Miranda Wilson and Rachel Thomson Photo: WCMT
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) conceived the idea of a cello-piano sonata during the time of his final split with George Sand and it turned out to be an arduous process involving hundreds of sketches and revisions. The sonata grew into a large-scale composition in Chopin’s mature style, and stands alongside the cello-piano sonatas of Brahms, Franck, and Rachmaninov. It was the last piece Chopin ever performed.
Miranda Wilson writes that “the Chopin sonata was a great favourite of Katherine Mansfield, who was a cellist of near-professional ability. When I read about this as a Mansfield-loving teenager, I begged my teacher to let me learn the Chopin. When I practised it, looking out at Wellington’s stormy harbour, I imagined that Mansfield might have done the same. Twenty years later, no matter where I am in the world, performing the Chopin always makes me think of those rough waves.”
A Wellington Chamber Music Trust Concert
Recorded on 15 July 2018 in St Andrew's on The Terrace, Wellington by RNZ
Producer: David McCaw
Engineer: Darryl Stack
