tag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:/blogs/musings?p=1Musings2024-03-05T11:38:11-05:00Yuriy Leonovichfalsetag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/73285612024-03-05T11:38:11-05:002024-03-05T16:55:29-05:00Critical Notes Series: Yagling's Suite for Cello and String Orchestra<p><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Victoria Yagling's Suite for Cello and String Orchestra (1967) is one of her first successes as a composer. According to her recording of the work, she composed it in 1968. Around the same time, she composed two pieces in the olden style Larghetto and Siciliana. Yagling recorded the Suite in 1980, conducted by Georgiy Vetvitskiy, released by the Melodiya (Мелодия) Label, catalog number С10 19803 002 on the collection called "Young Composers of Moscow: Chamber Music" (Молодые Композиторы Москвы: Камерная музыка). Yagling also recorded the Elegy by Andrey Golovin and the Sonata-Ballade by Armenak Shakhbagyan on the same album.</span><br><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);"> </span><br><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">The movement layout of the Suite is fast-slow-fast-slow, a layout also used by Dmitri Shostakovich in his Fifteenth Symphony. On the back of the abovementioned album, Natalia Shantyr writes, "The Suite for Cello and String Orchestra (1968) reveals a bright and unique world of images – impulsive, colorful, full of youthful enthusiasm and charming lyricism." The first movement, Toccata, is a perpetual motion with a brisk tempo of 100 per dotted half. The viola part is almost as busy as the cello solo. The sparsely orchestrated Aria is reminiscent of Rachmaninov's Vocalisemelody and Prokofiev's tonal language. This movement is the centerpiece of the Suite. The Humoresque is closely connected in style and motives to the March and Aria movements from Boris Tchaikovsky's Suite for Cello Solo, which Yagling recorded. The Finale was originally called "Chorale." This mostly homophonic movement plays with bitonality and contains several circle-of-fifth sequences.</span><br><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);"> </span><br><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Purchase:</span><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://fennicagehrman.fi/victoria-yagling-suite-for-cello-and-string-orchestra-2/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Orchestra score and solo part</span></a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://fennicagehrman.fi/victoria-yagling-suite-for-cello-and-string-orchestra-2/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Solo part and piano reduction (printed)</span></a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://fennicagehrman.fi/victoria-yagling-suite-for-cello-and-string-orchestra-2/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Solo part and piano reduction (PDF)</span></a><br> </p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/73024222023-11-12T07:08:37-05:002024-01-04T18:10:37-05:00Critical Notes Series: Servais's Souvenir de Czernowitz<p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/951266" target="_blank">Souvenir de Czernowitz, Op. 21 (Urtext Edition)</a></p><p>In the second half of the 1800s, composers turned to the eastern part of the Austro-Hungarian for inspiration for their works. The most common themes came from popular music by Hungarian composers and Roma street musicians. However, some composers went to modern-day Romania and Ukraine for inspiration. The latter was the direction Servais chose for his last published opus.<br><br>Czernowitz (Чернівці) exchanged hands several times during its history. At the time of the composition of <i>Souvenir de Czernowitz</i>, this city belonged to the Duchy of Bukovina.<span> Servais visited Czernowitz in 1857 and 1859.</span></p><p><span>The </span><i><span>Souvenir</span></i><span> is dedicated to his student and composer Ernest Jonas. According to Servais specialist Peter François and the </span><a class="no-pjax" href="http://schroeder170.org/" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://schroeder170.org&source=gmail&ust=1695738618527000&usg=AOvVaw0J0w67viD_kkDgC9r1Ww94"><span>schroeder170.org</span></a><span> project by cellist and researcher Geoffrey Dean</span>, "Ernst [Ernest] Jonas (ca. 1845-1889) was a member of the BSO cello section from 1882 to 1886. He is said to have been a 'favorite student' of A. F. Servais, living at his celebrated teacher's house at the end of his studies in Brussels. In the spring of 1864 Jonas and Servais toured France together."<br><br>The <i><span>S</span>ouvenir</i> is in 3 parts, using music typically played at weddings by Jewish klezmer bands and other similar ensembles.<span> All of the themes are borrowed from Carl Mikuli's four-volume collection </span><i>Airs nationaux roumains</i><span> (12 </span>selections in each volume) published ca. 1855 by Kallenbach in Lwów (Lviv). Kallenbach had an affiliated firm Edward Winlarz in Czernowitz. The first part, "Chant du Berger," is a doina, an improvisatory piece largely accompanied by a static bass. This melody comes from vol. 1 of the Mikuli collection called "Doina" (No. 2). The second part is a lullaby "Berceuse. Chant des Nourrices." This lullaby begins with a lilting melody followed by a more virtuosic variation. This melody comes from vol. 3 of the Mikuli collection called "Puiculița Mea" (No. 4). The finale is a Romanian Serba (Sârba) called "La Poste." This melody comes from vol. 2 of the Mikuli collection called "Corăbiáscă" (No. 8). It was also included in International Hebrew Wedding Music (ed. Wolff Kostakowski, published in 1916) under the title "Rumanian Horra and Serba" as the Serba portion on page 12. The first part of this selection is commonly known as "Bessarabian Zhok" or "Bessarabian Hora."</p><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(3, 40, 48);font-family:Lato, sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">
<p>Servais was not the only cellist to use Mikuli's collection as a source for his fantasia. Feri Kletzer, a Hungarian cellist, used several selections from Mikuli for his Zigeunerweisen, Op. 24 (published in 1876).</p>
<p>Our edition is based on the first edition by Schott published in September 1864. The Ernest de Munck edition was also consulted in preparation of this edition. Deviations from the text are marked with editorial markings. The first edition comes from the Cello Library, Alfred Richter Lugano. The sources were graciously provided by the Servais Society.<span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/72242992023-07-09T07:23:03-04:002023-11-11T18:13:16-05:00Critical Notes Series: Platti's Cello Concertos<p><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Giovanni Benedetto Platti (1697-1763) was an Italian Baroque composer and oboist. In 1722, he was called to Würzburg to work for the prince-bishop of Bamberg and Würzburg, Johann Philipp Franz von Schönborn. There he married Theresia Langprückner, a soprano singer with whom he had at least two children. Platti spent the rest of his life in Würzburg, working as a singer, instrument virtuoso, composer, and conductor.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">I would like to bring attention to the pedagogical value of Platti's cello concertos. Each entry will include the WD number, key, grade level (based on ASTA), clefs used, the link to the editions, and a brief introduction to the work. Typically, if a passage goes above a D4, Platti switches to tenor clef. Overall, these works are not as difficult as Vivaldi's cello concertos and sonatas.</span></p><p>The key to the ASTA grading:<br>Grade 1: easy keys like D, G, and C major; easy rhythms with 4/4, 3/4, and 2/4 meters; exclusively in first position.<br>Grade 2: keys include D, G, C, F, B-flat, and A major, and D and G minor; rhythms and bowings are more difficult than Grade 1; use of 1-4 positions.<br>Grade 3: use of tenor clef; use of 1-7 positions; thumb on the center harmonic; longer slurring and other complex bowing styles; simple double stops.<br>Grade 4: use of thumb position and treble clef; more advanced double stops.</p><p><strong>WD 646</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">C major</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Allegro, [Largo], Presto</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: 2.5-3</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: 4</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range: C2 - G4</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): bass, tenor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/906706" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:hsl(0,75%,60%);">Orchestra score and parts</span></a><a data-link-type="url">; </a><a class="no-pjax" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/920488" target="_blank"><span style="color:hsl(0,75%,60%);">Piano Reduction</span></a><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: The solo cello part does not go above a G4, although it is notated in tenor clef occasionally. There is no viola part in this piece. The second movement is played only by the soloist and the basso continuo.</span></p><p><strong>WD 647</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">G major</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Allegro, Largo e staccato, Presto</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: 2.5-3</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: 4</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range: D2 - G4</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): bass, tenor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/907250" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:hsl(0,75%,60%);">Orchestra score and parts</span></a><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: The solo cello part does not go above a G4, although it is notated in tenor clef occasionally. There is no viola part in this piece. The second movement is technically in G minor but does not begin or end on the tonic.</span></p><p><strong>WD 648</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">E minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Allegro, Largo, Allegro</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: 3</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: 7</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range: C2 - C5</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): bass, tenor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/907250" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:hsl(0,75%,60%);">Orchestra score and parts</span></a><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: The solo cello part goes up to a C5 once but generally stays in the first four positions. There is no viola part in this piece. The second movement is in C minor! The tonal language of the concerto is similar to that of early CPE Bach.</span></p><p><strong>WD 649</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">E minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Non tanto presto, Adagio assai, Allegro</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: 2.5-3</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: 4</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range: C2 - G4</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): bass, tenor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/907875" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:hsl(0,75%,60%);">Orchestra score and parts</span></a><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: The violetta part may be substituted by the viola</span></p><p><strong>WD 650</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">D major</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Allegro, Adagio, Allegro</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range:</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s):</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: </span></p><p><strong>WD 651</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">D major</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: 2.5-3</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: 4</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range: C#2 - G4</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): bass, tenor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/909612" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:hsl(0,75%,60%);">Orchestra score and parts</span></a><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: There is no viola part in this piece.</span></p><p><strong>WD 652</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">D major</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Allegro, Largo, Presto</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: 2.5-3</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: 4</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range: D2 - G#4</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): bass, tenor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/917003" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:hsl(0,75%,60%);">Orchestra score and parts</span></a><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: There is no viola part in this piece.</span></p><p><strong>WD 653</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">D major</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Allegro, Adagio assai, Non tanto Presto</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range:</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: </span></p><p><strong>WD 654</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">A major</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Allegro assai, Largo e cantabile, Presto</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range:</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: </span></p><p><strong>WD 655</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">D minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Largo-Allegro, Siciliano, Allegro</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: 3</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: 7</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range: C2 - C5</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): bass, tenor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/917752" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:hsl(0,75%,60%);">Orchestra score and parts</span></a><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: The first movement is a fugue on a 4-note motive.</span></p><p><strong>WD 657</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">D minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Non tanto Allegro, Adagio, Fuga. Alla breve</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range:</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: </span></p><p><strong>WD 658</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">D minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Non tanto presto, Largo, Allegro</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range:</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: </span></p><p><strong>WD 659</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">D minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Allegro, Largo, Presto</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range:</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: </span></p><p><strong>WD 660</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">G minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Adagio e staccato, Largo, Allegro</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range:</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: </span></p><p><strong>WD 661</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">G minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Allegro, Largo, Allegro</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range:</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: </span></p><p><strong>WD 662</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">B-flat major</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Allegro, Grave, Presto</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range:</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: </span></p><p><strong>WD 663</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">G minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Grave-Allegro, Largo e staccato, Allegro</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: 2.5-3</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: 4</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range: C2 - A5 (middle harmonic)</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): bass, tenor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/917453" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:hsl(0,75%,60%);">Orchestra score and parts</span></a><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: There is no viola part in this piece. The first movement is a 4-voice fugue</span></p><p><strong>WD 664</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">G minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Andante, Grave e staccato, Allegro assai</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range:</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: </span></p><p><strong>WD 665</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">G minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Allegro, Adagio, Allegro </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: 2.5-3</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: 4</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range: D2 - G4</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): bass, tenor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/910303" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:hsl(0,75%,60%);">Orchestra score and parts</span></a><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: The first movement has a Vivaldian imitation between the violins.