The start of an exciting series of French Cello Sonatas played by Marina Tarasova for Brilliant Classics. Marina Tarasova is one of the most renowned cellists of today: ‘Her playing is generous in tone, full-blooded in expression, passionate and confident, evidently fired by love for and commitment to the music.’ Gramophone. She is winner of international competitions in Prague, Florence, Paris, and a laureate of the Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow. She began playing the cello at the age of six and studied at the Gnessin School with Alexander Fedorchenko and at the Moscow Conservatoire with Natalia Shakhovskaya. Her vast repertoire spans the 17th century to the present day. She has worked with many renowned musicians, such as Mikhail Pletnev, Mariss Jansons, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Kurt Masur, Eduard Grach and Yuri Bashmet. This first recording of French Cello Sonatas presents works by Gabriel Pierné (1863-1937), Édouard Lalo (1823-1892) and Charles Koechlin (1867-1959), works written in the romantic tradition but each finding its personal tonal language and new ways of expression. Marina Tarasova’s piano partner is the excellent Ivan Sokolov.