Presents

Robert Kahn

 Sonata for Violoncello & Piano, Op.56

Robert Kahn (1865-1951) was born in Mannheim of a well-to-do banking family. He began his studies at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin. There, he got to know and became friends with Joseph Joachim who was the director. It was through both Joachim and his own family that he had a chance to get to know Brahms, who was so impressed with Kahn that he offered to give him composition lessons. However, Kahn was too overawed to accept. Nevertheless, Brahms did help Kahn informally, and while Kahn's work does, to some extent, show the influence of Brahms, he is an eclectic and independent composer whose music has its own originality. After finishing his studies in Berlin, Kahn, on Brahms' suggestion, went to Munich to study with Joseph Rheinberger. After completing his own studies, he worked for a while as a free lance composer before obtaining a position at the Hochschule in Berlin where he eventually became a professor of piano and composition.

The Sonata was composed in 1911 and is a fine addition to the late romantic repertoire for cello and piano. Long out of print, we have made it available at the behest of one of our customers. Unfortunately, we have no sound-bites to offer, however, if you listen to either his Op.45 Trio or Op.73 Serenade, you will certainly get a good idea of how this music sounds.

Parts: $24.95