Divertimento (Penderecki)

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The Divertimento is a 1994 composition for solo cello by Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki. The piece is well known for its typical chromatic melodies and for its recurrent use of pizzicati and col legno. [1]

Contents

Composition

This composition takes approximately 20 minutes to perform. The movement list is as follows: [2]

  1. Serenade
  2. Scherzo
  3. Notturno
  4. Sarabande (Johann Sebastian Bach in memoriam)
  5. Tempo di valse
  6. Aria

There is one recording of the complete cello suite contaneing the prelude commissioned by cellist Arto Noras for the 2013 Paulo cello-competition, the recording was made by cellist Jakob Spahn released on december 14 2018 by Dux Records. Most typically, recordings tend to omit at least one movement. [3] [4]

Penderecki wrote this divertimento for solo cello as part of a musical collaboration with fellow cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, a musical collaboration which started with the Cello Concerto No. 2 and which went on for more than twenty years. [1] It was premiered at Köln in December 28, 1994, by Russian composer and cellist Boris Piergamienszczikow. [5] Since then, the composition has rarely been performed. However, it has been published both by Boosey and Hawkes and Schott Music. [2] [5]

Penderecki himself arranged some of the movements of this composition for viola for separate performance, among them Sarabande, which he rearranged in 2000. [6]

Notable recordings

As mentioned previously, there is no complete recording of the piece. Here is a list of notable partial recordings of this composition:

Solo celloRecord companyYear of recordingFormat
Arto Noras Naxos Records 2004CD [7]
Dariusz Skoraczewski Analog Arts 2004CD [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 Whitehouse, Richard (2004). "About this Recording – 8.557052 – PENDERECKI: Sextet / Clarinet Quartet / Cello Divertimento". Hong Kong: Naxos Digital Services Ltd. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Penderecki, Krzysztof (1994). "Krzysztof Penderecki: Divertimento For Cello Solo". Boosey & Hawkes. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Penderecki: Sextet; Clarinet Quartet (CD – Naxos #8 557052)". Rovi Corp. 2003. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Cello Populus (CD – Analog Arts #8830)". Rovi Corp. 2004. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Divertimento". Schott Music GmbH & Co. 1994. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Krzysztof Penderecki (* 1933) Sarabanda (2000)" . Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  7. ↑ "PENDERECKI: Sextet / Clarinet Quartet / Cello Divertimento". Naxos Digital Services Ltd. 2003. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
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