Johannes Brahms; Charles Villiers Stanford - Cello Sonatas; Ballata (Steffan Morris; Alasdair Beatson)

Information

Composer: Johannes Brahms; Charles Villiers Stanford

• Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 38
• Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 2 in F Major, Op. 99
• Stanford - Ballata and Ballabile, Op. 160: No. 1, Ballata

Steffan Morris, cello

Alasdair Beatson, piano

Date: 2025

Label: Rubicon

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Brahms’ Cello Sonata No. 1 (1865) reflects personal grief, written during his mother’s final illness and deeply influenced by his study of Bach. In contrast, the Cello Sonata No. 2 (1886) emerged from a peaceful summer in Hofstetten, Switzerland, and unfolds on a broad, symphonic scale with a radiant, sunlit character. Charles Villiers Stanford’s Ballata and Ballabile (1918) for cello and orchestra were composed near the end of his career, following his final symphony and major concertos. Essentially a cello concerto missing a first movement, Stanford also arranged the works for cello and piano that same year.

Welsh cellist Steffan Morris leads a dynamic career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer. He studied with Thomas Carroll at the Yehudi Menuhin School and Heinrich Schiff in Vienna. Currently principal cellist of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, he has also guest-led major UK orchestras. An active chamber musician, he has performed internationally with renowned artists and won top prizes at the Banff and Bordeaux competitions. As a soloist, he has appeared with several UK orchestras. He has taught at leading music institutions and plays a 1695 Hieronymus Amati II cello, generously loaned by private sponsors.

Scottish pianist Alasdair Beatson is a versatile soloist and chamber musician, acclaimed for his artistry on both modern and historical instruments. A respected performer and educator, his 2025 schedule includes multiple appearances at London’s Wigmore Hall, a concerto performance with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra at the Concertgebouw, and participation in renowned festivals such as Bath Mozartfest, Cumnock Tryst, and Yellow Barn. He regularly collaborates with distinguished musicians including Steven Isserlis, Viktoria Mullova, Pieter Wispelwey, and the Nash Ensemble, reinforcing his reputation as a leading figure in the international chamber music scene.