ZARA NELSOVA: THE CELLO QUEEN (10 CDs) DOCUMENT

The first woman ever with an international career as a cello soloist

– Recordings with Samuel Barber and Ernest Bloch

– Comprehensive documentation of radio and studio productions

Zara Nelsova (1918 – 2006) was the first woman ever to become famous internationally as a cello soloist. The audience was fascinated by this extraordinary artist and the wonderful sound of her Stradivari cello, the “Marquis de Corbon” from 1726. Her wide-ranging repertoire included Bach and Beethoven as well as composers of the 20th century. Ernest Bloch dedicated his works to her and accompanied her on piano, Samuel Barber conducted his cello concerto with her as a soloist, both of which can be heard in recordings on this CD box. Three “cellists of the century” had assisted her with help and advice in the beginnings of her career: Emanuel Feuermann, Pablo Casals, and Gregor Piatigorsky. Born into a music-loving Russian family, which had immigrated to Canada ? her grandfather was an opera singer, her father a flautist ? the cello was the only instrument which remained for her, as her two older sisters had already decided on violin and piano. Together they founded the “Canadian Trio” and played many successful concerts from 1929 to 1939. Zara Nelsova gave her first concert as a soloist in New York in 1942. In 1958 she made her debut with the Philharmonic in Berlin under Karl Böhm, performing the Piano Concerto by Saint-Saëns, followed in Munich with Günter Wand and Schumann’s Op.129. in 1969.

DISC 1
1. Johann Sebastian Bach – Suite In D Minor, BWV 1008 I. Prelude –
2. II. Allemande –
3. III. Courante –
4. IV. Sarabande –
5. V. Minuetto I-II –
6. VI. Gigue –
7. Johann Sebastian Bach – Suite In C Major, BWV 1009 I. Prelude –
8. II. Allemande –
9. III. Courante –
10. IV. Sarabande –
11. V. Bouree I-II –
12. VI. Gigue –
13. Johann Sebastian Bach – Suite In D Major, BWV 1012 I. Prelude –
14. II. Allemande –
15. III. Courante –
16. IV. Sarabande –
17. V. Gavotte I-II –
18. VI. Gigue

DISC 2
1. Ludwig van Beethoven – Sonate Fr Cello Und Klavier Nr. 3, A-Major, Op. 69 I. Allegro ma non tanto –
2. II. Scherzo: Allegro molto –
3. III. Adagio cantabile –
4. Ludwig van Beethoven – Sonate Fr Cello Und Klavier Nr. 5, D-Major, Op. 102 Nr. 2 I. Allegro con brio –
5. II. Adagio con molto sentimento d’affetto –
6. III. Allegro – Allegro fugato

DISC 3
1. Ludwig van Beethoven – Sonate Fr Cello Und Klavier Nr. 1, F-Major, Op. 5 Nr. 1 I. Adagio sostenuto ? Allegro –
2. II. Rondo: Allegro vivace –
3. Ludwig van Beethoven – Sonate Fr Cello Und Klavier Nr.2, G-Minor, Op. 5 Nr. 2 I. Adagio sostenuto ed espressivo –
4. II. Allegro molto, pi— tosto presto –
5. III. Rondo: Allegro

DISC 4
1. Ludwig van Beethoven – FROM MOZART?S DIE ZAUBERFL™OTE, Op. 66 12 VARIATIONS ON EIN MADCHEN ODER WEIBCHEN –
2. Ludwig van Beethoven – FROM HANDEL’S JUDAS MACCABEUS, WoO 45 12 VARIATIONS ON SEE THE CONQUERING HERO COMES –
3. Luigi Boccherini – Sonate Fr Cello Und Klavier Nr. 4, A-Major, G 4 I. Adagio –
4. II. Allegro –
5. Robert Schumann – Fantasy Pieces Op. 73 I. Zart und mit Ausdruck –
6. Robert Schumann – Fantasy Pieces Op. 74 II. Lebhaft, leicht –
7. Robert Schumann – Fantasy Pieces Op. 75 III. Rasch und mit Feuer –
8. Max Reger – Suite Fr Cello Solo, Op. 131C I. Prelude: Largo –
9. II. Gavotte: Allegretto –
10. III. Largo –
11. IV. Gigue: Vivace –

DISC 5
1. Johannes Brahms – Sonate Fr Cello Und Klavier, E-Minor, Op. 38 I. Allegro non troppo –
2. II. Allegretto quasi Menuetto –
3. III. Allegro –
4. Johannes Brahms – Sonate Fr Cello Und Klavier, F-Major, Op. 99 I. Allegro vivace –
5. II. Adagio affetuoso –
6. III. Allegro passionato –
7. IV. Allegro molto

DISC 6
1. Antonin Dvorak – Konzert Fr Cello Und Orchester, H-Minor, Op. 104 I. Allegro –
2. II. Adagio ma non troppo –
3. III. Finale: Allegro moderato –
4. Robert Schumann – Konzert Fr Cello Und Orchester, A-Minor, Op.129 I. Nicht zu schnell –
5. II. Langsam –
6. III. Sehr lebhaft

DISC 7

1. Edouard Lalo – Konzert Fr Cello Und Orchester, D-Minor I. Lento ? Allegro maestoso 
2. II. Intermezzo: Andantino con moto – Allegro presto 
3. III. Andante ? Allegro vivace 
4. Camille Saint- Sa‰ns – Konzert Fr Cello Und Orchester Nr. 1, A-Minor, Op. 33 I. Allegro non troppo 
5. II. Allegretto con moto 
6. III. Un peu moins vite

DISC 8
1. Sergei Rachmaninov – Sonate Fr Cello Und Klavier, G-Minor, Op. 19 I. Lento ? Allegro moderato –
2. II. Allegro scherzando –
3. III. Andante –
4. IV. Allegro mosso –
5. Darius Milhaud – Konzert Fr Cello Und Orchester Nr. 1, Op. 136 I. Nonchalant –
6. II. Grave –
7. III. Joyeux

DISC 9
1. Zoltan Kodaly – Sonate Fr Cello Solo, Op. 8 I. Allegro maestoso ma appassionato –
2. II. Adagio 
3. III. Allegro molto vivace 
4. Samuel Barber – Cello Concerto I. Allegro moderato 
5. II. Andante sostenuto 
6. III. Molto allegro e appassionato trattenuto 

DISC 10
1. Ernest Bloch – Drei Stcke Fr Cello Und Klavier I. Prayer –
2. II. Supplication –
3. III. Jewish Song –
4. Ernest Bloch – Stimme In Der Wste I. Moderato –
5. II. Poco lento –
6. III. Moderato –
7. IV. Adagio, piacevole –
8. V. Poco agitato –
9. VI. Allegro –
10. Ernest Bloch – Schelomo Hebrew Rhapsody –