</span></p><p><strong>WD 666</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">G minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Allegro, Adagio, Allegro </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range:</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): bass, tenor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: </span></p><p><strong>WD 667</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">G minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Allegro, Adagio, Allegro assai</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range:</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s):</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: </span></p><p><strong>WD 668</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">C minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Largo-Allegro, Siciliana, Allegro</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range:</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: </span></p><p><strong>WD 669</strong><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">C minor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Movement titles: Adagio-e staccato-Allegro, Largo, Presto</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Grade: 3</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Highest position used: 7</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Clef(s): bass, tenor</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Solo part range: C2 - C5</span><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Edition link: </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/911082" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:hsl(0,75%,60%);">Orchestra score and parts</span></a><br><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">About the work: This work is one of the longer cello concertos by Platti. The solo part is almost fully integrated into the ensemble texture, making it more like a "symphony-concerto" as opposed to a solo concerto. The solemn, imitative nature of the opening movement is reminiscent of the sacred works of the time. The solo cello part goes up to the seventh position.</span></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/70585052023-04-21T08:33:24-04:002023-07-07T07:17:16-04:00Mixing Editions Can Be Dangerous<p>Spending any time in the music world will make you realize that there is an abundance of editions out there, especially for standard repertoire. Our teachers guide us on which edition to purchase/download. Our orchestra librarians make sure that the correct music is distributed to our folders.</p><p>But what about mixing editions? What if you don't want your pianist to borrow your prized copy of the Hummel Trumpet Concerto? You bought an E trumpet for this performance and your music is in E major. You tell your pianist to download it from IMSLP. She has only played it in E-flat and assumes that you will, too. You meet for the first rehearsal and your music is in two different keys! Obviously, there was a miscommunication. If the orchestra parts were in the wrong key, it would have been an even bigger mess. This happens to a greater or lesser degree to all of us</p><p>I know of a recording on a major label where the cello soloist plays a composed version of a concerto and the orchestra plays the original version; to someone who knows the piece, it sounds like a mess. When I lived in Detroit, I spent a lot of time at Luck's Music Library. I once asked them why they don't sell Haydn's Concerto No. 5 in C major (this was before I knew that it was a musical hoax by Popper). They told me that people would purchase it by accident instead of the famous C-major concerto. In that case, those 2 concertos had nothing to do with each other besides being in the same key. But this often happens with different editions of the same piece.</p><p><strong>Dvořák - Cello Concerto in B minor</strong></p><p>This is the simplest case on my list. The reprinted Simrock parts (Kalmus/Luck's) have rehearsal numbers, as does Bärenreiter. But for some reason, Breitkopf Urtext decided to use rehearsal letters. This means that anytime your solo part says 1-2-3, the Breitkopf says A-B-C. The Breitkopf Urtext edition is good, but using the orchestra parts might pose a slight inconvenience.</p><p><strong>Haydn - Cello Concerto in D major</strong></p><p>Haydn's D-major Concerto is notorious for mismatched parts. There are 2 main versions for the orchestra parts, the original and the "Gevaert" version (orchestrated from Servais's version). Usually, the 2 versions are marked as such. The number of versions for cello and piano is much greater. There are editions with cuts, interpolations, and pitch alterations. Before your first rehearsal, you will want to make sure that the solo part you plan to play matches the accompaniment. Don't assume the pianist/conductor will acquire the correct version.</p><p><span class="text-small"><strong>Selected Discography</strong></span><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lEDycH0tNg" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Miklos Perenyi"><span class="text-small">Miklos Perenyi</span></a><span class="text-small"> - Original, without any alterations to the solo part</span><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peuAr-HxKyU" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Daniil Shafran"><span class="text-small">Daniil Shafran</span></a><span class="text-small"> - Traditional Gevaert version (double woodwinds) with the cadenza by Gevaert (most likely Servais)</span><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btU9qjN3RAA" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Christine Walevska"><span class="text-small">Christine Walevska</span></a><span class="text-small"> - Altered Gevaert version (2 oboes/2 horns), currently available from Breitkopf</span></p><p><strong>CPE Bach - Cello Concertos in A minor and A major</strong></p><p>If you get the Breitkopf (Grützmacher) edition of CPE Bach's A-minor concerto, it won't be compatible with the original version's orchestra parts, as you can hear in the (mixed-edition) Tim Hugh (Naxos) recording. The story of the A-major concerto is almost as complicated as that of the Haydn concerto. The editions prepared by Pollein and Cassadó are incompatible with the original orchestra parts. Cassadó's version is altogether in a different key of F major.</p><p><strong>Boccherini - Cello Concertos in B-flat major and D major (G. 479)</strong></p><p>Boccherini's B-flat major concerto is surrounded by confusion. Someone decided to assign the G. 482 catalog number to the Grützmacher concerto, aka by Boccherini, which is entirely a different piece from Boccherini's G. 482 concerto. Grützmacher did a paste job with 4 of Boccherini's concertos and a Dotzauer etude. The solo parts and orchestra parts are completely incompatible.</p><p>Another famous Boccherini concerto, G. 479, has been arranged and reorchestrated by Aslamazyan, Cassadó, Respighi, and others. The solo parts and orchestra parts are incompatible with the original version. </p><p><strong>Tchaikovsky - Rococo Variations</strong></p><p>These days, more cellists are playing the "original" version of Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations, but there is not one original version. Among orchestra versions, Luck's sells one reconstructed version. Schott sells another reconstructed version which is incompatible with Luck's. There are 2 unreconstructed original versions, a 1970s Soviet edition (not Kubatsky) and my YL Edition. The latter 2 are compatible. But if you purchase the Peters Urtext or Schott editions, they will be incompatible. Maybe then you might realize that there is nothing wrong with continuing to play the "Fitzenhagen" version. Are you confused yet?</p><p><span class="text-small"><strong>Selected Discography</strong></span><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD6Agdkgdjc" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Steven Isserlis"><span class="text-small">Steven Isserlis</span></a><span class="text-small"> - Original, based on the manuscript sources (1970s Soviet edition and YL Edition)</span><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8OesoMowBc" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Johannes Moser"><span class="text-small">Johannes Moser</span></a><span class="text-small"> - Reconstructed version by Kubatsky (Kubatsky/Schott)</span><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFO15RZcHRY" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Miklos Perenyi"><span class="text-small">Miklos Perenyi</span></a><span class="text-small"> - Original, based on the manuscript sources (1970s Soviet edition/YL Edition)</span><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJLImH4t8CI" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Raphael Wallfisch"><span class="text-small">Raphael Wallfisch</span></a><span class="text-small"> - Reconstructed version by Kubatsky with additional alteration by Stogorky (Luck's/Kalmus)</span></p><p><strong>Kraft - Cello Concerto, Op. 4</strong></p><p>In my exploration of the lesser-played cello repertoire, I've also found the Dominis edition of Antonin Kraft's C-major concerto, Op. 4 not to be compatible with the original version. The Dominis edition has truncated the piece as well as changed the key of the slow movement from E to A major. There are no recordings of the Dominis edition.</p><p><strong>Romberg - Cello Concertos</strong></p><p>Solo parts from Peters (Grützmacher), Litolff (Schoeder), Carl Fischer (Malkin), and IMC (Rose) editions of Romberg's cello concertos are not compatible with the original orchestra parts.</p><p><strong>Bartok - Viola Concerto (cello version)</strong></p><p>If you want to play Bartok's Viola Concerto on the cello like Janos Starker, you will need to get the orchestra parts to the Tibor Serly version. The Peter Bartok version parts are incompatible.</p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p><p>The rule of thumb is to try to play from the same edition as the other members of your group. You will save time asking, "Where is letter X?" Number your measures, check the score for inconsistencies in your part and you will be in great shape. If you play in an orchestra and you have a great librarian you can trust that most of the inconsistencies have been smoothed out.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/71865072023-04-08T20:30:41-04:002023-04-18T08:14:48-04:00Critical Notes Series: Le Beau's Cello Music<header><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/891400" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">Le Beau - Sonata in D major, Op. 17 (Urtext Edition)</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/891330" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">Le Beau - 4 (5) Pieces, Op. 24 (Urtext Edition)</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/880084" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">Le Beau - 3 Pieces, Op. 26 (Transcribed for Cello and Piano)</a></p>
<p><strong>Cello Sonata</strong></p>
<p>Luise Adolpha Le Beau (1850 – 1927) was a German composer. She studied with noted musicians Clara Schumann and Franz Lachner, but her primary instructor was Josef Gabriel Rheinberger. Like many other 19th-century female composers, Le Beau began her career in music as a pianist and later earned her living teaching, critiquing, and performing music.</p>
<p>Le Beau's Cello Sonata was completed on 12 October 1878, with the first two movements being completed on 17 September and 23 September, respectively. It was published in Hamburg by August Cranz in March 1883. The first movement of the Sonata is reminiscent of early Brahms (i.e. Serenade, Op. 11), and the finale of Mendelssohn's Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 58. The slow movement is quite melancholy, with a reflective middle section reminiscent of Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 58.</p>
<p>The cello and piano parts are equal in Le Beau's Cello Sonata. The piano part is not as challenging as Brahms or Mendelssohn, so an intermediate player would enjoy playing this work. The cello part is between grades 3 and 4 based on the ASTA syllabus. The cello part stays within the first 6 positions in the first two movements. The thumb is used on the middle harmonic in the finale. There is an F#5 near the end of the finale, approached by step.</p>
<p><strong>Pieces, Op. 24</strong></p></header><p>Le Beau composed five pieces for cello with piano accompaniment, four of which would be published as Op. 24. The pieces were composed in the following order: Romanze, Wiegenlied, Mazurka, Gavotte, and Barcarole. The Romanze was completed on 29 January 1881 and the Barcarole on 4 May 1881. The titling seems to have occurred after the composition of the set because the numbers appear at 1, 3, 4, 2, and 5 in the autograph without any erasures. The title page has "Fünf" (five) erased and replaced with "Vier" (Four).</p><p>The autograph of the cello part contains fingerings that were eventually published by J. Rieter-Biedermann in 1882. However, some of the fingerings were crossed out and/or replaced, making the autograph look like it was used for post-publication performances. Our edition favors the new fingerings. The Barcarole was eventually published separately in June 1886 in Cologne by P.J. Tonger (mentioned in Neue Musik-Zeitung). This Barcarole is sometimes assigned the catalog number Op. 65a, No. 5 because it was reused in Op. 65a for violin and piano. We believe it should remain Op. 24, No. 5 when played on the cello. The Romanze is included on the ABRSM grade 8 syllabus.</p><p><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Our editions of the Cello Sonata and the Op. 24 Pieces are based exclusively on autographs as they are more detailed and do not contain pitch, rhythm, slurring, and articulation errors that made their way into the publications. The original Barcarole is included in the appendix of our edition. We thank Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin for providing the sources.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);"><strong>Pieces, Op. 26</strong></span></p><p>Luise Le Beau published her 3 Pieces, Op. 26 for viola and piano in June 1883. The opus contains 2 Schumannesque works, Nachtstück and Träumerei, as well as the Chopinesque Polonaise.</p><p>The pieces are intended for an intermediate-level violist. Our transcription tries to adhere to that level for the cello. Around half of the music has retained the original octave and the other half was brought down an octave. Only a handful of notes were changed in the arpeggios of the Polonaise to make sense of the voicing. Otherwise, the original pitches were retained. The piano part may be considered urtext and played with the original viola part.</p><p>We used the C. F. Kahnt edition from June 1883 as our primary source. Any corrections in the piano part are marked with editorial marks. All of the slurring, dynamics, articulations, etc. in the cello part were retained from the viola part.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/71818462023-03-31T14:19:23-04:002023-04-08T08:05:26-04:00Critical Notes Series: Costanzi's Cello Concerto in D major<p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/889311" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">Costanzi - Cello Concerto in D major (Urtext Edition, Orchestra Score/Parts)</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/889312" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">Costanzi - Cello Concerto in D major (Urtext Edition, Keyboard Reduction)</a></p><p>Giovanni Battista Costanzi (1704-1778) was an Italian composer and cello virtuoso. He entered the service of the famous Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni in 1721. In 1722, Costanzi was appointed to the post of violoncellist at S. Luigi dei Francesi in Rome. In 1740 he entered the service of Cardinal Trojano Acquaviva d'Aragona and, on the latter's death in 1752, the service of Cardinal Albani. He was also maestro di cappella at various churches in Rome: Madonna di Loreto in 1742, and S. Marco e S. Maria in Vallicella the following year. In 1754 he was named assistant to Pietro Paolo Bencini, succeeding him as maestro di cappella of the Cappella Giulia at his death in 1755.