98. Celloforte

Frédéric Chopin hardly ever composed for any instrument other than the piano – it was in the repertoire for his own instrument that he felt most at ease. He did, of course, compose songs, but he did not value them, considering them more like works of craftsmanship. One exception, therefore, is the cello, for which – as a solo instrument – he composed two virtuosic works from his youth: the Polonaise brillante, Op. 3, and the Grand Duo Concertant (created in collaboration with cellist Auguste Franchomme), as well as the late Sonata in G minor, Op. 65. This piece, too, came about thanks to his friendship with Franchomme, to whom the composer dedicated it. Although the piano part is technically more advanced in the piece, the cello presents the most important melodic ideas, and overall, emotions and narrative take precedence over virtuosic display. Mieczysław Tomaszewski summed up the Sonata by noting that “it unites distant opposites – an almost naive simplicity with mature wisdom, spontaneity and Beethovenian grandeur with reflection and reserve.” Chopin’s music had a significant influence on composers of the later Romantic period, such as Edvard Grieg (for example, in his variation-based Ballade in G minor). His Cello Sonata, Op. 36, is a relatively early work, but the composer cherished it throughout his life, as did audiences and critics, who appreciated Chopin’s mastery of the long form – something that did not always come easily to him, given his natural inclination toward miniatures.

– Dominika Micał (pisanezesluchu.pl)