Bridge:
Sonata for Cello and Piano in d minor (1913-1917)

Britten:
Sonata for Cello and Piano in C Major op. 65 (1961)

Bax:
Legend-Sonata for Cello and Piano (1943)

The young German cellist Johannes Moser, now an international music celebrity, has built his reputation, in part on his exquisite performances of surprising chamber music repertoire. He continues in this vein with a selection of English works for cello and piano. The oldest work on this CD is by Frank Bridge: The two-movement Cello Sonata in D minor dates from the years 1913 to 1917, and reflects the composer’s deep emotional response to the carnage of the First World War.

The Cello Sonata by Arnold Bax, dating from 1943 is written in an expressively late Romantic idiom, and is comparable to the corresponding pieces by Rachmaninoff – as can be heard in the broadly lyrical "Lento espressivo." The friendship between Britten and Mstislav Rostropovich resulted in the composer’s Cello Sonata Opus 65 by Britten and Rostropovich in 1961. It was the prelude to further, large pieces, which Britten wrote for the Russian cellist. With a large, full, richly modulated tone Johannes Moser’s cello perfectly fits these British works, and together with duo partner Paul Rivinius, both cellist and pianist are in their element.