</p><p>Costanzi wrote many works for his own instrument, including 5 sinfonias and at least 12 sonatas for cello and basso (or second cello), as well as at least 4 cello concertos. Two of the four concertos are on the easier side for the soloist, lightly orchestrated with 2 violins and basso. Both of the manuscripts of these works are housed at the <span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Alströmer-Samlingen, F major (150:17, complete parts) and C major (150:16, solo and basso parts only). One of the four concertos (G major, Schönborn WD 547) is in 4 movements in the “sonata da chiesa” style, with a slow first movement and a fugal second movement.</span></p><p>Costanzi's most noted work is the D-major cello concerto, once attributed to Joseph Haydn. The reason for the persistent attribution to Haydn even into the 21st century was that one of the manuscripts with Haydn's name on it arrived at the Breitkopf firm in 1772 and was cataloged in <span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Supplemento VII. In fact, three of the four manuscripts that still exist today have Haydn's name on them, but the “Haydn” copies originate from a single source (Zittau model) as can be deduced from the common peculiarities. Under Haydn's attribution, Hoboken grouped this concerto with other cello concertos under the number Hob. VIIb:4, now VIIb:4*.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">In the 1700s, it was common to see a work with different composers' names on manuscript copies. We see such cases with sonatas by Eccles and/or Bonporti, Berteau and/or Abaco, Costanzi and/or Vandini, and a violin concerto by Haydn and/or Hofmann. In the case of Costanzi's concerto, Haydn's name was probably put on the manuscript copy for marketing reasons. For stylistic reasons, Haydn's authorship should not be entertained.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">While in the past scholars at the </span>Joseph Haydn-Institut have questioned even Costanzi's authorship, we believe that this doubt should be put to rest. The sole argument for this doubt was that the D-major concerto did not match the other sonatas and concerto the concerto from the Schönborn collection in form, the other works being in the “sonata da chiesa” style, beginning with a slow movement. However, this is not true. The C-major concerto begins with an Allegretto movement just like the D-major concerto. The C-major sonata in the <span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Frank V. de Bellis Collection at the San Francisco State University begins with a Vivace movement.</span> The shortness of the F and C-major concertos may be accounted for by the technical difficulty level required of the soloist. Besides the Minuet and occasional Giga, Costanzi rarely marks other dances or uses strict imitation. Many Minuets are not marked either while being such in style. The finale of the D-major concerto is very similar in style to the finale of the G-major sonata (<span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">Schönborn WD 550).</span></p><p>Costanzi's D-major concerto was cataloged by the Breitkopf firm in 1772, however, the style of the concerto is more congruent with similar works from the early 1750s.</p><p>The concerto is full of long sequences we encounter in Vivaldi's music. The first movement begins with a syncopated theme that pervades the entire movement. Full of energy, the accompaniment often has a dotted rhythm. The slow movement begins with a stately ritornello theme, but quickly turns into a melody we could associate with Boccherini, Costanzi's student. The finale is abundant in Vivaldian melodies. The outer movements have the classical 4-tutti and 3-solo form, and the slow movement (in B minor) 3-tutti and 2-solo form. The outer movements do not have a developed sonata form, especially with regard to the double exposition.</p><p>The cello writing is idiomatic, much more comfortable than CPE Bach's or Haydn's writing even in the most virtuosic sections. The first two movements have places for cadenzas located before the respective final ritornello/tutti sections.</p><p>The first publication of this concerto came out in 1894 as part of Friedrich <span style="color:rgb(54,43,54);">Grützmacher's Hohe Schule des Violoncellspiels under Haydn's name. This version, like many of Grützmacher's editions for Breitkopf, was recomposed. In 1924, Arnold Trowell published his own recomposed version with Augener as Haydn's “Second Concerto.” The work has also been published closer to the sources (under Haydn's name) by Schott (ed. Walter Schulz, 1948), </span><prm-highlight ng-class="::item.codes[$index]" terms="::$ctrl.hl(item.key)" text="::$ctrl.getDisplayValFromVal(val, displayLine.delimiter, item.key)" display-mode="::$ctrl.displayMode"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;overflow-wrap:break-word;" ng-if="::(!$ctrl.isEmailMode())" ng-bind-html="$ctrl.highlightedText" dir="auto">Tenuto-Musik-Edition</span></prm-highlight><span style="color:rgb(43,53,69);">Tenuto-Musik-Edition (ed. August Wenzinger, 1950), and Breitkopf (ed. Christian Klug, 1977). The last three publications are all based on the Zittau source that has Haydn's name on it. However, all three are still heavily edited with slurs, dynamics, and unexplained note changes.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(43,53,69);">Our new edition is based on the manuscript housed at the Musikverein in Vienna (</span><font>IX 2345 (Q 16641)) for the violin, viola, and basso parts. This source has Costanzi's name on it. The dynamics are more detailed than the Zittau model. Since the solo part is not extant in the Musikverein, we used the solo part housed at SLUB Dresden (Mus.3356-O-505). We would like to thank both archives for putting these sources are our disposal.</font></p><p><font><strong>Critical Notes:</strong></font><br>In movements I and II the asterisk (*) marks places where the parts are inconsistent between the dotted rhythm and two equal sixteenth notes. We gave preference to the dotted rhythm. The asterisk is above the part that has equal sixteenth notes.</p><p>Editorial ties and slurs are marked with a dashed tie/slur. Editorial dynamics and other markings were provided in brackets.</p><p>Mvt. II<br>m. 30, viola: note 1 (appoggiatura) missing<br>m. 52, viola: note 2 is an F#4 in the MS</p><p>Mvt. III<br>m. 250, cello solo: note 2 in a D3 in the MS</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/71787622023-03-26T15:47:40-04:002023-04-08T08:05:26-04:00Critical Notes Series: Costanzi's Sinfonias and Sonatas<p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/887814" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">Costanzi - 11 Sinfonias and Sonatas for Cello and Basso, Vol. 1 (Urtext Edition)</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/891145" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">Costanzi - 6 Sonatas for Cello and Basso, Vol. 2 (Urtext Edition)</a></p><p>Giovanni Battista Costanzi (1704-1778) was an Italian composer and cello virtuoso. He entered the service of the famous Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni in 1721. In 1722, Costanzi was appointed to the post of violoncellist at S. Luigi dei Francesi in Rome. In 1740 he entered the service of Cardinal Trojano Acquaviva d'Aragona and, on the latter's death in 1752, the service of Cardinal Albani. He was also maestro di cappella at various churches in Rome: Madonna di Loreto in 1742, and S. Marco e S. Maria in Vallicella the following year. In 1754 he was named assistant to Pietro Paolo Bencini, succeeding him as maestro di cappella of the Cappella Giulia at his death in 1755.</p><p>Costanzi's most noted work is the D-major cello concerto, once attributed to Joseph Haydn. Costanzi wrote many chamber works for his own instrument, including sinfonias and sonatas. His sinfonias are basically sonatas. Our new edition includes 11 of Costanzi's works for cello, 5 sinfonias and 6 sonatas. </p><p>The Sinfonias and the G-major sonata come from the Graf von Schönborn-Wiesentheid Collection (MSS 548-553). </p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Sinfonia in C major</strong> <br>(Schönborn WD 548)<br><span class="text-small">Grave</span><br><span class="text-small">Allegro</span><br><span class="text-small">Allegro</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/35eac9d5e92a884e052b9ea78b546c542e23bc62/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>The entire C-major Sinfonia also appears as Antonio Vandini's C-major Sonata. Vandini's manuscript is located at Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Venice (Mss.It.IV.1095). Vandini's manuscript is dated May 1717. Costanzi did not enter Ottoboni's service until 1721, so it is likely that Vandini is in fact the composer of the Sinfonia. The differences between the Vandini and Costanzi manuscripts are slight. The first movement is a solemn prelude. The second movement is in binary form, built around the ritornello principle. The third movement is a minuet with one variation. The variation may have been added by Costanzi.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Sinfonia in G major</strong> <br>(Schönborn WD 549)<br><span class="text-small">Grave</span><br><span class="text-small">Allegro</span><br><span class="text-small">Minuè</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/9e05f6921a3bab0235f21d27a904badd0c9358b2/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>The G-major Sinfonia is a typical sonata da camera for the 1720s-30s. The Allegro movement is a Corrente.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Sonata in G major</strong> <br>(Schönborn WD 550)<br><span class="text-small">Largo</span><br><span class="text-small">Allegro</span><br><span class="text-small">Largo</span><br><span class="text-small">Allegro</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/f2d1b5fce34cb25d946d4ae1363bd0179f9f52a2/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>The G-major Sonata is the only piece with the title of "sonata" among Costanzi's scores in the Schönborn collection. The second movement is imitative. The third movement is in E minor until the last four bars. The bass part in the last four bars is vague as the music moves to the key of B. We provided a solution for the bass part that makes the music less jarring; other solutions are welcome. The finale is a minuet.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Sinfonia in D major</strong> <br>(Schönborn WD 551)<br><span class="text-small">Adagio staccato</span><br><span class="text-small">Allegro</span><br><span class="text-small">Amoroso</span><br><span class="text-small">Amoroso</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/4b5191473f94a96d29556c7d29bb1a117266c4e5/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>The D-major Sinfonia opens with a descending bass by itself. The first movement explores the key of E major, not a typical key to explore in that era when the tonic is D major. The second movement is in binary form, but both sections begin and end in the tonic key instead of the first section ending on the dominant. The last two movements are called Amoroso. The first Amoroso is in a typical binary form. It has a stuttering scale near the end. The final Amoroso is a minuet.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Sinfonia in E-flat major</strong> <br>(Schönborn WD 552)<br><span class="text-small">Adagio</span><br><span class="text-small">Allegro</span><br><span class="text-small">Minuet</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/8a8d0567058bd7ab1a0aec87881a2a60ce7aa147/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>The E-flat-major Sinfonia is a typical sonata da camera. The second movement is a courante and the finale is a minuet where the bass imitates the cello line.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Sinfonia in B-flat major</strong> <br>(Schönborn WD 553)<br><span class="text-small">Adagio</span><br><span class="text-small">Spiritoso</span><br><span class="text-small">Sarabanda. Amoroso</span><br><span class="text-small">Minuet</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/0e6d55abcfe1829b7d071fa3c969db82349d3245/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>The B-flat-major Sinfonia has a couple of oddities similar to the D-major Sinfonia. The second movement is in binary form but both sections end in the tonic key instead of the first section ending on the dominant. The third movement is called "Sarabanda" but it is in 4, not in 3. </p><p>The following two sonatas, in C-major and G-minor, respectively, come from the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde collection (MSS 23 and 43). </p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Sonata in C major</strong> <br>(Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien: 23/g IX)<br><span class="text-small">Andante</span><br><span class="text-small">Grave</span><br><span class="text-small">Giga. Allegro</span><br><span class="text-small">Minuetto</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/3e724d66034a30d877e2a6cd34d27483ce741a5d/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>The C-major Sonata has three movements in straightforward binary form. The second movement is a fantasia, almost a recitative that moves from G to E. </p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Sonata in G minor</strong> <br>(Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien: 43/g IX)<br><span class="text-small">[Grave]</span><br><span class="text-small">[Allegro]</span><br><span class="text-small">Minuet</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/a250bcea545b0b2d92aabc1c37c825c528bfe54a/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>The G-minor Sonata manuscript is almost illegible in some spots. The first two movements are missing tempo markings. The first movement is similar to the Cantabile movement in the cello sonata manuscript housed at the Frank V. de Bellis Collection at the San Francisco State University.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Sonata in C minor</strong><br>(Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin: Mus.ms. 4204)<br><span class="text-small">Adagio</span><br><span class="text-small">Allegro</span><br><span class="text-small">Grave</span><br><span class="text-small">Capricio. Allegro assai</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/8b99f132685614d903d638098453881120c0412e/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>The C-minor Sonata explores the extremes of the cello range. The repetitive nature of the fast movements allows the musicians to vary dynamics. The Capric[c]io is a perpetual motion. This is the most technically-demanding movement among Costanzi's solo works.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Sonata in F major</strong> <br>(Alströmer-Samlingen Statens Musiksamlingar Filmnr: 150:18)<br><span class="text-small">Grazioso</span><br><span class="text-small">Allegro</span><br><span class="text-small">Alla Francese</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/b1407d2330d4c43084ebbb30b348ed28bbd55815/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>The F-major Sonata is perhaps better described as a work for two equal cellists. The cellos often play the same rhythm or in imitation.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Sonata Da Camera Per Due Violoncelli ad Vso di Corni da Caccia</strong><br>(Universitetsbibliotek, Uppsala: Gimo 79)<br><span class="text-small">Amoroso - Allegro assai - Amoroso</span><br><span class="text-small">Adagio</span><br><span class="text-small">Presto</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/e776745cff6614911ae0a66551353cbfba306d8e/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>Like the previous work, the Sonata da camera is for two equal partners and is in the style of Corni da caccia (hunting horns). This sonata may be played in (but not limited to) the first position in its entirety by both cellists.</p><p>We want to thank the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for putting the manuscripts from the Elizabeth Cowling collection at our disposal for volume 1. <span style="color:rgb(3,40,48);">The first 4 sonatas in volume 2 were graciously provided by the Frank V. de Bellis Collection at the San Francisco State University. The last 2 sonatas in volume 2 were graciously provided by the Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Münster.</span></p><p>The sets come with a playable cello-basso score, a separate cello part, and a basso (cello 2 part). All clefs have been updated to bass, tenor, and standard treble clef.