Britten Thematic Catalogue

Beta Version

BTC1152 THIRD SUITE FOR CELLO

For solo cello, op. 87
Period of composition: 23 Feb - 3 Mar 1971
Revised: Jan 1974
First performance: 21 Dec 1974 >>
Type of performance: Concert performance
Location: Snape Maltings Concert Hall
Performance details:

Mstislav Rostropovich vc

Genre: Solo instrumental
Duration: 22'
Dedication: 'For Slava'

Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich (1927-2007), Russian cellist, conductor, and humanitarian. Married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya.

Notes

The Suite make use of the melody Kontakion (Hymn for the departed) of the Orthodox Church in the version printed in The English hymnal and three folksongs arranged by Tchaikovsky, as follows:

'Under the apple tree' (no 11 in V. Prokunin, 66 Russian folksongs, 1872)

'The grey eagle' (no 31 in 66 Russian folksongs)

'Autumn' (no 4a in M.A. Mamontova, A collection of children's songs on Russian and Ukranian melodies, 1872)

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