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This double LP contains the following:

Face A:

G Cassadó - Suite for Solo Cello 

 

Preludio-Fantasia - 6:30

 

Intermezzo e Danza Finale- 6:49

 

Gaspar Cassadó (1897-1966) was an early 20th century composer and cellist from Spain. His masters were Pablo Casals, for the cello, and Maurice Ravel for composition. His Suite for Solo Cello is one of his greatest masterpieces. The first movement is probably the most impressionist of the Suite. Using natural and artificial harmonics, the cello sounds like a traditional flute. Cassadó wove Maurice Ravel’s solo flute melody of the ballet “Daphnis et Chloé” in his work as a tribute to his master. Completely different in style and performance, the “Sardana” is the most difficult part for the interpreter, using a fast double-string technique. In this interpretation, the dance begins with two dancers, surrounded by the others, both trying to seduce each other, after which then invite the other dancers to follow them, leading to a religious procession, which then becomes more upbeat. The 3rd movement, starting with a wonderful Spanish melody, finishes the suite with strength, virtuosity and rhythm.

 

Face B:

J.S. Bach

Cello Suite No: 5 in C Minor - BVW 1011 - 6:29

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), one the most prolific and revered of all classical composers, wrote six suites for solo cello, which are among the most frequently performed and recorded compositions for unaccompanied cello. The 5th is one of the lesser known of these suites. This movement is rather particular, as the cello needs to be tuned differently than usual. The “A” string is tuned down a tone to a “G” in a practice referred to as a “scordatura”. This provides the cello with a wonderfully warm and mellow sound. This prelude is similarly structured to the Sinfonia Overture from G-F. Haendel’s celebrated Messiah: a slow movement, followed by a fast fugue, but in a pure style inherent to Bach.

 

Reger - 3rd Suite, Opus 131c,

No.3 Präludium (Sostenuto) - 6:15

Max Reger (1873-1916) composed a collection of 146 opus numbers in addition to an array of uncatalogued music, exploring every major genre, except opera. His three Suites for solo cello opus 131 are considered as the first most important solo cello works since Bach. The 3rd Suite (like the other two) begins with a “Prelude”, using the double-string technique. Playing two strings at once provides a wonderful polyphonic sound to the cello. The harmony is very rich and the resulting feel is rich, deep and warm. The more humoristic “Scherzo” is both brilliant and cheerful, spanning the entire range of the cello, including a slow waltz-like section in the middle. The “Andante con variazioni" is considered as the masterpiece of these three Suites. The main theme is a wonderfully lyrical slavonic melody. Again, Reger uses all the possibilities of the cello - pizzicato, harmonics, double-string, virtuosity, etc.

 

Face C:

 

F.W. Grützmacher - Elite Etüden - World Premier Recording

No.5 - Allegro Non Tropo - Duport - 5:05

No.6 - Aria (Andante & Allegro) - Breval - 6:15

 

Face D:

F.W. Grützmacher - Elite Etüden - World Premier Recording

No.7 - Fuga - Baumgartner - 3:46

No 8 - Allegro Moderato - Boccherini - 6:03