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/71737922023-03-17T20:31:45-04:002023-03-26T15:24:21-04:00Critical Notes Series: Cello's Six Clefs<p>The question is often asked why was so much of Dvořák's music published with cello parts in treble clef down an octave (hereafter “treble 8vb”) instead of a tenor clef. The answer is more complex than one might think. I hope to overview the use of clefs to notate cello music for the last 300 years.</p><p><span></span>Encyclopedia Brittanica defines a clef as a <span>"</span>symbol placed at the beginning of the staff, determining the pitch of a particular line and thus setting a reference for, or giving a <span>'</span>key<span>'</span> to, all notes of the staff. Three clef symbols are used today: the treble, bass, and C clefs, stylized forms of the letters G, F, and C, respectively.<span>" Simply put, the clef tells the musician or singer which note to play or sing.</span></p><p><span>Since the cello served mainly as a bass instrument before 1680, the bass clef was used. The bass clef comfortably covers the first four positions of the cello, from C2 to G4. The first five of Bach's 6 Solo Suites (ca. 1720) are written exclusively in bass clef.</span></p><p><span><strong>From 1680</strong></span><br><span>However, as early as 1680, we find cello music composed in bass, alto, and tenor clefs. We find this in the </span>Ricercate sopra il violoncello o' clavicembalo by <span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Giovanni Battista degli Antonii. It might seem redundant to us for a composer to use alto and tenor clef since they are so close in range but Bach did the same thing with the treble and French treble clefs in his violin music to keep ledger lines to a minimum. In the degli Antonii example below, you can see the use of three clefs on a single line.</span></p><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/a07c77727d7bbec4e51fa27d37ecce0fa421c318/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="" /><span class="text-small">degli Antonii, Ricercata No. 3 (Gioseffo Micheletti, 1687)</span></p><p><strong>In Vivaldi's music</strong><br>Vivaldi had an almost scientific way of using clefs in cello music. He used 3 clefs, bass, tenor, and treble 8vb. If a passage did not go above F4, Vivaldi stayed in bass clef. If a passage went above F4, even just to G4, it would be notated in tenor clef, as long as the music stayed above C3. If the passage went above B4, Vivaldi would switch to treble 8vb clef. Again, it seems redundant since tenor and treble 8vb clefs are so close in range but this was Vivaldi's practice. Below we can see the switch from tenor to treble clef in his RV 413 cello concerto.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/af28998c0a1f60938b545f07a5d7640acd69c083/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><span class="text-small">Vivaldi, Cello Concerto RV 413, mvt. II (Autograph MS)</span></p><p><strong>After Vivaldi</strong><br>While C.P.E. Bach used only bass and tenor clefs in his cello concertos, the use of clefs to notate the tenor and soprano ranges of the cello was anything but standard. The cellist Johann Konrad Gretsch used the alto clef in addition to tenor and bass in his C-major cello concerto (ca. 1750-1765). This concerto is very close in style to Haydn's early concertos. Haydn used the soprano clef in addition to tenor and bass in his C-major cello concerto (ca. 1761-1765). Below we can see the switch from tenor to soprano clef in Haydn's C-major concerto.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/102976139c479edf6aca5b24118fe99197f27219/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><span class="text-small">Haydn, Cello Concerto in C major, mvt. III (MS Copy)</span></p><p>Here is another example of soprano and tenor clefs in a sonata (1764) by Boccherini.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/bfa3cb7eba715549bf9eba5985230abd4cfb4ee6/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><span class="text-small">Boccherini, Cello Sonata G. 1, mvt. I (J. Bland, n.d.)</span></p><p><strong>1780s Simplification</strong><br>The 1780s brought in a simplification of cello clefs down to bass and treble 8vb. This standard was used in much of cello music until ca. 1900. Haydn himself notated his D-major cello concerto (1783) using these clefs. In order to notate the soprano range of the cello, composers added an 8va to the treble 8vb clef. The 8va cancelled out the 8vb. Here is an example of the treble 8vb clef and with an 8va sign from Haydn's D-major concerto.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/7332acc36e5c76e0f7fd3ea4ecb15ac67b3871ff/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><span class="text-small">Haydn, Cello Concerto in D major, mvt. I (Autograph MS)</span></p><p>Bréval's Op. 12 cello sonatas (1783) were published using bass and treble 8vb clef. However, Bréval used tenor clef instead of treble 8vb in his Op. 28 cello sonatas (ca. 1795). His cello duos, Op. 25 went back to using alto, tenor, soprano, and treble (at pitch) clefs in addition to the bass clef (this is 5 clefs in one piece!). </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/9c98226bcb3432b1266b7ec961cff7232c0d85a1/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small">Bréval, Cello Sonata in C major, Op. 12, No. 1, mvt. I (J. J. Hummel, [1790])</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/a7d92285c88d1bce1eac5b9b643e82f6d17225cf/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small">Bréval, Cello Sonata in D major, Op. 28, No. 1, mvt. II (Mme Oricheler, n.d.)</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/b46fb2449c54059ae20e5e5f045791577b910b93/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small">Bréval, Duetto in B-flat major, Op. 25, No. 1, mvt. I (Imbault, [1795])</span></p><p><strong>Post-1800 Bifurcation</strong><br>After 1800, some composers like Danzi, Weber, Lamarre, et al. continued using bass and treble 8vb clef in their concertante cello music but this system became prevalent in chamber and orchestral music. Concertante works by Romberg, Lee, Servais, et al. embraced the 3-clef system we know today, using bass, tenor, and treble clef at pitch.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/7fe8b364e6fa3e728e8124fbe1e819fdd5a328a4/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small">Danzi, Cello Concertino in D major, Op. 46, mvt. I (MS Copy)</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/be6492c00403d9bfbb6765d2f900828ca2c47be3/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small">Romberg, Cello Concerto No. 2, Op. 3, mvt. I (J. André, [1822])</span></p><p>Beethoven's cello sonatas and early string quartets were originally published using bass and treble 8vb clef but his symphonies and late string quartets used bass and tenor clefs. Since most, if not all, of Beethoven's music has been republished using the 3-clef notation, we hardly ever come across his music written with the treble 8vb clef. We can still see the treble 8vb clef in the reprinted scores of chamber music by Breitkopf from <span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);"><i>Ludwig van Beethovens Werke </i>(1860s-1890s).</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/38abb448afc528c0d440fb9cb30b0211404dd0ff/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small">Beethoven, String Quartet, Op. 18, No. 1, mvt. I (Mollo, [1801])</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/5b3d21059d036806dcfb6fdbb759d0227c759dcd/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small">Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, Op. 67, mvt. 1 (Richault, n.d.)</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/f658a18b1abd99b5cd192ac406973040676b6a51/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small">Beethoven, Cello Sonata in D major, Op. 102, No. 2, mvt. I (Autograph MS)</span></p><p>Mendelssohn penned his Op. 13 string quartet with the treble 8vb clef, but the rest of his cello parts use tenor clef, perhaps with a rare anomaly. Schubert seems to use tenor clef for his cello parts, Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op. 99 being an anomaly in treble 8vb.</p><p><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">The main places we still see the treble 8vb clef in the standard repertoire are in reprints of chamber and orchestral music by Schumann, Dvořák, and Bruckner. </span><span>Schumann's chamber works were updated in the late 1800s by C.F. Peters; those editions are trustworthy, even the ones with Gr</span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">ü</span><span>tzmacher's name on them.</span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);"> These and other works are being updated by Henle, B</span><span>ärenreiter, and Universal, but they are not always free of errors. The new editions can get quite expensive as well. </span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/7969e8eef38e0798b0b0ddf565abc3f46ce7896b/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small">Schumann, Fünf Stücke im Volkston, Op.102, mvt. I (Autograph MS)</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/6b1d5b01522a3908ecf8d1298238b7aa496a9e92/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small">Schumann, Fünf Stücke im Volkston, Op.102, mvt. I (C. Luckhardt, [1851])</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/3d9a22f96f1c25e9b8f69e9d693337e6f3766337/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small">Schumann, Fünf Stücke im Volkston, Op.102, mvt. I (C. F. Peters, ed. <span>Gr</span></span><span class="text-small" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">ü</span><span class="text-small"><span>tzmacher</span>)</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/3fd00f0e2e6c0b99a603ed60f7b71b312341c966/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small">Bruckner, Symphony No. 9 (Alte Gesamtausgabe, Band 9, Musikwissenschaftlicher Verlag, G.m.b.H., 1939)</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Dvořák's String Serenade, oddly enough, uses tenor clef in the second movement but treble 8vb in the other four movements. Dvořák's Symphonies Nos. 6 and 7 were published with treble 8vb but the rest of the symphonies use tenor clef. The Slavonic Dances Op. 46, No. 2 and Op. 72, No. 5 use treble 8vb but the others notate high passages in tenor, so there is no consistency in the sets.</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/27c64061ebb273e1b2e35d0e63a55c1c4b61f5bb/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Dvořák, String Serenade, Op. 22, mvt. II (Bote & Bock, [1879])</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/8366d50cd7f85546963e1c998e7fcd5c6e407834/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Dvořák, String Serenade, Op. 22, mvt. III (Bote & Bock, [1879])</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/934990bca02f2b4d988ffd343d4d96bfd1a561a3/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Dvořák, Slavonic Dances, Op. 46, No. 2 (Simrock, [1878])</span></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/e4861a0656765d91048936bd7d8872eacc79a86b/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Dvořák, Slavonic Dances, Op. 46, No. 3 (Simrock, [1878])</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">Associated Chamber Music Players have taken the initiative to convert Dvořák's treble 8vb passages to tenor clef in his chamber music. The “conversion kit” is located </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://acmp.net/dvorak-cello-conversion-kit/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);"><u>here</u></span></a><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">. I've published Dvořák's String Serenade cello part in tenor clef </span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/876412" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);"><u>here</u></span></a><a data-link-type="url"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">,</span></a><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);"> correcting many of the errors found in the standard reprints.</span></p><p><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);">There is still room for professional engravers to convert other repertoire that may be difficult to read for cellists who are not used to the treble 8vb clef.</span></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/71646852023-03-03T15:18:28-05:002023-03-17T19:48:21-04:00Critical Notes Series: Hunkins's Rhapsody<p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/881697" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">Eusebia Hunkins - Rhapsody for Cello and Piano (First Edition)</a></p><p>Born in Troy, Ohio, Eusebia Simpson Hunkins (1902-1980) studied piano and theory in Dayton until granted a fellowship from the Juilliard Foundation in New York. Her instructors at Juilliard were James Friskin in piano, Rubin Goldmark in theory and composition, and Albert Stoessel in conducting. Hunkins is known widely as a composer of American folk opera. Her husband Maurel Hunkins was Dean of Men and later Director of Public Occasions at Ohio University.</p><p>Eusebia Hunkins's family has many musicians, including her cellist/composer son Arthur, daughter Nancy (violinist), brother-in-law Sterling Hunkins (cellist), niece Nella Hunkins (cellist), niece Adrienne Elisha (violinist/composer), granddaughter Sarah Taylor (violinist), and others.</p><p><span style="color:#000000;">Hunkins's output included mainly piano, choral, and vocal works, as well as operas. According to her cataloger Alexandra Taliani, Hunkins only has 3 instrumental works, one for winds, one for string quintet, and finally the Rhapsody for cello and piano.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;">The 7-minute Rhapsody, composed in 1949, is a one-movement work in 5 parts. The outer parts are recitatives composed of open and extended harmonies. The second section is a lilting sicilienne with a bit of Irish flair. This section is diatonic with the theme repeating in A major and D major. The third section is a playful scherzo in B Dorian. The placid fourth section is in D major and switches between meters, with an undulating piano accompaniment.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;">Hunkins gives an option of playing a few phrases with artificial harmonics. If this option is taken, we recommend playing harmonics with the sounding pitch one octave above what is written. </span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;">The Rhapsody was performed at Ohio University with Maurel Hunkins's orchestration. Arthur Hunkins recalls </span><span style="color:black;">this performance with the</span><span style="color:#000000;"> Ohio University Symphony, directed by Dr. Karl Ahrendt, director of the Music Dept., with Janet Stewart (Marshall), cello teacher at OU, as the soloist. The materials for the orchestration have not been found to date. No other performances of the Rhapsody are known.</span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;">We would like to thank Arthur Hunkins and Sarah Taylor for kindly providing permission to publish the Rhapsody as well as the archives at Ohio University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for providing the sources for our first edition. The Rhapsody sources include an autograph piano score and cello part. The cello part and the cello line in the score have minor differences, mainly with regard to articulation marks and dynamics. A couple of pitches have been displaced by an octave.</span></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/70667772022-09-22T21:59:29-04:002023-12-10T12:03:49-05:00Bach's Seventh Suite<p>J.S. Bach composed the iconic 6 Suites for unaccompanied cello in ca. 1720. However, cellists have been borrowing Bach's solo violin and flute works to expand their baroque repertoire. In 1988, the cellist from the San Francisco Opera, David Kadarauch, transcribed 6 movements from assorted keyboard works by Bach and combined them into a work for solo cello called "The Seventh Suite." The contents are as follows:</p>
<p>Prelude - Partita, BWV 829<br>Allemande - Partita, BWV 825<br>Courante - Partita, BWV 828<br>Sarabande - English Suite, BWV 806<br>Minuets I and II - Partita, BWV 825 <br>Gigue - Partita, BWV 828</p>
<p>All but one of these movements have been transposed to G major; only the Prelude is originally in this key. In the preface of the now obscure Agogic edition, Kadarauch states that his "aim has been to follow the form and the spirit of the original six suites as much as possible, and not to exceed their technical demands." Indeed, "The Seventh Suite" does not reach beyond the technical demands of the third suite. The preface also promises an "Eighth Suite" to be published in the summer of 1988, which does not seem to have been realized.</p>
