Catalogue

Summary:

“…a wonderful testament to the exemplary partnership that has developed between cellist Antonio Meneses and pianist Menahem Pressler over the past decade” ★★★★ – BBC Music Magazine 

Editor’s Choice  “Menahem Pressler and Antonio Meneses offer us a rare listening privilege, with playing that is at once intimate, conversational, reposeful, intelligent and, above all, simple in its musical intentions” – Rob Cowan,  Gramophone 

“These are great, illuminating performances” – Fanfare 

“… Meneses’ playing is remarkably refined and subtle; vibrato is used more as an ornament rather than a constant presence, slides and glissandos are implemented rarely and tastefully … . Dialogue between the two artists is as seamless as could ever be hoped for, producing a prime example of chamber music at its best.” ★★★★★ – Mike D Brownell, AllMusic.com 

“… The gorgeous Potton Hall acoustic lends its aura to the playing, but is relatively unobtrusive as a result of this intimacy. The detail and colour of both instruments is audible to the last drop of refinement, and as a result is a joy from beginning to end…” – Dominy Clements, MusicWebInternational.com

Beaux Arts Trio founder Menahem Pressler and fellow Beaux Arts member, cellist Antonio Meneses, join forces on this special recording of Beethoven’s complete music for cello and piano. The special 2-disc set was released to coincide with the Beaux Arts Trio’s extensive farewell concert tour in 2008. Both artists are consummate chamber musicians and Mr. Meneses considers this recording collaboration to be a “dream come true.” Pressler and Meneses have been performing the complete cycle of sonatas around the world to the delight of audiences and critics alike.

Tracklist:

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)

Complete works for Piano and Cello

CD 1

Cello Sonata No. 1 in F Major, Op. 5, No. 1
1. I. Andante sostenuto – II. Allegro (18:37)
2. III. Allegro vivace (7:17)

Cello Sonata No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 5, No. 2
3. I. Adagio sostenuto ed espressivo (5:37)
4. II. Allegro molto più tosto presto (14:11)
5. III. Rondo. Allegro (9:10)

6. 12 Variations on ‘See the conqu’ring hero comes’ (from Handel’s “Judas Maccabaeus”), WoO 45 (13:05)

7. 12 Variations on ‘Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen’ (from Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte”), Op.66 (10:24)

CD 2

Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69
1. I. Allegro, ma non tanto )13:08)
2. II. Scherzo: Allegro molto (5:57)
3. III. Adagio cantabile – Allegro vivace (8:53)

Cello Sonata No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102, No. 1
4. I. Andante – Allegro vivace (7:48)
5. II. Adagio – Tempo d’Andante (3:06)
6. – Allegro vivace (4:25)

Cello Sonata No. 5 in D Major, Op. 102, No. 2
7. I. Allegro con brio (7:10)
8. II. Adagio con molto sentimento d’affetto (9:02)
9. III. Allegro fugato (4:38)

10. 7 Variations on ‘Bei Männern, welche Liebe Fühlen’ (from Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte”), WoO 46 (10:10)

Recorded 18 – 22 December 2007, at Potton Hall, Suffolk, England
Recording Producer and Engineer: Simon Fox-Gál