Mendelssohn: Works for Cello & Piano

Listen on Presto Music. Free thirty day trial. Find out more.

I cannot imagine these Mendelssohn pieces played with a deeper understanding, not just of their supreme logic but of the opportunities within that logic for expressive freedoms, always bearing... — BBC Music Magazine, March 2018, 5 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 27th Oct 2017
Catalogue No: BIS2187
Label: BIS
Length: 60 minutes

BBC Music Magazine

March 2018

Chamber Choice

This item is currently out of stock at the UK distributor. You may order it now but please be aware that it may be six weeks or more before it can be despatched.

Mendelssohn: Variations concertantes Op. 17

Work length8:37

$9.00

$11.70

$15.75

Christian Poltéra (cello), Ronald Brautigam (piano)
Recorded: August 2016
Recording Venue: Reitstadel, Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Germany

Tema. Andante con moto

Track length1:04

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

Var. 1,

Track length0:29

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

Var. 2,

Track length0:28

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

Var. 3, Più vivace

Track length0:29

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

Var. 4, Allegro con fuoco

Track length0:37

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

Var. 5, L'istesso tempo

Track length0:41

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

Var. 6, L'istesso tempo

Track length0:28

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

Var. 7, Presto ed agitato

Track length1:22

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

Var. 8, Tempo I - Coda. Più animato

Track length2:59

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

Mendelssohn: Cello Sonata No. 1 in B flat major, Op. 45

Work length22:34

$4.05

$6.45

$8.75

Christian Poltéra (cello), Ronald Brautigam (piano)
Recorded: August 2016
Recording Venue: Reitstadel, Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Germany

I. Allegro vivace

Track length11:28

$1.00

$3.85

$5.25

II. Andante

Track length5:02

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

III. Allegro assai

Track length6:04

$2.05

$1.30

$1.75

Mendelssohn: Song without Words for Cello & Piano, Op. 109

Work length3:56

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

Christian Poltéra (cello), Ronald Brautigam (piano)

Mendelssohn: Assai tranquillo in B Minor, MWV Q 25

Work length1:57

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

Christian Poltéra (cello), Ronald Brautigam (piano)

Mendelssohn: Cello Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 58

Work length23:15

$4.50

$6.50

$8.75

Christian Poltéra (cello), Ronald Brautigam (piano)
Recorded: August 2016
Recording Venue: Reitstadel, Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Germany

I. Allegro assai vivace

Track length7:12

$1.50

$2.60

$3.50

II. Allegretto scherzando

Track length4:56

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

III. Adagio

Track length4:15

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

IV. Molto allegro e vivace

Track length6:52

$1.00

$1.30

$1.75

About
Reviews
Explore

About

It is well known that Felix Mendelssohn’s sister Fanny was a highly talented musician, but fewer are familiar with the fact that there were two other musical siblings in the Mendelssohn family: Rebecka, a gifted singer, and Paul, a very competent amateur cellist. It is to Paul, a banker by profession, that we owe the existence of much of Felix’s music for the instrument, which in spite of Beethoven’s endeavours hadn’t yet become firmly established as a duo partner of the piano.

Fitting comfortably on a single disc, Mendelssohn’s works for cello and piano are here presented by Christian Poltéra and Ronald Brautigam, who open with the Variations concertantes in D major, composed in 1829. Brautigam has recently released the composer’s Lieder ohne Worte, performing them on a copy of a piano by Pleyel from 1830, and plays the same instrument on the present disc. Meanwhile, Poltéra has chosen to equip his 1711 Stradivarius cello with gut strings, and together the two musicians and their instruments create a sound which is both flexible, transparent and vigorous – ideal for Mendelssohn’s scores. The two substantial sonatas, composed in 1838 and 1843, are separated on the disc by a brief ‘Albumblatt’ and a Romance sans paroles in D major, the only ‘song without words’ that Mendelssohn wrote for two instruments rather than piano solo

Reviews

March 2018

I cannot imagine these Mendelssohn pieces played with a deeper understanding, not just of their supreme logic but of the opportunities within that logic for expressive freedoms, always bearing in mind that these demand the utmost tact and accuracy of timing…The virtuosity is always the means to an expressive end. A disc to treasure.

January 2018

Although Poltéra and Brautigam aren’t taking us down any lesser-trodden repertoire paths here, this is an outstanding disc. For a start the performances themselves are very fine. Poltéra brings a storyteller’s big-picture shaping to movements and pieces as a whole…Brautigam’s playing is every bit as enjoyable with his nimbly elegant and eloquent partnering. ..A really classy overall package that comes highly recommended.

January 2018

This disc confirms Poltéra and Brautigam as a duo of impressive virtuosity. The tempos they choose are excitingly ambitious, the music never feels rushed and no details are compromised.

Mendelssohn: Works for Cello & Piano

SACD

Downloads

Contents

Download queue