<p>The published suite is an attractive work overall, while the Courante leaves a bit to be desired from the standpoint of conversion to the cello medium. The score was prepared by the Japanese-American bassist Shinji Eshima on the now-obsolete <em>Professional Composer </em>software. The engraving contains all of the peculiarities of that software without attempting to look like a polished, publication-ready product. Slurs and ties look hand-drawn. I believe that this work could have some success with a proper "facelift."</p>
<p>Currently, the only copy I could find in the United States is housed at the Juilliard music library. Strings Magazine featured an article about this work in the late-1990s with a reengraved Minuet movement. Apart from these, hardly anyone is aware of this transcription. I hope that my article brings attention to this work and the name of David Kadarauch.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/70575802022-09-10T13:28:05-04:002022-09-12T20:14:08-04:00Building a Cello Music Library<p>Last year, I put together a <a contents="comprehensive edition guide" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/editions-of-standard-cello-repertoire/editions-of-standard-cello-repertoire" target="_blank">comprehensive edition guide</a> to the standard cello repertoire. I would like to offer a smaller guide on where to start with a basic cello music library. If I were to narrow down the options, where would I recommend that you begin? This is a "desert island" list for standard cello repertoire.<br><br>While this is a difficult task, I hope to keep the options down to just one edition per piece. The list may look different from other cellists/teachers. Some of my choices may surprise you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Etudes</strong></p>
<p>Duport - 21 Studies (Schirmer)<br>Franchomme - 12 Caprices, Op. 7 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/701283" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Lee - 40 Etudes (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651446" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Piatti - 12 Caprices, Op. 25 (Simrock/IMSLP)<br>Popper - High School of Cello Playing, Op. 73 (Paladino)<br>Servais - 6 Caprices, Op. 11 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/648100" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Ševčík - 40 Variations, Op. 3 (Bosworth/IMSLP arr. Feuillard)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Unaccompanied Cello</b></p>
<p>Bach, J.S. - 6 Suites, BWV 1007-1012 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651209" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Britten - 3 Suites (Faber)<br>Cassadó - Suite (Universal/IMSLP)<br>Hindemith - Sonata, Op. 25, No. 3 (Schott/IMSLP)<br>Kodaly -Sonata, Op. 8 (Universal/IMSLP)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Sonatas</b></p>
<p>Bach, J.S. - 3 Gamba Sonatas, BWV 1027-1029 (Henle)<br>Barber - Sonata, Op. 6 (Schirmer)<br>Beethoven - 5 Sonatas (Henle, preferably ed. Navarra)<br>Brahms - Sonata No. 1, Op. 38 (Henle)<br>Brahms - Sonata No. 2, Op. 99 (Wiener Urtext)<br>Bréval - Sonatas Opp. 12, 28, 40 (<a contents="Artistic Score Engraving" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://artisticscoreengraving.wordpress.com/publications/" target="_blank">Artistic Score Engraving</a>)<br>Britten - Sonata, Op. 65 (Boosey)<br>Chopin - Sonata, Op. 65 (Breitkopf/IMSLP)<br>Debussy - Sonata (Durand/IMSLP)<br>Fauré - Sonata No. 1, Op. 109 (Durand/IMSLP)<br>Fauré - Sonata No. 2, Op. 117 (Durand/IMSLP)<br>Franck - Sonata (Internation Music Company)<br>Grieg - Sonata, Op. 36 (Peters/IMSLP, plate no. 10482)<br>Kabalevsky - Sonata, Op. 71 (International Music Company)<br>Mendelssohn - Sonata No. 1, Op. 45 (Breitkopf/IMSLP, ed. Rietz)<br>Mendelssohn - Sonata No. 2, Op. 58 (Pohle/IMSLP)<br>Prokofiev - Sonata, Op. 119 (International Music Company)<br>Rachmaninov - Sonata, Op. 19 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/644120" target="_blank">YL Edition</a> with Gutheil/IMSLP piano part)<br>Romberg - 3 Sonatas, Op. 43 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/652114" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Romberg - 3 Trios (Sonatas) Op. 38 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/652115">YL Edition</a>)<br>Saint-Saëns - Sonata No. 1, Op. 32 (Durand/IMSLP)<br>Saint-Saëns - Sonata No. 2, Op. 123 (Durand/IMSLP)<br>Schubert - Sonata "Arpeggione" (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/664828" target="_blank">YL Edition</a> with Bärenreiter piano part)<br>Shostakovich - Sonata, Op. 40 (International Music Company with <a contents="my critical commentary" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-shostakovich-s-cello-sonata" target="_blank">my critical commentary</a>)<br>Strauss - Sonata, Op. 6 (Aibl/IMSLP)<br>Vivaldi - 9 Sonatas (<a contents="Artistic Music Engraving" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://artisticscoreengraving.wordpress.com/publications/" target="_blank">Artistic Music Engraving</a>)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Concertos (with piano reduction)</b></p>
<p>Barber - Concerto, Op. 22 (Schirmer with <a contents="my critical commentary" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-barber-s-cello-concerto" target="_blank">my critical commentary</a>)<br>Bloch - Schelomo (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/644108" target="_blank">YL Edition</a> with Schirmer/IMSLP piano part)<br>Dvořák - Concerto, Op. 104 (Bärenreiter with <a contents="my comparative score" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-dvorak-s-cello-concerto/" target="_blank">my comparative score</a>)<br>Elgar - Concerto, Op. 85 (Novello/IMSLP)<br>Goltermann - Concerto No. 4 (<a contents="Artistic Music Engraving" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://artisticscoreengraving.wordpress.com/publications/" target="_blank">Artistic Music Engraving</a>)<br>Haydn - Concerto in C (unedited - <a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/823020" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>, edited - Henle)<br>Haydn - Concerto in D (unedited - <a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/705920" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>, edited - Peters, ed. Storck)<br>Kabalevsky - Concerto No. 1, Op. 49 (International Music Company)<br>Klengel - Concertino No. 1 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651213" target="_blank">YL Edition</a> with Breitkopf/IMSLP piano part)<br>Lalo - Concerto (Peters/IMSLP, ed. Klengel)<br>Prokofiev - Sinfonia Concertante, Op. 125 (Boosey with <a contents="my critical commentary" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/critical-notes-series-prokofiev-s-sinfonia-contertante" target="_blank">my critical commentary</a>)<br>Saint-Saëns - Concerto No. 1, Op. 33 (Durand/IMSLP)<br>Saint-Saëns - Concerto No. 2, Op. 33 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/645308" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Schumann - Concerto, Op. 129 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651191" target="_blank">YL Edition</a> with Breitkopf/IMSLP piano part)<br>Shostakovich - Concerto No. 1, Op. 107 (International Music Company)<br>Shostakovich - Concerto No. 2, Op. 126 (International Music Company)<br>Tchaikovsky - Rococo Variations, Op. 33 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-tchaikovsky-s-variations-on-a-rococo-theme/" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Short pieces</b></p>
<p>Beethoven - Variations (Henle)<br>Bloch - From Jewish Life (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/755397" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Bruch - Kol Nidrei (Schirmer/IMSLP)<br>Cassadó - Toccata, formerly attributed to Frescobaldi (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/796128" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Davydov - At the Fountain (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/752881" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Dvořák - Silent Woods and Rondo (Wiener Urtext)<br>Falla - Suite Populaire Espagnole (Eschig/IMSLP, arr. Maréchal)<br>Fauré - Elegie, Sicilienne, Papillon, Romance (Peters anthology)<br>Glazunov - Chant du ménestrel (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/767360" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Janáček - Pohádka (Supraphon/IMSLP)<br>Popper - Elfentanz, Op. 39 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/710863" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Popper - Hungarian Rhapsody, Op. 68 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/646335" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Popper - Im Walde, Op. 50 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/645497" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Popper - Tarantella, Op. 33 (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/707651" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Saint-Saëns - Allegro Appassionato (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/656652" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Saint-Saëns - The Swan (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/656773" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)<br>Schumann - Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 (Pohle/IMSLP, ed. Davydov)<br>Schumann - Fünf Stücke im Volkston (International Music Company/Pohle, ed. Davydov)<br>Stravinsky - Suite Italienne (Boosey with <a contents="my critical commentary" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-stravinsky-s-suite-italienne" target="_blank">my critical commentary</a>)<br>Tchaikovsky - Pezzo Capriccioso (<a contents="YL Edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/674259" target="_blank">YL Edition</a>)</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/70447902022-08-24T09:07:21-04:002023-09-25T07:59:00-04:00Critical Notes Series: Rossini's William Tell Overture<p>Rossini's overtures are arguably some of the audiences' favorite concert openers. But for the orchestra conductor and especially the librarian the task of obtaining the parts is not as straightforward as it might seem. If you look at catalogs, you will quickly find that some of Rossini's overtures exist in Italian and German versions. What is the difference? The difference in the Barber of Seville is not as slight as the number of pick-up notes in the main theme. In the late 1800s, the music publisher Breitkopf & Hartel produced several editions of Rossini's overtures that matched the German taste at the time. If your orchestra library owns one of the original Breitkopf publications, you might have noticed that the composer is "J. Rossini" instead of "G. Rossini."</p><p>Many orchestras have gone back to Rossini's original orchestrations in Barber of Seville and Thieving Magpie overtures, but William Tell is still most often being performed from the late-1800s German orchestration. </p><p>The earliest publication of the opera William Tell was published by the French firm E. Troupenas in 1829, being Rossini's only grand opera. This would make Rossini's intentions best reflected in the French version, not the German. While there is an Italian (Ricordi) version of the overture, there are still some differences between that and the French (Troupenas) version.</p><p>Because the William Overture is one of the "bread and butter" cello excerpts, I decided to produce an edition of the cello/bass part based on the Troupenas edition. I inserted the rehearsal letters from the Breitkopf edition so it could still be played with other parts from that set.</p><p>Some things are immediately noticeable in the French (Urtext) version: in m. 8, the first note of cello 2 is an F#, not a D#. In the same measure, cello 5 plays A-G, not F#-E. These are not mistakes. The same notes are found in the vocal score published by Schott in the same year. The next difference is that the pizzicato is distributed between the tutti cellos and basses, not two solo basses. The cello 1 part does not have all of the editorial articulations and slurs; everything is kept simple. The final note of the cello 1 solo goes back to E5 in m. 48, instead of staying on E6. Overall, the dynamics are used sparingly in the introduction (mm. 1-47).</p><p>The second section, the stormy Allegro, is originally in 4/4 time instead of 2/2. The last difference in the cello/bass part I would like to point out is the fortissimo in the bass part in m. 154, instead of the piano in the German version. The fortissimo makes sense as the final crash of thunder.</p><p>I am offering the <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/820758" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="cello/bass">cello/bass</a> part free of charge so orchestras can have the opportunity to try out Rossini's original intentions.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/70427952022-08-21T13:19:58-04:002023-08-28T07:11:32-04:00Critical Notes Series: Vivaldi's Cello Sonatas<p>Introducing the new edition of Vivaldi's 9 Cello Sonatas, published by <strong>Artistic Score Engraving.</strong></p><p><strong>Antonio Vivaldi</strong> (1678 – 1741) was a prolific composer, someone many composers, including J.S. Bach, looked up to. Vivaldi composed for practically every instrument available during his lifetime. In this aspect, he passed on the torch to Paul Hindemith. One would be hard-pressed to name many other composers who accomplished this. </p><p>Vivaldi was quite generous with cellists, gifting them no fewer than twenty-five solo concertos[1], ten solo sonatas[2], a concerto for two cellos, three with violin, and many other concertos grosso where the cello plays a concertante role. </p><p> </p><p><strong>The Sonatas </strong></p><p>In the twentieth century, six of Vivaldi’s cello sonatas gained popularity as pedagogical works. Several twentieth-century composers orchestrated these sonatas to be performed as concertos. Ironically, cellists who played the orchestrated sonatas did not play the original concertos. The famous orchestrators include Vincent D’Indy (complete), Luigi Dallapiccola (complete), Gaspar Cassadó (RV 40), Paul Bazelaire (RV 40), and others. </p><p>A typical, twentieth-century keyboard realization had the style of Romantic-era piano writing, which was thick and rich almost the entire time. This kind of keyboard realization continued into the 1970s with the Ariston edition of the three sonatas (RV 44, 39, 42). However, when the Ricordi edition published the complete edition of Vivaldi’s works, Gian Francesco Malipiero and Fritz Zobeley were much lighter on the realization. </p><p>All nine of Vivaldi’s surviving cello sonatas are in the sonata da camera (chamber sonata) genre, meaning that the sonatas consist of dance movements, although, for the most part, unmarked. While Vivaldi does not use dance titles in most of the cello sonatas, we can surmise which dances he had in mind, comparing the style in this set to his Manchester Sonatas and other sonatas for violin. </p><p>Allemanda: 41, II; 43, II; 40, II; 46, II; 44, II; 39, II; 42, II <br>Corrente: 47, II; 41, IV; 45 IV; 46, IV <br>Sarabanda: 47, III, 43, III; 44, III; 39, III; 42, III <br>Giga: 40, IV; 42, IV <br>Gavotta: 47, IV; 43, IV; 45, II; 44, IV, 39, IV <br>Siciliana: 40, III </p><p>As with the Manchester Sonatas, each cello sonata could open with a “Preludio” movement. Vivaldi uses an imitative, sonata-da-chiesa (church sonata) style for the third movement of RV 46. The third movements of RV 41 and 45 are not stylized after dances. </p><p>It is noteworthy that three of the nine cello sonatas are in the key of B-flat major (RV 45-47), a key that Vivaldi used for only one cello concerto (RV423), not the most common key for cello music. Two of the sonatas are in A minor (RV 43 and 44), the key he used five times in his cello concertos. The other sonatas are in E-flat major, E minor, F major, and G minor. </p><p>Some of the cello sonatas share thematic material with other works by Vivaldi and Carlo Marino: </p><p>RV 47, II – Violin Sonata in E minor, RV. 17a, Corrente <br>RV 41, IV – Violin Sonata in F major, RV 20 (Op. 2, No. 4), Corrente <br>RV 41, III – Violin Sonata in C minor, RV 5, I <br>RV 45 II – Cello Concerto in A minor, RV 421, II <br>RV 40, I – Cello Concerto in C minor, RV 401, I; Violin Concerto in C major, RV 189, II; likely ultimately borrowed from Carlo Marino’s Violin Sonata in A major, Op. 8, No. 6 <br>RV 40, II – Violin Sonata in C minor, RV 7a, Allemanda <br>RV 46, IV – Violin Sonata in D minor, RV 15, Corrente <br>RV 44, IV – Concerto for Strings in C minor, RV 120, I <br>RV 42, IV – Violin Sonata in E-flat major, RV 756, IV </p><p> </p><p><strong>Pedagogical value</strong></p><p>As stated before, Vivaldi’s cello sonatas have been enjoying a spot in the young cellists’ repertoire for over a hundred years. These works contain similar features to Bach’s Cello Suites: simple forms, attractive melodies, the stylistic variety between the sonatas, challenging string crossings, and range limited to the first four positions with few exceptions. </p><p>Vivaldi mainly used the tenor range of the cello. The cello part in all the sources uses a mix of bass and tenor clef. Vivaldi tended to use tenor clef in passages where the music went above F4. Our edition gives preference to the bass clef in several passages where the tenor clef was originally used. The use of the C string is not as prevalent as in Bach’s Suites. Most of the occurrences of C-string usage are found around cadences. </p><p>I would like to suggest the following order in which to learn Vivaldi’s sonatas. While the opinion of the progression may differ, my recommendation is to view each sonata as a whole work. </p><p>RV 40: II, III, I, IV<br>RV 41: I, III, IV, III <br>RV 43: I, III, II, IV <br>RV 42: IV, III, I, II <br>RV 47: I, IV, III, II <br>RV 45: I, IV, III, II <br>RV 44: I, III, II, IV <br>RV 46: I, II, III, IV <br>RV 39: I, III, IV, II </p><p> </p><p><strong>The Sources </strong></p><p>Nine solo cello sonatas are currently available in five manuscripts and one printed source. According to Peter Ryom, the eminent cataloger of Vivaldi’s music in the Ryom Verzeichnis (RV), one manuscript source is partly in Vivaldi’s hand. This source includes sonatas RV 47, 44, and 39, and is currently housed at the Biblioteca del Conservatorio S. Pietro a Maiella in Naples under shelf marks 11188 – 11190. The second source is located in Paris at the Bibliothèque Nationale. This source contains a copy of the six sonatas in the order most cellists know them (RV 47, 41, 43, 45, 40, 46) cataloged under Vm7 6310. The third source is housed in Wiesentheid at the Graf von Schönborn’sche Musikbibliothek, containing sonatas RV 46 and 42, catalogued under 782 and 783. The Graf von Schönborn’sche Musikbibliothek also contains sonata RV 44 under the number 532. While it is difficult to identify the year of composition for these works, the Vivaldi scholar Bettina Hoffmann places the composition around the 1720s.