Description
Prokofiev’s later Cello Sonata is closely associated with the name Mstislav Rostropovich. The twenty-year-old cellist impressed the composer so much during a performance in Moscow in 1947 that he impulsively vowed to create a piece suited to his talents. In June 1949, they collaboratively completed the highly challenging duo sonata. It was presented for the first time that same month to the State Committee for Art Affairs. In the printed edition, a rapid concluding section was softened by a simpler option – likely aiding significantly in the spread of the sonata.
The current Henle Urtext edition presents this twentieth-century cello masterpiece for the first time based on all genuine sources. In his introduction, Prokofiev expert Simon Morrison highlights the development and release of the sonata within the framework of Soviet cultural policy.
