In De Hartmann: Lament, Matt Haimovitz and Nadia Shpachenko explore two works by Ukrainian-born composer Thomas deHartmann: his Cello and Piano Sonata of 1941 and Deux Pleureuses (Two Melodies), composed in 1946. Rich in melodic invention, the music draws on the spirit of folk creativity without directly quoting existing tunes, an approach deHartmanndescribed as folklore imaginaire.
Written during the German occupation of Ukraine, Sonata expresses the suffering of deHartmann’s homeland through vivid musical images, from a blind kobza player to the discord of collaboration. Its final cry from the cello, answered by the piano’s defiant chords, gives this deeply personal work a striking sense of urgency that continues to resonate today. de Hartmann: Lament continues Matt Haimovitz’s exploration of the composer’s music, following La Kobsa (2025), De Hartmann Cello Concerto (2023) and Thomas de Hartmann Rediscovered (2024).
To be released digitally on all platforms on November 27th.
