Sonata for Cello and Piano "Sequentia Serpentigena", Op. 285
- Instrumentation
- Cello, Piano
- Composed
- 2007
- Duration
- 17'
- Publisher
- Schott Music
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About this piece
Maxwell Davies's six-movement sonata (2007) grew out of his visits to the early-medieval rural churches (pievi) of Tuscany and takes its subtitle from the snake carvings on their stonework, an image of temptation and betrayal that may also carry older meanings. The movements bear Latin titles: Traditor autem, Nequaquam morte moriemini, Rerum sapientia custos, Amplexus placide tumulum, In immortalitatem litium and Saevit in umbram. Dedicated to Vittorio Ceccanti, it was premiered by Ceccanti and Bruno Canino at the Palazzo Chigi Saracini, Siena, on 10 July 2008. Schott publishes it as ED 13213 (43 pages, print or PDF).
Technical overview
No technical description is published beyond the 'very difficult' rating; the six Latin-titled movements run about 17 minutes.