[3] </p><p>Ca. 1740, the French firm Le Clerc published Vivaldi’s six sonatas (RV 47, 41, 43, 45, 40, 46), likely without Vivaldi’s blessing. This publication included new figured bass[4], slurs, articulations, and several recomposed passages. Le Clerc may be viewed as a performance edition for the French audience. As recently as 1988, the Grancino Edition used Le Clerc as the main source for their critical edition. Ricordi (ed. Malipiero) used Le Clerc as the main source. Bärenreiter and Wiener Urtext use the manuscript sources rather than Le Clerc, however, they borrow certain aspects of the ca. 1740 printing. </p><p>Our edition does not use Le Clerc as a source, because we do not believe that it includes Vivaldi’s wishes. The order of the sonatas in our edition will follow the common order: RV 47, 41, 43, 45, 40, 46, 44, 39, 42. </p><p> </p><p>1) <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/819539" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Unmarked Critical Edition">Unmarked Critical Edition</a> - The main, unmarked text is based solely on the following sources: Naples for RV 47, 44, 39, Paris for RV 41, 43, 45, 40, 46, and Wiesentheid for RV42. Changes to the text have been footnoted. The repeat signs at the end of the non-binary movements have been removed.</p><p>2) <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/819540" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Marked Critical edition with Keyboard">Marked Critical edition with Keyboard</a> - Fingerings, bowings, and the keyboard realization of the basso continuo have been prepared by the editor. </p><p>3) <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/819541" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Unmarked Secondary Source Edition (RV 47, 46, 44 only)">Unmarked Secondary Source Edition (RV 47, 46, 44 only)</a> - scores based solely on secondary sources: Paris for RV 47 and Wiesentheid for RV 46 and 44.</p><p>4) <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/819552" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Bundled Marked and Unmarked editions">Bundled Marked and Unmarked editions</a> - 1) and 2) together</p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes</strong></p><p>[1] RV 398 – 424. Many of these concertos have only basso continuo accompaniments in the slow movements. RV 404 and 415 are considered spurious by today’s scholars. RV 787 and 788 are incomplete. The slow movement of the RV 538 concerto for two horns has a cello solo with basso continuo accompaniment in the second movement. </p><p>[2] RV 38 – 47. RV 38, in D minor, is now lost. </p><p>[3] Antonio Vivaldi, Complete Sonatas for Violoncello and Basso Continuo, ed. Bettina Hoffmann, Bärenreiter (Kassel, 2003), VIII–XI. </p><p>[4] Vivaldi does not use figured bass, but three times in RV 45, when the solo cello plays below the bass.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/70181812022-07-27T14:23:08-04:002023-04-05T07:30:22-04:00Critical Notes Series: Vivaldi's Cello Concertos<p>As we survey the standard cello repertoire in the baroque period we find that the concerto genre is often overlooked. Violinists have Bach's 2 solo concertos and a double concerto as well as Vivaldi's Four Seasons, and a handful of other concertos. The standard cello concerto repertoire seems to start with Haydn's C-major concerto, maybe C.P.E. Bach's A-major concerto.</p><p>Vivaldi composed at least 25 solo concertos, a double cello concerto, and several other concerto-grosso-style concertos that involve the cello as a soloist. These works span from the simple, first-position concerto to the complex, advanced-level concertos in the vein of Haydn, Boccherini, and C.P.E. Bach.</p><p>I would like to present Vivaldi's 25 solo concertos, as well as the "Double" Concerto in a graded fashion, with the hope that my readers would include these beautiful works in their repertoires and teaching curricula. The links are to my new Urtext editions of these works; the first link is to the unmarked score/solo/orchestra part set to be used in performance, and the second is to the piano reduction/Urtext solo/marked solo set to be used in teaching. </p><p>Each entry will include the RV number, key, grade level (based on ASTA), clefs used, the link to the editions, and a brief introduction to the work.</p><p>The key to the ASTA grading:<br>Grade 1: easy keys like D, G, and C major; easy rhythms with 4/4, 3/4, and 2/4 meters; exclusively in first position.<br>Grade 2: keys include D, G, C, F, B-flat, and A major, and D and G minor; rhythms and bowings are more difficult than Grade 1; use of 1-4 positions.<br>Grade 3: use of tenor clef; use of 1-7 positions; thumb on the center harmonic; longer slurring and other complex bowing styles; simple double stops.<br>Grade 4: use of thumb position and treble clef; more advanced double stops.<br>Grade 5 and 6: use of all positions, bowings styles, double stops, etc.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 399</strong><br>C major<br>Grade: 1<br>Highest position used: 1<br>Clef(s): bass<br>Other features: simple string crossings; short solo sections<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/800606" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/800852" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 399 cello concerto is perfect for a student who is finishing up Suzuki Book 1. The entire concerto may be played in the first position (second position is optional). The outer movements are filled with excitement. The slow movement is accompanied only by basso continuo, making it sound like a sonata.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 412 </strong><br>F major <br>Grade: 2 <br>Highest position used: 2; 3 (sparingly) <br>Clef(s): bass <br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/801037" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/808343" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a> <br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 412 is a joyful and simple work, reminiscent of Autumn of the Four Seasons. The similar melody to the finale ritornello is also used in "Tecum principium" from Dixit Dominus, RV 807.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 398 </strong><br>C major <br>Grade: 2 <br>Highest position used: 3 <br>Clef(s): bass <br>Other features: syncopations <br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/805153" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/805154" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a> <br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 398 cello concerto is perfect for a student who is finishing up Suzuki Book 2. The first movement is based on an interesting rhythm, which is introduced by the imitation between the violins in the ritornello. The second movement is accompanied only by the basso continuo, making it sound like a sonata. The finale is a graceful minuet. </p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 406</strong><br>D minor <br>Grade: 2<br>Highest position used: 3 (first movement, with brief 4 in mm. 61-63); 2 (second and third movements)<br>Clef(s): bass<br>Other features: string crossings; in the first movement, the soloist is required to play the ritornello obbligato parts in mm. 4-8 and 75-79.<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/807646" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/807647" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a> <br>About the work: The first movement of Vivaldi's RV 406 concerto was also used in his bassoon concerto RV 481. The slow movement is accompanied by unison strings and the finale is a minuet with 3 variations.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 403</strong><br>D major<br>Grade: 2<br>Highest position used: 3<br>Clef(s): bass<br>Other features: dotted rhythms (hooked bowing)<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/800660" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/801094" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 403 cello concerto is a quintessential D-major work, emanating exuberance. The opening is regal with dotted rhythms. The slow movement is accompanied only by the basso continuo, making it sound like a sonata.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 411</strong><br>F major<br>Grade: 3<br>Highest position used: 4 (A harmonic)<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor <br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/809874" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/809873" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 411 cello concerto is the shortest in the composer's cello concerto output. </p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 416</strong><br>G minor<br>Grade: 3<br>Highest position used: 4<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Other features: syncopations in the first movement<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/810266" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/810267" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 416 cello concerto begins with an off-kilter dotted rhythm that pervades the entire first movement. The second movement is in binary form, accompanied only by the basso continuo. The finale is an exciting courante with imitation in the violins during the ritornellos. </p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 407</strong><br>D minor <br>Grade: 3<br>Highest position used: 4; 5 in m. 15 (approached stepwise)<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Other features: string crossings <br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/807648" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/807649" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 407 concerto begins with an energetic canon between the violins. The soloist is required to play the obbligato part for the first 7 bars. The notation of these bars is shorthand and may be interpreted as printed or with alternating 16th notes between the D and A strings. The slow movement is a sarabande over a unison ground bass. The finale is an exciting gigue in binary form.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 410</strong><br>F major<br>Grade: 3 <br>Highest position used: 4 (A harmonic)<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Other features: the finale has challenging sixteenth-note-triplet passage work.<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/810649" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/810650" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 410 opens with a syncopated interplay between the violins. The slow movement is marked "a piacimento" (to one's pleasure) for the soloist and is accompanied only by the basso continuo. The finale also has syncopations in the ritornellos. </p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 422</strong><br>A minor <br>Grade: 3<br>Highest position used: 4 (A harmonic)<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/648051" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/807645" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 422 concerto is arguably the most well-known solo cello concerto by the composer. This work appears in many collections of concertos for students around the world. The solo part is not as varied with regards to technique as other Vivaldi concertos of this difficulty level. The first movement ritornellos have an interesting interplay between the violins. The second movement is accompanied only by the basso continuo, making it sound like a sonata. Much of the finale has unison strings, so the energy comes mostly from rhythm and tempo. A part of the finale is also used in the RV 333 violin concerto and RV 491 bassoon concerto finales.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 421</strong><br>A minor <br>Grade: 3 <br>Highest position used: 4 (A harmonic)<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Other features: the soloist imitates lute/guitar tremolo in mm. 40-50 of the finale.<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/810654" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/810655" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 421 cello concerto begins with a slower first movement with imitative violins. Vivaldi inserts a half measure in order to realign the phrase in the first movement m. 33. The slow movement is accompanied only by the basso continuo, where the melodic line is similar to the third movement of cello sonata RV 45. The finale brings excitement with syncopations.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 419</strong><br>A minor<br>Grade: 3<br>Highest position used: 4 (A harmonic); 6 (first movement, m. 29 is approached linearly)<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/799618" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/808503" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 419 is one of five cello concertos he composed in A minor. The first-movement ritornellos are driven by the motivic motor in the bass. The tranquil slow movement is accompanied by an off-beat basso continuo. The finale is an exciting ground-bass-variation minuet. The special feature in the finale is the tremolo in the solo and violin II parts.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 420</strong><br>A minor <br>Grade: 3<br>Highest position used: 4 (A harmonic)<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Other features: large string crossings<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/800855" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/808856" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 420 cello concerto is one of five A-minor work he composed in the genre. The concerto begins with an Andante movement and a cello solo, not the typical orchestra ritornello. It is one of the most unified and thematically developed movements in Vivaldi's output. Each solo section is punctuated with a short ritornello over a basso lamento. The second movement is a solemn Adagio where the soloist plays an obbligato part with large string crossings during the ritornellos. The finale is an exciting courante that shares some cello techniques with Bach's C-major Suite. </p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 402 </strong><br>C minor <br>Grade: 3 <br>Highest position used: 4; 5 in mm. 77-78 of the first movement. <br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Other features: the ritornellos in the finale feature the soloist <br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/806423" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/806424" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 402 shares much of the pathos of its C-minor sibling, RV 401. The first movement ritornellos rely on imitation at the unison between the violins for its energy. The slow movement is a tranquil sarabande and the finale a sturdy minuet. Both the slow movement and finale are in binary form with repeats. </p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 409 </strong><br>E minor <br>Grade: 3 <br>Highest position used: 4; 5 (sparingly in outer movements) <br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/800695" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/808342" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 409 is a unique work in the composer's cello concerto oeuvre; the continuo part is prescribed to the bassoon, in the first movement explicitly and in the others implicitly. In the first movement, the solo portions are Adagio, punctuated by short, Allegro ritornellos. The second movement is the opposite, with the solo passages having an Allegro marking, while the short ritornellos Adagio. The finale is a standard Allegro ritornello form.