Luigi Boccherini: Sonatas for Cello and Continuo, Vol. I Michal Kanka, Jaroslav Tuma, Petr Hejny

• Luigi Boccherini (1743 - 1805): Sonata No. 6 in C Major, G. 6:
• 1 Boccherini: Sonata No. 6 in C Major, G. 6: I. Allegro 03:32
• 2 Boccherini: Sonata No. 6 in C Major, G. 6: II. Largo assai 04:24
• 3 Boccherini: Sonata No. 6 in C Major, G. 6: III. Allegro moderato 03:13
• Sonata No. 14 in E-Flat Major, G. 14:
• 4 Boccherini: Sonata No. 14 in E-Flat Major, G. 14: I. Allegro brillante 03:12
• 5 Boccherini: Sonata No. 14 in E-Flat Major, G. 14: II. Andante non tanto, legato sempre 05:25
• 6 Boccherini: Sonata No. 14 in E-Flat Major, G. 14: III. Minuetto con variazioni 07:26
• Sonata No. 8 in B-Flat Major, G. 8:
• 7 Boccherini: Sonata No. 8 in B-Flat Major, G. 8: I. Allegro 04:14
• 8 Boccherini: Sonata No. 8 in B-Flat Major, G. 8: II. Andante affetuoso 04:13
• 9 Boccherini: Sonata No. 8 in B-Flat Major, G. 8: III. Allegro 03:40
• Sonata No. 3 in C Major, G. 3:
• 10 Boccherini: Sonata No. 3 in C Major, G. 3: I. Allegro 03:02
• 11 Boccherini: Sonata No. 3 in C Major, G. 3: II. Andante 02:15
• 12 Boccherini: Sonata No. 3 in C Major, G. 3: III. Minuetto con variazioni 04:43
• Sonata No. 16 in E-Flat Major, G. 16:
• 13 Boccherini: Sonata No. 16 in E-Flat Major, G. 16: I. Allegro 04:40
• 14 Boccherini: Sonata No. 16 in E-Flat Major, G. 16: II. Amoroso (Minuetto) 03:18
• Sonata No. 9 in F Major, G. 9:
• 15 Boccherini: Sonata No. 9 in F Major, G. 9: I. Andantino 04:53
• 16 Boccherini: Sonata No. 9 in F Major, G. 9: II. Adagio assai 03:01
• 17 Boccherini: Sonata No. 9 in F Major, G. 9: III. Tempo di minuetto amoroso 02:59
• Sonata No. 17 in C Major, G. 17:
• 18 Boccherini: Sonata No. 17 in C Major, G. 17: I. Allegro 03:54
• 19 Boccherini: Sonata No. 17 in C Major, G. 17: II. Largo assai 03:45
• 20 Boccherini: Sonata No. 17 in C Major, G. 17: III. Rondo. Allegro 03:29
• Total Runtime 01:19:18

Info for Luigi Boccherini: Sonatas for Cello and Continuo, Vol. I

The son of a cellist and double bass player, Luigi Boccherini (1745-1805) quickly became famous as a child prodigy on the cello. He began his career at the age of thirteen, and the following year went to Vienna with his father, where they both worked at the court theatre. His time was divided between Vienna and his native city of Lucca until 1766, when he undertook a concert tour with the violinist Filippo Manfredi throughout Europe, staying more than a year in Paris before going to Spain, where Boccherini settled, working as a composer and cellist at court and becoming a prominent figure in the musical life of Madrid. He also worked for the future King of Prussia, Frederick William II, for whom he made numerous ‘deliveries’. He died in 1805, having received little support from his protectors at the end of his life.

