Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Beethoven: Sonatas for Cello and Piano (2019) [Official Digital Download 24bit/48kHz]

The five cello sonatas span Beethoven’s three creative periods, with the audacious op.5 sonatas dating from the early years on his time in Vienna as a piano virtuoso and aspiring composer (1792-9), the great op.69 sonata is from the period that saw the composition of symphonies 4-8, the violin concerto, Mass in C and the String Quartets op59. The two op102 sonatas are from the cusp of the ‘late’ period, this is the time of the 9th Symphony, the Missa Solemnis, the great string quartets op127 – 135 and the last five piano sonatas.

The cello and piano are truly equal partners in all these works, and Beethoven exploited the full range of the cello placing great demands on the player. The op.17 sonatas from the 1790s was composed for horn and piano. The transcription is believed to be by the composer, or at least approved by him.

“Grynyuk handles his part with delicacy and flexibility, and his articulation throughout this recording is pellucid even at top speed.” – BBC Music MagazineJuly 2019

”In Leonard Elschenbroich and Alexei Grynyuk’s hands, these sonatas’ staggering invention is impossible to ignore. The musicians’ success comes, at least in part, from scrupulous attention to the composer’s markings in matters of dynamics and articulation… They can drive the music hard in fast movements, although their playing always breathes naturally.” – Gramophone MagazineJune 2019

Tracklist:
1. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata No. 1 in F Major, Op. 5/1: I. Adagio sostenuto (03:05)
2. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata No. 1 in F Major, Op. 5/1: II. Allegro (14:16)
3. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata No. 1 in F Major, Op. 5/1: III. Rondo. Allegro vivace (07:07)
4. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 5/2: I. Adagio sostenuto ed espressivo (06:00)
5. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 5/2: II. Allegro molto, più tosto presto (14:22)
6. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 5/2: III. Rondo. Allegro (08:24)
7. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata in F Major, Op. 17: I. Allegro moderato (Arr. From Horn Sonata) (05:29)
8. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata in F Major, Op. 17: II. Poco Adagio, quasi Andante (Arr. From Horn Sonata) (01:26)
9. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata in F Major, Op. 17: III. Rondo. Allegro moderato (Arr. From Horn Sonata) (04:46)
10. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Sonata No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69: I. Allegro ma non tanto (12:28)
11. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Sonata No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69: II. Scherzo. Allegro molto (05:19)
12. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Sonata No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69: III. Adagio cantabile – Allegro vivace (08:28)
13. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102/1: I. Andante (02:40)
14. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102/1: II. Allegro vivace (05:17)
15. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102/1: II. Adagio – Tempo d’andante (02:57)
16. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102/1: IV. Allegro vivace (04:20)
17. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata No. 5 in D Major, Op. 102/2: I. Allegro con brio (06:41)
18. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata No. 5 in D Major, Op. 102/2: II. Adagio con molto sentiment d’affetto (08:52)
19. Leonard Elschenbroich & Alexei Grynyuk – Cello Sonata No. 5 in D Major, Op. 102/2: III. Allegro fugato (03:48)