Steven Isserlis © Jacky Lepage
Steven Isserlis © Jacky Lepage

Favourite Sonatas

Steven Isserlis + Victor Julien-Laferrière
Thu 5 Nov 2026 16:30 - 17:15
Thu 5 Nov 2026
16:30 - 17:15
  • Thu 5 Nov 2026
    16:30 - 17:15
    Grote Zaal
    From Tue 31 Mar 2026 12:00

Program

Camille Saint-Saëns Cello Sonata No. 2 
Pablo Casals Pastoral 
Ludwig van Beethoven Cello Sonata No. 4 
Felix Mendelssohn Cello Sonata No. 2 

 

Credits

Victor Julien-Laferrière cello
Steven Isserlis cello
Théo Fouchenneret piano 
Connie Shih piano

An overlooked Saint-Saëns and Mendelssohn’s famous Sonata No. 2

No previous Biënnale has seen as much Saint-Saëns as this 11th edition. After his monumental 1st Sonata, his Double Concerto, and his Cello Concerto No. 2, the spotlight moves to his majestic Cello Sonata No. 2. Due to the technically extremely demanding nature of the piece, it’s less popular than Saint-Saëns’ Cello Sonata No. 1, but nonetheless it’s the favourite sonata of Victor Julien-Laferrière, the winner of the first Queen Elisabeth Competition for cello in 2017.

Steven Isserlis will also get the opportunity to perform his favourite sonata: Cello Sonata No. 2 by his distant relative, Felix Mendelssohn. But before he does, he will finish the Everything by Beethoven series with a performance of Beethoven’s compact Cello Sonata No. 4.

This concert is a part of Everything by Beethoven.

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