Dvorak:
Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104

Schumann:
Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op. 129
Fantasy Pieces, Op. 73

Milhaud:
Cello Concerto No. 1, Op. 136

JS Bach:
Suite in D Minor, BWV 1008
Suite in C Major, BWV 1009
Suite in D Major, BWV 1012

Boccherini:
Cello Sonata No. 4 in A Major, G 4

Beethoven:
Cello Sonata in F Major, Op. 5/1
Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 5/2
Cello Sonata in D Major, Op. 102/2

Brahms:
Cello Sonata in F Major, Op. 99
Cello Sonata in E Minor, Op. 38

Kabalevsky:
Cello Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 49

?A female cellist on stage in front of a big symphony orchestra - a rare sight during the first half of the twentieth century. Guilhermina Suggia and Beatrice Harrison were amongst the first to confront male competition. Zara Nelsova, however, marked the beginning of a new era. Born into a musical family of Russian descent, this artist became a pivotal figure in the history of playing the cello. Her instrumental prowess, her commanding stage presence and her distinctive personal style were irresistible. Alongside the younger Jacqueline du Pré, Nelsova conquered the world of the cello for women.

Zara Nelsova distinguished herself both as a soloist and a chamber musician. The recordings from the sound archives of RIAS Berlin, made between 1956 and 1965, complement her discography substantially, giving a more rounded impression of her artistic profile. They include works which Nelsova never recorded commercially and which are available on disc for the first time, such as the Cello Concertos by Darius Milhaud (No 1) and Dmitri Kabalewski (No 1).

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Recorded in Berlin, 1956 - 1965