Canzone, Op.55 for cello and piano; Max Bruch

Canzone, Op.55 for cello and piano by Max Bruch

Edited by Daniel Morganstern. Published by International

Max Bruch (1838-1920) was a German romantic composer who wrote in the conservative tradition of Mendelssohn and Brahms. He had a strong sense of form and a special gift for lush, expressive melodic writing. Though he wrote over 200 works, he is almost exclusively known for three works: his Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, the ''Scottish Fantasy'' for violin and orchestra, and ''Kol Nidrei'' for cello and orchestra.

Bruch wrote his Canzone, Op.55 for cello and piano for cellist Robert Hausmann; he was the dedicatee of ''Kol Nidrei'' and liked the piece so much that he asked Bruch for more. Bruch turned to music from his unfinished Goethe opera to make this beautiful, soulful, lyrical piece. Like Hausmann, players who admire ''Kol Nidrei'' should not hesitate to play this wonderful piece. Intermediate-advanced level, Grade 4.