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 408</strong><br>E-flat major <br>Grade: 3 <br>Highest position used: 4; 5 (sparingly) <br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Other features: fast passagework in the finale<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/807643" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/807644" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 408 is the only one of his cello concertos in E-flat major. The outer movements of this work are full of joy. The syncopated bass line of the first movement makes it even more exciting. A very similar ritornello is used in the opening movement of the RV 259 violin concerto. The solemn slow movement is accompanied only by the basso continuo, making it sound like a sonata. This movement is in C minor but briefly moves to B-flat minor in its more chromatic passage. The melody of this movement is also used in the opening movement of the RV 12 violin sonata. The finale is a springy minuet with a few challenging shifts in mm. 26-34. The key signature has only 2 flats, one of the ways of notating the E-flat-major key signature in the baroque period.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 417</strong><br>G minor <br>Grade: 3<br>Highest position used: 4; A harmonic<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/699701" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/806422" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 417 is among the more frequently played of the composer's cello concertos. The first movement solo sections are on the shorter side. The slow movement only has the basso continuo for the accompaniment, resembling Vivaldi's sonatas, even sharing the key of B-flat major with three of the sonatas. The finale is a fiery Courante, with almost a Spanish flair; a part of this movement's ritornello is also used in "Se il cor guerriero" from Tito Manlio, RV 738.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 405 </strong><br>D minor <br>Grade: 3 <br>Highest position used: 5; 6 and 7 are used sparingly in the first 2 movements <br>Clef(s): bass and tenor <br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/805828" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/805826" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 405 concerto has two fast movements in triple time. The soloist foreshadows the tutti of the finale in mm. 26-31 of the first movement. The tuttis have exciting rhythms.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 401</strong><br>C minor <br>Grade: 3 <br>Highest position used: 5; 6 and 7 are used only in mm. 61-63 in the finale<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Other features: advanced string crossings; fast passage work<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/800615" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/805825" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 401 includes some of the most beautiful harmonies the composer wrote. The tempos are generally slower in comparison to other concertos by Vivaldi. This work requires a high skill level to play the fast passages and string crossing. The first movement is also used as a slow movement (Larghetto) to the RV 189 violin concerto and has melodic similarity to the RV 40 cello sonata opening movement. The viola and violin 2 parts double each other throughout. </p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 423</strong><br>B-flat major <br>Grade: 3 <br>Highest position used: 4; 5 and 6 (approached stepwise) briefly used (mm. 82-85) along with the thumb (m. 84) in the first movement<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/810660" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/810661" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 423 cello concerto is a joyful work where the ritornellos punctuate the solo sections, as well as play their normal role of the "tutti" sections. The slow movement is a lamenting sarabande. The finale is a corrente in binary form. A part of the finale is used in the Corrente movement of the RV 20 (Op. 2, No. 4) violin sonata.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 531 </strong>(for 2 cellos)<br>G minor <br>Grade: 4<br>Highest position used: 6 (cello 1); 4 (cello 2)<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Other features: string crossings; extensions (first movement); rhythm (third movement)<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/808691" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/808692" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 531 concerto for 2 cellos, also known as Vivaldi's Double Concerto has become very popular, in part because it is included in the Suzuki Method. The first movement is full of imitation and storm-like passages. The slow movement is solemn, written in the trio-sonata style. The finale is a lively courante. Although both soloists have the opportunity to play melodic material, the cello I part is markedly more difficult in the first movement, going up to the sixth position once and often having the higher part than cello II.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 414</strong><br>G major <br>Grade: 4<br>Highest position used: 4 (movements 1 and 2); thumb position (third movement, D5)<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/810264" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/810265" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 414 cello concerto likely started its life as his flute concerto RV 438. Some clues in the solo part could lead one to believe that this work was conceived for a 5-stringed cello, especially some of the more awkward passages in the first movement, in addition to the range in the finale. The first two movements have more of a Handelian sound, and the finale has a sound one commonly associates with Vivaldi.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 413</strong><br>G major <br>Grade: 4<br>Highest position used: thumb position (first movement D5); 4 with A harmonic (second and third movements)<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/809871" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/809872" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 413 cello concerto is one of the composer's most forward-looking cello working, foreshadowing Boccherini's style. The concerto begins with an exciting, sixteenth-note bass line, pervasive in all of the first-movement ritornellos, however, most of the solo sections are accompanied by the upper strings a style Boccherini adopted. The second movement is an aria, introduced by unison strings. The finale also featured continuously moving sixteenth notes. The bass accompanies more of this movement. </p><p>There are some clues in the solo part that could lead one to believe that this work was conceived for a 5-stringed cello. However, even with the D5 being the highest note, the high position work lies very well in the left hand, like a Boccherini concerto of average difficulty. </p><p>Another unique feature of this piece in Vivaldi's cello repertoire is the pervasive use of the echo of small melodic fragments in the ritornellos, F-P-PP in the outer movements and F-P in the middle movement. These present the listener with imagery of being in the hills.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 400</strong><br>C major <br>Grade: 4 <br>Highest position used: thumb position (first movement, D5); 5 (second and third movements)<br>Clef(s): bass and tenor<br>Other features: advanced string crossings<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/799644" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/800854" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 400 cello concerto is a joyful work that requires ample technique and finesse. The first movement opens with an interplay between the violins, also used as the ritornello of the finale of the RV 286 violin concerto. The slow movement is a tranquil sarabande, accompanied only by the basso continuo, making it sound like a sonata. This movement is also found crossed out in the autograph of the RV 181 violin concerto (Giordano 29, f.93 verso). Interestingly, the solo part of this movement is in tenor clef in the violin-concerto manuscript. The cello-concerto finale is a sturdy minuet. Many of the techniques used in this concerto are also found in Bach's C-major cello suite.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 418</strong><br>A minor <br>Grade: 4 <br>Highest position used: Thumb position<br>Clef(s): bass, tenor and treble<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/808349" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/808348" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 418 is one of his more technically involved cello concertos. Some passages suggest that this work may have been written for a five-stringed cello, although it is not explicitly stated in the source. The highest note is an F5 in the finale. All high passages are approached stepwise, making the solo part comfortable to play. The opening movement is a lively courante. The slow movement is one of Vivaldi's most haunting, almost reminiscent of Stravinsky's Apollon Musagète in its modernity. The finale has a very similar melodic contour to Vivaldi's E-minor cello sonata, the second movement.</p><p> </p><p><strong>RV 424</strong><br>B minor <br>Grade: 4 <br>Highest position used: thumb position (first movement); 6 (second movement); 7 (third movement)<br>Clef(s): bass, tenor and treble<br>Edition links: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/799641" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Orchestra">Orchestra</a>; <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/806425" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Piano">Piano</a><br>About the work: Vivaldi's RV 424 is one of his more technically involved cello concertos. The soloist is required to play an F#5. All of the high positions are always approached stepwise, making the solo part very comfortable to play. The ritornellos on the outer movements include voice crossings in the violins and violas, making for an interesting texture. The slow movement is accompanied only by the basso continuo, with a sound of a sonata. This slow movement is one of the more rhythmically complex pieces by Vivaldi.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/70147482022-07-14T14:49:06-04:002022-07-26T20:08:06-04:00Urtext Edition Comparison: Dvořák's Cello Concerto<p>I recently completed a project where I typeset the five sources of Dvořák's Cello Concerto in score form, so those desiring to learn the Concerto could see exactly what the sources contain simultaneously. In the <a contents="article about the project" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/critical-notes-series-dvorak-s-cello-concerto" target="_blank">article about the project</a>, I mentioned five Urtext editions that currently exist, technically, six if we count my new <a contents="comparative edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/799241" target="_blank">comparative edition</a>.</p>
<p>There are four Urtext editions that have the orchestral performance material available in addition to the solo part and the piano reduction. These four editions are Supraphon (ed. Bartoš, 1955), Peters (ed. Pommer, 1976), Breitkopf (ed. Döge, 2001), Bärenreiter (ed. Del Mar, 2011). The Henle edition (ed. Oppermann, 2021) only has the solo part and piano reduction.</p>
<p>In this article, I will be reviewing Suprephon, Breitkopf, Bärenreiter, and Henle. I would like to thank Henle for providing me with a review copy of their new edition.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Supraphon</strong></p>
<p>This edition came out as a part of the complete Dvořák edition. The score is based on the autograph and the Simrock orchestra score, while the separately-published solo part mixes in many of the first edition solo part readings. The solo part and piano reduction set edited by Ladislav Zelenka is still available for <a contents="purchase" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.baerenreiter.com/en/shop/product/details/H1200/" target="_blank">purchase</a> from Bärenreiter, who acquired Supraphon. However, the solo part may also be downloaded from IMSLP free of charge because it is now in the public domain.</p>
<p>The Supraphon solo part includes some of the alternative readings in the footnotes. It also includes Zelenka's fingerings and bowings, which sometimes makes it difficult to distinguish between the original reading and the edited one. As far as being a critical edition made for performance, the Supraphon edition is solid. The typesetting is allowed to breathe on the page for the most part; one exception is page 12, where the music is a bit crammed to make the last section of the slow movement fit on one page. It's definitely better than Simrock and IMC with regard to page layout, but not as good as Schirmer (Willeke and Starker). This edition also has the most cue notes I've seen in any edition, which is great if you don't want to count rests. One thing that pops out at me every time I look at this edition is the absence of slurs on the infamous sextuplets in the first movement (those need to be added back in).</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Breitkopf</strong></p>
<p>This edition came out in the early 2000s. I bought my copy at Frank's in New York for $42.75 when it first came out. Soon after it came out, the price halved, and now the price is in the mid-upper $20s. The solo part text is mainly based on the solo line of the Simrock orchestra score. So in the first movement, you will not see a chord on note 4 of m. 94, but you will see a G# on note 10 of m. 314 and octaves in mm. 323-324, along with other readings from the score. In the piano score in the first movement, m. 229, the lowest note in the left hand needs to be an E-natural, not an E#.</p>
<p>The page layout is great and the solo part has plenty of cue notes. One of the drawbacks is the use of letters instead of numbers for rehearsal numbers. You will have to convert A to 1, B to 2, and so on if you want to use a different piano part or use the Simrock/Kalmus orchestra parts. Breitkopf did publish their own orchestra part set. It's definitely a solid set if you are looking to buy new parts. But still, the use of letters is not great.</p>
<p>The solo part contains fingerings and bowings by Heinrich Schiff, which is great, however, Schiff does not play many of the "original" readings from this edition, if you are trying to compare this edition to his performances. If you are looking for a good critical performance edition, this edition is great. But if you want a nice, clean copy, many times it is difficult to see where Dvořák's pen ends and Schiff's begins. The staff size in the solo part is also a bit smaller than what is desirable. This staff size is 6.5mm. 6.8-7.0mm is preferred.</p>
<p>The piano part is clean and easy to read, but the pages do not lay flat because of the perfect binding. Saddle stitch would have been much preferred. So the pianist will need to break the binding or take it to an office store to get spiral bound. The cello cue line in the piano score is a touch bigger and does not have fingerings printed on it, which gives the score a cleaner look than the editions below.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Bärenreiter</strong></p>
<p>I purchased the Bärenreiter edition a few years ago as I was reevaluating my music library. Currently, the price of the solo part and piano reduction set is in the mid $20s. The primary source for the solo part is the first edition separate solo part. This Bärenreiter edition is great in many respects. The page layout and size, the staff size (6.8mm), music readability, and the staple-bound piano part make this edition ideal for the pianist and for a cellist who has previously learned this work (more on this below).</p>
<p>It is obvious that much scholarship went into creating this edition. The critical commentary, available for purchase separately, is very thorough. Some of the narrative in the commentary comes off as condescending and arrogant, but the data is solid for the most part. I recommend treading carefully in the commentary narrative.</p>
