MOÓR: Cello sonatas

Moór: Cello Sonatas, op 22, 53, 76
Péter Szabó; Adrienne Krausz, p
Hungaroton 32462 – 64 minutes

Emanuel Moór (1863-1931) was one of many whose compositions dried up during WW I, never to be resumed. But he had a reputation as a maker of pianos. Still, he had written a great deal of music that is gradually being noticed. A disc of cello works came this way only last issue (Cello Classics 1018, played by Gregor Horsch and Carole Pressland) and I am happy to report that there is only one overlap between that and the present one. Opus 22 is duplicated but played quite differently. Szabó is a more assertive player – a characteristic that matches Moór’s personality as well.

Opus 53, like the Opus 55 sonata on the other disc, is more Hungarian-sounding than Opus 22. Why they call Opus 76 Sonata 3 on this disc is a mystery to me, since we already have three sonatas with earlier opus numbers.

But then Hungaroton doesn’t number Opus 53 at all. The confusion is enhanced since the key and tempo markings for Opus 53 and 55 are identical, though Opus 55 has a scherzo. No, they are not otherwise the same music. Believe me, I checked! This is lovely music beautifully played.

D MOORE

American Record Guide
May/June 2008