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Pentatone3.5
Brahms Cello Sonatas
Alisa Weilerstein, cello; Inon Barnatan, piano
Pentatone, 2024
Alisa Weilerstein and Inon Barnatan return with an album devoted to Brahms: three famous sonatas, one of which is an arrangement of the Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in G major.
“This project is a celebration of our shared artistic vision and the mutual respect that has developed over many years of playing together,“ says the cellist in the liner notes. To play Brahms, you need an understanding and a balance between each of the parts that only a long collaboration can provide.
In the Sonata No. 1 in E minor, the two partners bring out their individuality. Right from the opening, Weilerstein displays a high intensity, marked by a certain tendency to swell the notes. The result is a very Romantic interpretation, with a noticeable rubato in certain passages that surprises the ear and is not always in the best taste. For his part, Barnatan’s phrasing is extremely fluid, like a quiet force. From this point of view, the musicians complement each other well—as much in what the music demands, as in the character they express.
For those wondering about the inclusion of a sonata for violin on a cello CD, admittedly the musical features of the cello part are not exactly characteristic of the original instrument, but it gives us a chance to hear more of Weilerstein’s ethereal, virtuoso style and expressive palette.
The Sonata No. 2 in F major, the last on the album, is a fine example of musical drama. The piano, more voluble and biting in its attacks, arouses an energy comparable to that displayed here by the cello. All in all, this is an album that will delight lovers of musical Romanticism.
Translation: Gianmarco Segato
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Francais (French)
