I Can’t Stop Listening: Eastern European Cello Sonatas That Sing

You might recall my praise for Martin Helmchen’s recording of Piano Concertos by Dvorak and Schumann a few weeks back.  On this recently released double set, Helmchen is joined by his wife, cellist Marie-Elisabeth Heckler in an album of cello sonatas entitled From Eastern Europe.

And what a program it is!  Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Weinberg, and Schnittke!  They date from Rachmaninoff’s G Minot Sonata written in 1901 to Alfred Schnittke’s First Cello Sonata in 1978.  Not discussed in the booklet is the fact that Rachmaninoff is the only one of these composers who didn’t have to deal with government oversight of his work.  The others were surprisingly successful at getting around such supervision. But more important is how delightful this program is.  The sequencing is not chronological, but arranged to make a superb “listen” for nearly Two and a half hours.  

Of course the cello is in the spotlight, but the piano is a definite partner.  The music is delightfully engaging.  Stravinsky’s piece is based on his Pulcinella.  The Prokofiev has echos of Romeo and Juliet and Cinderella.  The Shostakovich is accessible and a wonderful piece.  And so on…  

Marie- Elisabeth Heckler and Martin Helmchen play as one, and they clearly love this music.  Listen to the samples!  Just writing this makes me want to listen again— so I will!