Benjamin Britten: Sonata in C for Cello and Piano (1961)

The Sonata in C for cello and piano was the first of a series of works written for the Soviet cellist, Mstislav Rostropovich. Others that followed included the Three Suites for solo cello and the Symphony for cello and orchestra. The Sonata was planned whilst Britten and Peter Pears were on holiday in Greece during October 1960: the work was begun at Aldeburgh after Christmas and completed by the end of January 1961. It represents the composer’s awakened interest in chamber music after more than a decade largely devoted to vocal compositions. This was fired by Britten’s friendship with the cellist and an appreciation of his superb musicianship. The first performance was given at Aldeburgh on 7 July 1961 by Rostropovich and the composer.

Arguably, the work may be perceived by the listener as being a ‘suite’ rather than ‘sonata’. However, the opening ‘Dialogo’ has elements of Sonata form. The first subject is based on a tiny motive motive which is used in an augmented form in a lyrical second subject. The second movement is a standard ‘scherzo’ which the composer has suggested is a ‘study in pizzicato, sometimes almost guitar-like [with] its elaborate right-hand technique’. The slow movement is a deeply felt ‘Elegia’ which develops an impassioned theme in an arch-like structure. Notice the use of double, triple and quadruple stopping as the music builds to a huge climax. Peter Evans has suggested that the ‘freakish’ ‘Marcia’ was conceived as a ‘tribute to the musical satire of Prokofiev or the early Shostakovich’.  This is a standard March and trio structure. However, it is probably closer to some of Britten’s own pre-war works such as the Suite for violin and piano. The final ‘Moto perpetuo’ is complex. It is mood music at its best with constantly changing humour – ‘now high and expressive, now low and grumbling, now gay and carefree.’ There are a number of fingerprints in this Sonata including those of Bartok and Shostakovich, however the musical framework and language is ultimately Britten’s own: it is a finely judged balance of ‘classical’ sonata form with the composer’s dramatic and narrative style typical of his operas and other vocal works.

Perhaps the final word may go to William Mann, music critic at The Times. He wrote, ‘There is a suggestion...that Britten may have intended [the Sonata]...to reflect his own impression of the character of the player to whom it is dedicated: gay, charming, an astonishingly brilliant executant, but behind all these qualities a searching musician with the mind of a philosopher.’

Listen to Mstislav Rostropovich, cello and Benjamin Britten, piano on YouTube, here.

With thanks to the English Music Festival where this note was first published.