Our Summer BAL 85 - Bridge Cello Sonata

[CallMePaul]

This is probably (with the possible exception of the Britten sonata) the most important work for cello and piano by a British composer. In my view it ranks in importance with its near contemporary the Debussy sonata as a major work for cello from the first part of the 20th century. Given the current emphasis in BAL on the "standard repertory", it seems unlikely to be included in BAL in the foreseeable future.

Available versions (from Presto website; apologies to Scandinavian musicians whose diacritics I am unable to include): -

Oihana Aristazabal Puga/ Lineke Lever
Alexander Baillie/ John Thwaites
Bettina Barbara Bertsch/ Mathias Weber
Oystein Birketand/ Anvik Verbjorn
Gautier Capucon/ Gabriela Montera (D)
Natalie Clein/ Christian Ihne Hadland
Steven Doane/ Barry Snyder (D)
Thomas Duran/ Nicolas Mallarte (D)
Steven Isserlis/ Connie Shih
Guy Johnston/ Kathryn Stott
Penelope Lynax/ Alexander Wells
Truls Mork/ Havard Gimse
Johannes Moser/ Paul Rivinius
Mstislav Rostropovich/ Benjamin Britten (Presto CD or D)
Rebecca Rust/ David Apter (D)
Kim Scholes/ Easley Blackwood
Per Segerstam/ Maria Beloousova (D)
Raphael Wallfisch/ Peter Wallfisch (D)
Paul Watkins/ Ian Brown
Paul Watkins/ Huw Watkins

Arranged for viola and piano: -
Hélene Clément/ Alasdaie Beatson
Martin Outram/ Julian Rolton

Arranged for trombone and piano: -
Mark Hetzler/ Martha Fischer

I cannot imagine how this sounds played on the trombone, but I guess that the viola version works well and that Bridge himself would have approved, given that he was a viola player. I have the Mork/ Grimse version which I enjoy and may at some point get the Rostropovich/ Britten which I would love to hear.

[CallMePaul]

Fuller information regarding the genesis of the sonata is available at: http://www.classical.net/music/comp....ellosonata.php

[Pulcinella]

Not a work I know (and not a genre I'm particularly fond of) but I was quite surprised on browsing through the Presto site looking at the recordings to see how many other British composers have written such pieces that I'm similarly unaware of!

Perhaps I need to do some exploring and see what I can stream.

[Serial_Apologist]

A very fine work; however I have to say the above made comparison with Debussy's sonata is misleading: Debussy went for utmost compression, whereas Bridge's sonata is expansive, in a Late Romantic style.

[CallMePaul]

A very fine work; however I have to say the above made comparison with Debussy's sonata is misleading: Debussy went for utmost compression, whereas Bridge's sonata is expansive, in a Late Romantic style.

I was not trying to compare the two, just that I consider these the two most important works of their period. A number of the recordings couple the two pieces so it is easy for forum members to decide on their importance for themselves.

[Serial_Apologist]

I was not trying to compare the two, just that I consider these the two most important works of their period. A number of the recordings couple the two pieces so it is easy for forum members to decide on their importance for themselves.

Apologies for my misunderstanding Paul.