Enrico Mainardi (b. 1887 in Milan, d. 1976 in Munich) held a special position among the major cellists of the 20th century. His name is linked to some of the most important premieres, such as the concertos by Hindemith, Malipiero and Pizzetti. Benchmark recordings of these are a part of this 10-CD documentation.

 
From 33 until 69 Mainardi taught cello and composition at Italy's famous Accademia Nationale di Santa Cecilia in Rome and also gave masterclasses in Salzburg, Lucerne, Stockholm, Hamburg, Helsinki, and Edinburgh among other places. The most important recordings from Enrico Mainardi's "sound-legacy" are here, including the early recording of "Don Quixote" under the direction of the composer Richard Strauss, on whose personal request Mainardi took over the cello part. Masterworks by Bach, Beethoven, Boccherini, Brahms, Debussy, Dvorak, Haydn, Hindemith, Marcello, Malipiero, Pizzetti, Schubert, Schumann, Strauss, Tartini, and Vivaldi are among those featured in this essential box set.

Bach, J S:       Cello Suites Nos. 1-6, BWV1007-1012

                         Cello Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV1012

Beethoven:    Cello Sonatas Nos. 1-5 (complete)

                        Variations (7) on "Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen",            

                                                    for Cello and   Piano, WoO 46

Boccherini:   Cello Sonata in A major

                        Cello Sonata in A major, G.13

Brahms:          Cello Sonata No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 38

                        Cello Sonata No. 2 in F major, Op. 99

                        Double Concerto for Violin & Cello in A minor, Op. 102

Debussy:         Cello Sonata

Dvorak:           Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104

Haydn:            Cello Concerto No. 2 in D major, Hob. VIIb:2 (Op. 101)

Hindemith:     Cello Concerto (1940)

Malipiero:       Concerto for Cello and Orchestra

Marcello, B:     Cello Sonata No.1 in F major

Pizzetti:          Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in C Major

Schubert:       Sonata in A minor 'Arpeggione', D821

Schumann:     Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129

Strauss, R:      Don Quixote, Op. 35

Tartini:           Cello Concerto in A major

Vivaldi:           Cello Concerto in G major, RV413

Wagenseil:     Cello Concerto in A