There are plenty of available recordings of
Beethoven
's cello sonatas, and a new series, as inaugurated here by cellist
Gabriel Schwabe
and pianist
Nicholas Rimmer
, might seem overly ambitious, but give them a listen. They make a good case for themselves, and one awaits further developments. The two
cello sonatas of Op. 5
are unique in the composer's output and mark one of the moments when
really became
. While most musical genres evolved gradually over time, the cello sonata, with completely equal roles for the cello and the piano, came into existence with these works. Yet, what is more remarkable about them is the freedom the new genre seems to have unleashed in
. Each sonata is really in two movements if the two-section opening movement is regarded as one (unusual in itself), and the opening movements are vast, clocking in at 17 and a half minutes for the first sonata and almost 20 for the second one. The dimensions are almost unprecedented for the whole of
's early period.
Schwabe
's treatment respects these dimensions, catching the long lines convincingly and bringing out the quality of ongoing progressive invention in the big opening movements. The cello never gets lost in the texture, and the players keep everything clear. Apparently, the series will include smaller works for cello and piano; here, variation sets on two
Mozart
arias serve as an intermezzo and a finale. These are likewise well executed, with an elegant balance between the two instruments. This is a standout recording of the first two cello sonatas, with idiomatic sound from Saffron Hall in Saffron Walden, U.K., and it raises exciting hopes for further items in
and
Rimmer
's series. ~ James Manheim