A large and ambitious four-movement work taking at least thirty-five minutes in performance, the first cello sonata uses much the same musical language as the first violin sonata, embodying significant references to Brahms and especially Schumann. It is an attractive and lyrical work but somewhat outstays its welcome in terms of time—an aspect not improved by a typical Enescu tendency to create an almost interminable ending. Sadly it has never found a permanent home in the recital repertoire, despite its jovial counterpoint and almost Franckian wistfulness.

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