Russian Ballads - Schwabe, Gabriel - Prokofiev, Sergey

The 20th century saw a wealth of notable Russian cellists who inspired a wide repertoire of Soviet composers. In their cello sonatas, Shostakovich and Prokofiev both explore the rich and emotive timbre of the instrument with expressive subtleties and bittersweet sentiments, as well as their characteristic touches of wit and irony. Internationally acclaimed pianist Yevgeny Kissin has recently returned to composing, and his cello sonata is restrained and introspective, like a ballad.