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Acclaimed Dutch cellist Pieter Wispelwey presents a disc of works written for and dedicated to the great Mstislav Rostropovich. The Cello Symphony marked Benjamin Britten's return to symphonic writing after a period dominated by the composition of operas and vocal music. The work's title refers to the democratic sharing of musical material between cello and orchestra. It is the largest concert work from Britten's later years, and provides ample evidence of the composer's mature mastery of structure and symphonic thinking. The Cello Suites were the first solo instrumental music that Britten wrote for Rostropovich. Inspired by hearing Slava play Bach, Britten originally planned to write six suites, but only three were completed before the composer's death. Britten's first suite was composed at the end of 1964 and is comprised of nine movements, played without pause.