Scores & Links

IMSLP (score) Edition Silvertrust (score)

featured on these lists

All Listed Works Edition Silvertrust

Louise Farrenc (1804-1875)

Nationality: French

Born: May 31, 1804, Paris Died: September 15, 1875, Paris (age 71)

wikipedia | imslp

Cello Sonata in B-flat major, Op. 46

(for cello and piano)

10:17	I.	Allegro moderato
5:55	II.	Andante sostenuto
7:57	III.	Finale. Allegro

Duration: 25 minutes (approximately)

Composed: c. 1858-1859 (age 53-55)

Published: 1861 (age 56-57)

Dedication: Ch. Lebouc (Charles Lebouc, 1822–1893, possibly)

2 recordings, 6 videos

expand

autoopen autoplay

9:15

David Berlin, Benjamin Martin

I. Allegro moderato

5:33

David Berlin, Benjamin Martin

II. Andante sostenuto

8:21

David Berlin, Benjamin Martin

III. Finale. Allegro

9:24

Kirsten Whitson, Mary Ellen Haupert

I. Allegro moderato

5:53

Kirsten Whitson, Mary Ellen Haupert

II. Andante sostenuto

6:43

Kirsten Whitson, Mary Ellen Haupert

III. Finale. Allegro

From Edition Silvertrust

Louise Farrenc's Cello Sonata in B flat Major dates from 1859. It was one of her last compositions. The treatment of the two instruments, especially the piano with its extensive use of tremolo, broken octaves and scale passages indicates that she had taken Beethoven's cello sonatas as her model. The opening movement, Allegro moderato, glides along effortlessly. A lovely Andante sostenuto, full of ornamentation serves as the middle movement. The finale is a lively Allegro.

Louise Farrenc (1804-1875) enjoyed a considerable reputation during her own lifetime as both a performer and a teacher. As a young girl, Farrenc, a piano prodigy, was fortunate in studying piano with such great masters as Ignaz Moscheles and Johann Nepomuk Hummel and composition later with Anton Reicha at the Paris Conservatory. After completing her studies, Farrenc embarked on a concert career and gained considerable fame as a performer. By the early 1840’s, her reputation was such that in 1842 she was appointed to the permanent position of Professor of Piano at the Paris Conservatory.

The sonata, once quite popular, fell from the repertoire and has been out of print for many years. We have reprinted the one and only edition and are pleased to make it available again.

Related Composers

Johann Hummel (1778-1837)

Teacher

Nationality: Austrian

Born: November 14, 1778, Pressburg (now Bratislava) Died: October 17, 1837, Weimar (age 58)

Ignaz Moscheles (1794-1870)

Teacher

Nationality: Bohemian

Born: May 23, 1794, Prague Died: March 10, 1870, Leipzig (age 75)

Anton Reicha (1770-1836)

Teacher

Nationality: Czech | French

Born: February 26, 1770, Prague Died: May 28, 1836, Paris (age 66)

glossary

allegro [I]—fast, lively tempo. From the Italian word for cheerful or gay.
andante [I]—moderately slow tempo (e.g. walking). Faster than adagio but slower than allegretto
chamber music, Kammermusik [G], musique de chambre [F], musica da camera [I], musica cameralis [L]—"Classical Music" for a small ensemble, generally 8 or fewer players with a canonical emphasis on 3-6 players. explore
duo, duet, dueto [S], duetto [I], duett [G]—a work for two instruments; the ensemble itself
finale [I], final [F]—The final movement, sometimes explicitly titled thus
moderato [I], moderamente, modéré [F], modérément [F]—moderately, at a moderate tempo, applying a touch of restraint to its related word(s), e.g. allegro moderato
opus [L], opera[pl], Op., Opp, WoO, Op. posth—work, as in a work of art. For unique identification, publishers/composers often assign an "opus number", abbreviated as "Op." (e.g. Op. 1). A range of works by opus number, uses the plural "opp." (e.g. "Opp. 1-3"). A single opus number may refer to a collection of works (e.g. a set of quartets) giving rise to designations like "Op. 1, No. 4". For misc. works without opus numbers, "WoO" is often used (e.g."Without Opus"). Posthumously assigned numbers may use "Op. posth". Opus numbers may not precisely reflect chronology (publication vs. composition), can be erroneous, sparse or duplicative. Thus, the works of some historically important composers may use separate catalog numbers (e.g. Bach, Haydn, Schubert). See wiki
sonata, sonate, suonato—a complicated term. Originally, "sounded" rather than "sung" (sonar vs. cantar), e.g. instrumental music. According to historical period, sonata began to imply a formal plan of movements as well as the structure within a single movement, e.g. sonata form. In general usage as a work title, it designates a multi-movement piece for solo or duo instruments with one of the instruments enjoying a feature role.
sostenuto [I], soutenu [F]—sustained, perhaps a bit slow