Bruno Philippe is once again devoting himself to the Russian cello repertoire. His previous release was also Russian, namely a recital with chamber music by and Mjaskovsi. The new CD is dedicated to Sergei Prokofiev. We owe his cello music - like that of many other Russian and non-Russian composers - to the tireless efforts of the legendary . This cellist helped Prokofiev to edit an actual failed
… 1930s cello concerto. That help led to a whole new concert (op.125, 1951). The orchestral accompaniment for this concert was so elaborate that the term 'Sinfonia concertante' was appropriate. A few years earlier, Prokofiev composed the Sonata for cello and piano (op.119), also at the insistence of Rostropovich. The premiere was given in 1950 by Rostropovich and Sviatoslav Richter at the Moscow Conservatory. (HJ)more