The cello as we know it today first appeared after 1650. It was based on various types of renaissance viol and reached a standard size...

The cello as we know it today first appeared after 1650. It was based on various types of renaissance viol and reached a standard size around 1750. During the 1700s, Johann Sebastian Bach’s masterpieces for it and Boccherini’s cornucopia of quality compositions helped the cello achieve a greater sense of identity, yet it could not make a definitive transition to the gotha of instruments. The romantic cello was always heard accompanied by other instruments. No major composer of the era dared to follow the example of Bach’s Cello Suites and write a proper solo work for the instrument. After WWII, the creation of avant-garde movements and the demand for new forms of expression led to musical languages which broke with the past and placed the cello squarely center stage. The present recording demonstrates the cello’s extraordinary range of technique and expression, which ensured its fortune during the twentieth century. Works featured on this recording include pieces by twentieth century composers such as Giovanni Sollima, Salvatore Sciarrino, Guido Boselli, Benjamin Britten, and others.