Description
Sergei Rachmaninoff's chamber music for cello and piano consists of three compositions, all stemming from his early creative phase and closely associated with individuals in his social circle at that time. At the age of seventeen, Rachmaninoff composed the "Lied," which was published posthumously, during a visit to the home of his future wife Natalia, dedicating it to her sister Vera. The "Prélude et Danse orientale," Op. 2, is dedicated to his friend, cellist Anatoli Brandoukoff, with whom he performed the "Prélude" at his first public concert featuring solely his works. Additionally, the Sonata, Op. 19, also dedicated to Brandoukoff, marks one of Rachmaninoff's initial compositions following a period of depression after the unsuccessful premiere of his first symphony. Notably, in both Op. 2 and the Sonata, Rachmaninoff establishes a balance between the cello and piano, granting them equal prominence. For this edition, editor Daniela Macchione utilizes the first editions published in collaboration with Rachmaninoff, along with relevant autographs housed in the National Museum of Music in Moscow and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
