Shostakovich / Rachmaninov: Sonatas For Cello & Piano

Album review

Despite being written only 34 years apart, the cello sonatas by Russian composers Dmitry Shostakovich and Sergey Rachmaninov could not be more different. Shostakovich's sonata was born of personal and political strife and is suffuse with turmoil, rapidly changing moods, and even despondency. Rachmaninov's sonata, although written in the dark key of G minor, arose at the end of a long period of deep, crippling depression, and it is a passionately exuberant work. Cellist Boris Andrianov's performance of these two disparate works, however, is too similar. He brilliantly captures the tension and intensity of the Shostakovich with his intense sound and relentless forward momentum. The second movement, in particular, is stunningly aggressive; this is followed by the well-captured misery of the Largo third movement. Andrianov's performance of the Rachmaninov, however, could best be described as impatient. While the Shostakovich thrives on his ability to keep the tempo pushing forward and his use of an intense, piercing sound, the Rachmaninov suffers from it. There aren't enough times when either the performers or the listeners are given the opportunity to breathe and revel in the lush harmonies of the work. The third movement's Andante, one of Rachmaninov's most sublime moments outside of the piano concertos, is played too hastily and with insufficient depth of tone. Listeners in the market for superior recording of Shostakovich have found it, but should purchase a different album to supplement this Rachmaninov.
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