In addition to two Sonatas for Cello and Piano (1945 and 1958/59), Mieczyslaw Weinberg wrote a Concerto for Cello and Orchestra (1948) as well as four sonatas and a cycle of 24 preludes for cello solo. For his debut album with Divox, Emil Rovner has recorded the following works by Weinberg:

 

Sonata No. 2 for Cello solo Op. 86/121 (1965, revised 1977) 2. Selections from the 24 Preludes Op. 100 for Cello solo (1968) 3. Night, from: From the Lyrics of Zhukovsky Op. 116 (1979)

 

Mieczyslaw Weinberg’s life (1919-1996) was marked by tragic events: he had to flee from the Nazi troops from Warsaw to Belarus and later to Uzbekistan, he lost his parents and his sister, and in 1953 he was imprisoned as part of anti-Jewish purges in the USSR. Still, Weinberg never wished to be treated as a victim, but preferred to recall with pride which famous musicians and conductors championed his works in his new homeland, including Dmitri Shostakovich, who never missed a chance to recommend Weinberg’s works to friends and colleagues. Mstislav Rostropovich was also among the famous artists who performed the premieres of Weinberg’s works and incorporated them into their repertoire. Thus, Weinberg dedicated his Preludes to Rostropovich. The Preludes are one of Weinberg’s most experimental creations and deserve to be counted among the most outstanding additions to the 20th century cello solo repertoire. Finally, the song Night is part of the cycle From the Lyrics of Zhukovsky, Op. 116, which Weinberg composed for bass voice in 1979. Zhukovsky was a translator and poet at the court of Alexander II. Most of his poems are meditative elegies on typical early romantic themes.