Beethoven, Debussy
Bonomini, Carcano

Paolo Bonomini, cello

Gabriele Carcano, piano

L. van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Sonata for cello and piano No. 4 in C major, Op. 102 No. 1

C. Debussy (1862-1918)

Sonata per violoncello e pianoforte n. 1 in re minore L 144

30’ | Ticket 10 €

At a distance of just over a century, the two sonatas on the program portray a moment of profound transformation in the relationship between cello and piano, now far removed from any traditional hierarchy and increasingly oriented toward a free and equal dialogue.

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata No. 4 in C major, Op. 102 No. 1 belongs to his late creative period and marks a decisive departure from classical models. Structured in two interconnected movements, it opens with a suspended and lyrical Andante that flows without interruption into an energetic and fragmented Allegro. The musical discourse unfolds through contrasts and sudden shifts, while the cello—often in its upper register—takes on an almost vocal quality. In the final section, the writing becomes denser, subtly evoking the contrapuntal tradition of the Baroque.

Composed in 1915, the Sonata in D minor L. 144 by Claude Debussy is one of the composer’s final works, and in contrast to Beethoven’s sonata it moves in an opposite yet equally innovative direction. Structured in three short movements, it favors a free form built on rapid gestures, timbral colors, and theatrical suggestions. From the declamatory Prologue to the Sérénade, rich in pizzicati and unusual sonorities, through to the lively and shifting Finale, the music seems to emerge and dissolve with lightness. Here the piano does not dominate but accompanies and engages in dialogue, contributing to a fluid and allusive sonic texture.

This refined program will be performed by Gabriele Carcano at the piano and Paolo Bonomini on cello, interpreters capable of conveying with sensitivity and depth the multiple nuances of these late masterpieces by two of the greatest composers in history.

Text by Martina Sangermano