Brahms' struggle to compose in the shadow of
Beethoven is well-known. This difficulty existed not only in the realm of symphony, but in chamber music as well. The first sonata for solo instrument and piano that
Brahms allowed to be published did not appear until Op. 38 -- the first of his two cello sonatas. The work is a rather intense, dark offering, marked by several formal curiosities. The second and final cello sonata, Op. 99, is more akin to the standard classical form and is a much brighter, optimistic composition. Heard here performing these two staples of the cello repertoire are cellist Gabor Rejto and pianist Adolph Baller. Originally recorded on the Orion label in 1977 and re-released in 2007 on the Marquis label, sound quality is of primary concern. Despite the intensity and depth of
Brahms' writing, particularly in the First Sonata, Rejto's sound is noticeably thin, nasal, and strident on all but the C string. This coloristic deficiency is further marred by questionable intonation, missed shifts, unexpected tempo changes, and lack of cohesiveness between cello and piano. All things considered, listeners are really given no motivation to choose this recording over the host of other superior alternatives available.