Search - Reizenstein, Zeisl :: Cello Sonatas

A must for lovers of cellow music

Rodney Gavin Bullock | Winchester, Hampshire Angleterre | 05/22/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This neglected music for cello and piano is a revelation, not only of its intrinsic qualities but of the lack of interest of the musical world in allowing this stuff to languish unheard for half a century. Zeisl and Reizenstein have this in common: they were both Jewish, they both fled the Holocaust to live abroad and they both died in their mid-fifties. Zeisl settled in the U.S.A. and initially worked writing film music, including one of the Lassie series, whereas Reizenstein studied under Vaughan Williams for a while in England.Zeisl's cello sonata is direct and can be enjoyed at the first hearing. Although the first movement is permeated by a striding theme with a structurally important stressed, falling motif, there is a great deal of beautiful, lyrical writing. The final movement reveals, with its grotesque melodic and harmonic distortions, a composer of considerable witThe two short works by Reizenstein are charming and beautiful. His sonata for cello is a big work, lasting some thirty minutes. The invention is impressive as is his use of the resources of the cello. His melodies are memorable and, like Shostakovitch, are very characteristic of the composer. In the last two movements and in the Cantilene, the music develops a strong modal flavour, most prominently in the 'trio' section of the allegro vivace. The effect is quite magical and produces a Gallic or even English atmosphere. This is an outstanding work. I hesitate to use the word 'masterpiece' but it is what I am thinking.The playing by the Duo Hebraique is excellent and the recording good. The informative notes are by the cellist, Marc Moskovitz."