Between Richard Strauss and Ludwig Thuille (born in 1864 and 1861 respectively) existed a strong friendship and mutual respect. Their two youthful cello sonatas share the same idiom: passionate and late-romantic soaring themes, a profound lyricism and a virtuoso writing for both cello and piano. Performed with an appropriate sense of exaltation and grandeur by cellist Andrea Favalessa and pianist Maria Semeraro, who form a duo for many years, having won several international chamber music competitions. The duo Favalessa Semeraro have already successfully recorded the complete music for cello and piano by Alfredo Casella for Brilliant Classics, and this is a brilliant successor.