Prokofiev: Sonata for cello and piano Op. 119 - Mstislav Rostropovich & Sviatoslav Richter

[@aidanpasquale9932]

Rostropovich's rendition and interpretation of this piece is spot on! Mostly because he, Richter and Prokofiev were very close. At one point, Rostropovich lived with Prokofiev and they played together often. Prokofiev's Symphony-Concerto was even composed for Rostropovich at the end of Prokofiev's life to celebrate their friendship. Often times people are performing pieces that are 200-300 years old and cannot find a "true" interpretation. Luckily, we were all blessed to have this beautiful friendship because it allowed for recordings like this to be so spot on and "true" to the composer.

[@mckavitt]

Aidan Pasquale Rostropovich seems to have been gifted for friendship since he was also a v close friend of Benjamin Britten’s, no easy feat.

[@theopenmouth9695]

Hoff?

[@vladiinsky]

​@@mckavittShostakovich was his composition teacher, and later, friend... as well as many great contemporary composers. We are grateful to Rostropovich for much of important cello repertoire of the 20th century...

[@ditkoofseppala]

I attempted this work forty years ago with my 'cellist SO -- fiendishly difficult! I LOVE Rostropovich's rendition -- his depth and richness make other 'cellists sound somehow thin. Richter really goes at the piano martellato, doesn't he! Yet wonderfully lucid and sensitive in the melodic passages. Superb.

[@ninasobel5599]

Intensely lyrical, nuanced and moving! incredible music played flawlessly in both style and technique. WOW!

[@dancelli714]

One of my favorite cello pieces.

[@ariacomex4518]

Beautiful master piece Slava at the top, their friendship is forever😀

[@chrisswider]

Thanks for putting this up. It took me back to my days in graduate school when I first fell in love with it. Thanks.

[@ianmorrison904]

The only thing better than Slava on his own was Slava with Richter! This is unbelievably great.

[@BOSOX9004]

Holy crap, I've always hoped someone would put this up! Thank you so much!!!

[@Miaskofiev]

The only downside to this premiere performance is that Prokofiev himself was unable to attend because it coincided with a period of hospitalization.

[@doggonepointgooddogbacking3248]

When I listen to this performance, I think of Ursula K. Le Quin's quote from The Left Hand of Darkness, "A man should be no more ashamed of tears than of laughter." ... and I am unashamed. Brava and blessed be.

[@AmericanYogi]

Thank you!

[@notaire2]

Definitely the best recording of this exacting piece! No other artists have ever surpassed them.

[@foxmulder8955]

no, not at all. It is full of imperfections and small mistakes. Full of passion and wonderful players of course, but not exactly a very refined version of this piece

[@Justin-nd9fp]

I wouldn't have it another way. The imperfections are part of the life that was breathed into this remarkable piece.

[@foxmulder8955]

well no, they are purely non intended mistakes (mostly intonation) and you can hear it. At 3:53 Rostropovich forgets an entire bar, not sure if it was planned and discussed with the composer but to me it looks like a genuine memory fail that deforms the music. I think the performance would be only better with more accuracy. Also i recommend you to hear more newer cellists, the world is full of absurdly talented musicians that will never have a career as big as rostro's due to the merciless competition in the youtube era but come up with wonderful interpretations. Watch international competitions, it's actually the easiest stage for new musicians to perform on.

[@LittleHarryBrother1]

@Fox Mulder Regading the missing bar at 3:53: I have heard him and Richter omit that bar on other recordings as well. So it must have been intentional, whatever the reason might have been. I would otherwise agree that this may not be the defining recording of the work, but it certainly still has it merits.

[@foxmulder8955]

Well it could very well just be a bad habit rostropovich took while learning the piece. This guy learned and played so much music during his career, sometimes recording or playing in concerts things he had just sight-read days or even hours ago, it's absolutely possible.

[@nataliehan8138]

👏🏻🔥

[@wavestrip2635]

Видимо здесь растрап не очень в форме ,либо с листа читает