Leonard Elschenbroich - Prokofiev: Cello Sonata; Kabalevsky: Cello Concerto No 2; shorter pieces

Alexei Grynyuk (piano), Petr Limonov (piano), Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest/Andrew Litton

Leonard Elschenbroich, who begins 10-stop solo cello tour for Music Network on November 19th, is fascinated by the effects of oppression and censorship on composers. He sees Prokofiev as fleeing to "a surreal place, a dream state" without "the horrors of reality," and Kabalevsky as someone whose cause has been hampered by his closeness to Soviet officialdom. If you only know the latter through his children's pieces, you may be surprised by the weight of his 1964 Second Cello Concerto, in which Elschenbroich also finds an l affecting wistfulness. The larger-than-life effect of his vibrant, warm tone is less apt in the Prokofiev sonata. onyxclassics.com