Cello Suite No 3, Opus 87
Britten composed the Third Suite in 1971, inspired by Rostropovich's playing of the unaccompanied cello suites of Bach. Rostropovich first performed the suite at the Snape Maltings, 21 December 1974.
The Third Suite is in nine movements, performed without pause:
- Introduzione: Lento
- Marcia: Allegro
- Canto: Con Moto
- Barcarolla: Lento
- Dialogo: Allegretto
- Fuga: Andante espressivo
- Recitativo: Fantastico
- Moto perpetuo: Presto
- Passacaglia: Lento solenne
The work incorporates four Russian themes, including three arrangements of folksongs by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, reminiscent of Beethoven's use of Russian themes in the Razumovsky quartets. The final Russian tune, stated simply at the end of the set, is the Kontakion, the Russian Orthodox Hymn for the Dead. Philip Brett considers the Third Suite to be the most passionate of the three.
Read more about this topic: Cello Suites (Britten)
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