Beethoven was the first great composer of cello sonatas, and he remained really the only one until Brahms wrote two at the end of the last century, and then in our own time Martinu wrote three. Aside from a few individual works by other composers (Grieg, Rachmaninov, Shostakovich, Barber, and Britten), that about sums up the entire repertoire for this particular combination. It's a difficult medium, because the low notes of the cello tend to get covered by the bass of the piano, and balance between the two instruments is always precarious. Of course, when you have artists of the caliber of Rostropovich and Richter, there's nothing to worry about. This classic set has been the reference edition since the day it was issued, and it's now available at a budget price. --David Hurwitz