Songs and Dances

One of Tcherepnin’s favourite instruments was the cello, for which he wrote about ten works (for example, the Georgian Rhapsody, other works for violoncello and orchestra, and several ensemble and solo pieces). He worked together with cellists such as Paul Grümmer, Paul Tortelier, Pierre Fournier, and Gregor Piatigorsky, and for this reason his cello works seem to be especially well suited to the instrument. Although Tcherepnin liked to point out the similarity between the cello and a baritone voice, he always did justice to the whole range of the instrument, even in the highest thumb positions. Georgian, Tatar, Russian and Kazakh folk music provided the inspiration for Songs and Dances op. 84.