Author of a considerable number of works, but incomplete and disseminated throughout Europe, it will be necessary to wait for the work of the musicologist Yves Gérard to have a real inventory and a critical catalogue of his compositions. The case of his Cello Sonatas is characteristic; written at very different times, not all published during his lifetime, the number is finally stopped in the catalogue Gérard (G.) at 29. Six of the seven sonatas of the present anthology bring together the ‘great sonatas’ probably intended for the King of Prussia in the years 1787 -1797. Their invention and their harmonic sense are of great richness, unparalleled for the time. Their tessitura extends over 5 octaves, and, unlike early works, these mature scores avoid any paraphrase and elements of external virtuosity. The continuo, always in two voices, avoids a simple repeat to maintain a real dialogue between the instruments. An admirer of Haydn, Boccherini also bridges the gap between the Baroque world and the Romantic period, keeping from the classical style only the passing fashion of ‘Sturm und Drang’ and the use of the pre-classical sonata form ‘fast - slow - fast’. The central slow movement, however, takes on an increasingly appreciable importance, whereas the finale stylizes the minuet with variation, then the ‘modern’ monothematic rondo. A clear path to see the birth of Beethovenian writing!

Michal Kaňka, cello
Jaroslav Tůma, harpsichord
Petr Hejný, cello, direction

Michal Kanka
Born in Prague in 1960, Michal Kanka took up the cello under leadership of Mirko Skampa at the age of seven. Later, he studied in the Prague Conservatory under prof. Viktor Moucka (cellist of the famous Vlach string quartet). During his studies at the Prague Academy of Fine Arts - under the tutelage of Prof. Josef Chuchro - he participated in the G. Piatigorsky Seminars in Los Angeles with Andre Navarra, Maurice Gendron and Paul Tortelier in 1983 and 1984.

In 1980, Michal Kanka received honorable mention at the international Prague Spring Competition. One year later, he was awarded the grand prize for all categories in the Czechoslovak National Competition. This initial success has been followed by top prizes in the Tchaikovsky Cello Competition in Moscow in 1982 and in the Prague Spring Competition in 1983 (first prize). In 1986, Michal won the ARD International Competition in Munich.

Michal Kanka has performed with leading European orchestras such as the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, the Prague Radio Orchestra, the Bayerischer Rundfunk Orchestra, the West Berlin Rundfunk Orchestra, Liverpool Philharmonic, the Nagoya Phil., the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, the Prague Chamber Orchestra, the Prague Chamber Philharmonic...He has appeared as a soloist in Germany, Austria, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, North and South America and Japan. He has been a regular soloist of the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra since 1995 and nominated soloist of The Prague Radio Orchestra since 2003.

Michal Kanka has recorded for Czech Radio, Radio France, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Hessischer Rundfunk, Suedwest Rundfunk, AVRO Radio Holland... His CDs were released for Supraphon, Bonton, Panton, Radioservis Prague, Nuova Era (Italy). Now, exclusively for the Praga digitals (distributed by Harmonia Mundi France). His recent recordings: Boccherini - 7 cello sonatas, Myslivecek - 6 cello sonatas (world first recording), Kodaly - compositions for cello. For this recording, he was awarded several prices (Choc de la Music, diapason D ' OR), Boccherini - cello sonatas (volume 2), Martinu- small pieces for cello and piano, Beethoven - complete of cello sonatas and variations (CHOC de la Musique). Sonatas by Rachmaninov and Mjaskovskij (diapason D ' OR), Rubinstein, Brahms, Chopin, Grieg, Schubert, Franck, Saint-Saëns, Boëllmann and Haydn cello concertos, sonatas by M. Weinberg (CHOC du MOI).The releases of the year 2010 are D. Schostakovich and E. Bloch.

Michal Kanka has been an active chamber music player. As a member of the Prazak string quartet and the Beethoven string trio he has appeared on major concert stages in the whole world and recorded many pieces for the CD company Praga digitals.

He plays an outstanding instrument made by French violin-maker Christian Bayon 2006 and the bow made by French bow-maker Nicole Descloux 2000.

Booklet for Luigi Boccherini: Sonatas for Cello and Continuo, Vol. I