## Ras

*Beethoven's 3rd sonata for cello and piano, op. 69.*



flamencosketches said:


> I like it, but again, I've only heard the recording with Fournier and his son, which I feel is less than stellar.


I haven't heard the Beethoven recording by Fournier and Fournier Jr., but there are *two good ones on DG by Fournier with W. Kempff (released 1966) and F. Gulda on piano (released 1960). Both in complete sets on 2 cds.*

An old favorite of mine is from an *EMI box with Jacqueline du Pre on cello and S. Kovacevich(/Bishop) on piano - It's the most emotionally intense and romantic interpretation of Beethoven's 3rd cello sonata (included is also the 5th with Kovacevich + all the Beethoven works for cello and piano played by du Pre and Barenboim).* 
The box with du Pre is big: 17 cds and it was cheap when I bought it:









Another favorite of mine is *P. Wispelwey on cello with Dejan Lazic on piano (Channel Classics) - they play modern instruments, but Wispelwey also made a period recording with Paul Komen (Channel) which is equally good:*

If you want something from *post 2000 try:

Zuill Bailey/Simone Dinnerstein on Telarc
Queyras/Melnikov on Harmonia Mundi
Gautier Capucon with Frank Braley on Erato
Kirschbaum/Wosner on Onyx
Philips/Guy on Elektra
Salque/Le Sage on Sony*

I think all of these recordings are on www.spotify.com


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## CnC Bartok

Try the lovely Pohadka (A Fairy Tale) by Leos Janacek. Not a major work of his admittedly, but the cello part is quite striking, and it's not awfully demanding on the listener (could well be for the cellist, mind!) The last movement was used quite extensively in the film The Unbearable Lightness of Being, if you know it.

This is a decent recording


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## RICK RIEKERT

Pierre Jalbert is a contemporary American composer who has written some very compelling music. His remarkable Sonata for Cello and Piano from 2007 immediately captured my attention and never let go.


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