<p>Like the Supraphon above, some of the alternative readings appear in the footnotes, although not as many as above. One unique feature in the solo part is the inclusion of the trill accidentals in the finale mm. 334-346. These accidentals exist in the anonymous manuscript source while being absent from other sources. It is ironic that this edition did not use (or even mention) the anonymous source but <u>silently</u> adds them in. In the piano score, the finale, m. 39, beat 2, left hand should have a B below the F#, as is it in every source.</p>
<p>The solo part does not contain any fingerings, which will make it more labor intensive for a student to learn the work for the first time. The student will need to copy fingerings from somewhere else, a far from ideal situation. Fingerings, presumably Wihan's, are printed in the piano score cello line.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Henle</strong></p>
<p>This edition brings top-notch scholarship and weds it with an excellent performance edition. The current price of this edition is in the mid $20s. The primary source for the solo part is the first edition separate solo part. Like with most other editions that require a single, separate string part, Henle prints an unfingered/unbowed part and a fingered/bowed part. This gives the seasoned musician the opportunity to play from the unmarked part, while the student can get ideas from a famous cellist, in this case, Steven Isserlis.</p>
<p>While the staff size is great (6.8mm), the unmarked part is a bit too densely packed for my taste. The marked part breathes much better on the page. I'm not sure why the layout is different between the parts since usually, the layout is identical in other editions. In the case of this edition, the marked part is 4 pages longer than the unmarked part.</p>
<p>As in Bärenreiter, the fingerings/bowings from the first edition are printed in the piano score cello line, which sometimes looks too cluttered with the already tight spacing. As with the Breitkopf piano part, one would need to break the binding in order to make the score lie flat; I much prefer the saddle stitch. In the first movement, m. 229, the lowest note in the left hand needs to be an E-natural, not an E#. Henle said that they will fix this for the next printing.</p>
<p>Unlike Bärenreiter, Henle prints a detailed preface and critical commentary in the edition, without necessitating a separate purchase. The critical commentary includes just enough information without going into dissertation-style minutiae, which will satisfy most cellists, including this one. Henle also offers the preface and commentary free of charge on their product page!</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>
<p>All of the editions I reviewed bring something unique to the table.</p>
<p>Supraphon: if you are looking for a free public domain edition, get the Supraphon on IMSLP, just remember to do the slurs on the sextuplets.</p>
<p>Bärenreiter: if you know this piece inside and out but want a fresh look and treat your pianist to a well-formatted piano score, get Bärenreiter, just remember to have the pianist play the B in the finale, m. 39, beat 2, left hand.</p>
<p>Henle: if you want an all-around great edition for the student and for a fresh look at the solo part, get Henle, just remember to have the pianist play an E-natural in the first movement, m. 229, the lowest note in the left hand.</p>
<p>Breitkopf: if you want to see the Simrock orchestra score text in the solo part. This edition is also good for students because of Schiff's fingerings. Remember to have the pianist play an E-natural in the first movement, m. 229, the lowest note in the left hand.</p>
<p>YL Edition: if you want to look at each source <a contents="individually typeset" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/800447" target="_blank">individually typeset</a> or as a <a contents="score" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/799241" target="_blank">score</a></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/70014292022-06-25T15:18:35-04:002022-07-14T14:50:15-04:00Critical Notes Series: Dvořák's Cello Concerto<p>Historically, Dvořák's B-minor Cello Concerto, arguably, has only been rivaled by Haydn's D-major Concerto with its endurance in cello history. Although, the work has gained more competitors later in the 20th Century in concertos by Schumann, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and others. Dvořák's Concerto has grown in popularity as a research topic, from technique to composition style, to its role in the cello repertoire. We have come a long way from the reader-digest style program notes that talk about the Concerto's relation to the Op. 82 song "Leave me alone" in dedication to his sister-in-law, and the thematic similarities to the New World Symphony.</p>
<p>To date, there have been no fewer than five scholarly editions of the Concerto published, including Supraphon (ed. Bartoš, 1955), Peters (ed. Pommer, 1976), Breitkopf (ed. Döge, 2001), Bärenreiter (ed. Del Mar, 2011), and Henle (ed. Oppermann, 2021). There is also a compendium to the Concerto by Jan Smaczny in the Cambridge Music Handbook series. The forewords, commentaries, and appendices of the abovementioned editions are all quite interesting and informative, especially those put together by Otakar Šourek for the Supraphon Complete Dvořák Edition, which contains the printed alternative versions from the autograph.</p>
<p>Since 2017, or perhaps 2012 to be more accurate, I've been working on my edition of Dvořák's Concerto, more specifically, the cello part with all of its variants. The question I ask myself often is "what can I offer the cello community?" With over 70 urtext editions in my catalog, I did not want to make just another Dvořák cello part to rival the big publishers. I wanted to provide a resource for my colleagues and students to use as a guide alongside their favorite edition.</p>
<p>My new edition, currently available free of charge at my <a contents="website music store" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/799241" target="_blank">website music store</a>, is an engraving of all 5 currently available sources in score format: first edition orchestra score (March 1896), first edition solo part (March 1896), first edition piano reduction (March 1896), orchestra autograph, and the anonymous manuscript of the solo part, presumably prepared for the United States premiere of the work.</p>
<p>I am also offering a <a contents="version for purchase" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/800447" target="_blank">version for purchase</a>, a set of engraved and formatted-for-performance sources. This version will allow you to experience playing from each source</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/2c770ea5cf2ec5912cf24a1d8b93ac5562d7d6b6/original/dvorak-comparative-page-1.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_none border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/5be4db4454aa007c5aca199d497749f51bc542cd/original/dvorak-cello-concerto-comparative-5-sources-for-parts-autograph-score-0002.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_none border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Because this Concerto enjoys great popularity, it has been surrounded by mysteries and myths. I am not on a journey to solve any mysteries and am skeptical of those who claim that they have solved/almost solved the mystery of the source transmission, or have identified all/most of the errors in the sources. What we know for a fact is that Simrock published the <a contents="orchestra score, orchestra parts" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://hofmeister.rhul.ac.uk/2008/content/monatshefte/1896_03.html#hofm_1896_03_0097_12" target="_blank">orchestra score, orchestra parts</a>, <a contents="piano reduction, and the solo part" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://hofmeister.rhul.ac.uk/2008/content/monatshefte/1896_03.html#hofm_1896_03_0106_04" target="_blank">piano reduction, and the solo part</a> in March 1896. There is no question about this happening. All of the printed sources were printed with Dvořák's approval. However, there are differences between the solo line in the orchestra and piano scores, as well as the separate cello part.</p>
<p>Myth #1: the solo staves in the piano score and orchestra score are the same. They are not remotely the same. When we analyze the sources we must take into account the pitches, rhythms, articulations, tempo, expressive and dynamic texts (and their placement), hairpins, slurs/ties, and even the beaming, to name just a few things. The cello line in the piano score can be seen as a middle ground between the orchestra score and the solo part, but it is a source all on its own with unique features. The autograph piano reduction does not have a cello line above it, hence we must accept that the piano reduction engraver had a unique source to work from. A reputable engraver does not make unapproved changes.</p>
<p>Myth #2: the orchestra score is fraught with errors. What we may conclusively claim as erroneous is what Dvořák called an error; the rest of the "errors" are either circumstantial or are in fact variants. Some examples of errors that I spot are the following: the 3 bars of rest in the first movement m. 268 of the solo part; the staccato dot on the half note in the second movement m. 9 of the solo part; missing trill accidentals in the third movement mm. 338-346 of the printed sources and autograph orchestra score. Many of the other readings are simply variants. Some of the common variants are the F# vs G in m. 90 of the first movement, the pianissimo vs mezzo forte in m. 223 of the first movement, beats 3 and 4 of m. 298 of the first movement, G-natural vs G# in m. 314 of the first movement, 8th vs 16th note in mm. 75 and 496 of the third movement, quarter note vs two 8th notes in m. 175 of the third movement, etc.</p>
<p>Myth #3: the simplified version of mm. 257-260 in the first movement originates with Emanuel Feuermann. This pattern of notes appeared in the second printing of the solo part within Dvořák's lifetime. The first and second printings of the solo part are identical in every respect except for those 4 bars. It is true that the original descending pattern is quite challenging. This is why the alternative was provided in subsequent printings, which can be found in the music archives of most cellists who played the Concerto in the early 20th Century. The famous, double-stop "Casals" version of this passage is simply the second-printing version filled out.</p>
<p>Myth #4: the anonymous manuscript is not relevant to the published solo part. While this source contains the original, shorter coda of the finale, many peculiarities found in the published solo part are also found in this manuscript, such as the G in the first movement m. 90, the 3-bar-rest error in m. 268 of the same movement, most of the beaming, bowings, and cues. There is no doubt that this manuscript is part of the transmission history of the solo part. One peculiar vestige from this manuscript is found in the "molto espressivo" marking in m. 347 of the third movement. The melody that was there originally would have worked well to be "very expressive," but the 6 bars of trills do not make sense. Three other sources leave "molto espressivo" in m. 347, while the published solo part moves it to a better place of m. 355. Another interesting thing to note is that the manuscript solo part contained many of the revisions done in red ink in the autograph score, yet had empty bar gaps in places where Dvořák was not settled on the reading. Some of the readings in the manuscript solo part ended up being published ossias. This is an important document in the solo part transmission. I would like to thank Jeff Solow for introducing me to this source.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/69613612022-05-01T20:43:16-04:002023-09-25T07:58:40-04:00Herman Whitfield III: A Tribute<p>Herman Whitfield III (October 29, 1982 — April 25, 2022)</p><p>Herman and I entered the Cleveland Institute of Music for our graduate studies at the same time. We became friends almost immediately because we shared a love for composition as well as performance. Near the end of our first year of grad school, he invited me to play a song cycle he composed for voice, guitar, and string sextet based on the poem "Donal Og" by Lady Augusta Gregory. If my memory serves me well, we premiered the work on degree recital by the singer Caroline Kuehn. You may hear the entire work below.</p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMw3ccUVbVo" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="I.">I.</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL_a61VRMII" data-link-type="url" contents="II.">II.</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKxrbqN_PgI" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="III.">III.</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhVaota3vfo" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="IV.">IV.</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD_fi7vWmGA" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="V.">V.</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLmxSFjJsxE" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="VI.">VI.</a></p><p>Herman was an amazing pianist, so full of feeling and grandeur, but what an amazing pianissimo he could produce. Although we were the same height, his hands were probably 50% larger than mine. He was a big guy, but even in his most passionate conversation, he was kind, respectful, and relatively soft-spoken. </p><p>His favorite composer was Gabriel Fauré. I thought it was an odd choice at the time. When Herman first told me about his favorite composer, I said something like "I guess I enjoy his earlier works." Herman responded, "I love his late works, the later the better." I thought to myself "How can you tolerate that harmonic language?" As a cellist, my main exposure to Fauré was through the Elegie and Sicilienne. I hated to admit that Fauré also had two cello sonatas from his late period.</p><p>Herman's second master's recital had two works on it: Schubert's G-major piano sonata and his own second violin sonata. The violin sonata was in the unusual key of C# minor. I remember Herman sitting in the CIM computer lab composing the work. Sometimes that small computer lab was stuffed with 25-30 people. I think it had 15 workstations. I asked Herman how he could stand composing in such a loud environment. He told me that he was used to it from home.</p><p>He premiered the sonata with the violinist Ariel Clayton (Karas). From the first note, I was captivated. The first movement is so warm and dark, going between C# minor and D-flat major. The second movement is a graceful minuet with a scherzo middle section. The last movement is a perpetual motion with sparkling motives and repeated notes. The middle section is a peaceful chant, which is later combined with the perpetual motion at the end. The entire sonata lasts about 40 minutes.</p><p>After the concert, I told Herman that I wanted to play the sonata on the cello. He sent me the music and we started looking for a venue to play. The concert was going to also include one of my works and Fauré's second cello sonata. I had warmed up a little to the late Fauré sound by then. This concert never materialized, but I kept Herman's work in mind. </p><p>The following year, I had a venue and the opportunity to play Herman's sonata. I worked quite a bit with the pianist Liz De Mio so I asked her if she wanted to learn the sonata. After she kindly declined, because of the incredible difficulty of the piano part, I asked her if she would mind if I invited Herman to play half of the recital. Liz agreed to share the piano and Herman agreed to come from Indianapolis to play his sonata with me. The recital also included Chopin's Polonaise Brillante, Suk's Serenade, and Khachaturian's Concerto Rhapsody. The performance took place at Judson Manor at University Circle in August 2009. Here is the recording of the sonata from that performance.</p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="/files/1174800/Whitfield%20-%20Violin%20Sonata%20No.%202,%20I" target="_blank" data-link-type="file" data-link-label="Whitfield - Violin Sonata No. 2, I" contents="I.">I. Adagio melancolio, solo e distante</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="/files/1174801/Whitfield%20-%20Violin%20Sonata%20No.%202,%20II" target="_blank" data-link-type="file" data-link-label="Whitfield - Violin Sonata No. 2, II" contents="II.">II. Allegro grazioso</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="/files/1174802/Whitfield%20-%20Violin%20Sonata%20No.%202,%20III" target="_blank" data-link-type="file" data-link-label="Whitfield - Violin Sonata No. 2, III" contents="III.">III. Allegro ma non troppo</a></p><p>He said that the cello captured the essence of what he imagined better than the violin, especially in the finale. When Herman returned to Indianapolis, he told me that he began composing a cello sonata for us to play. I don't know if he ever finished the work. When I visited Indianapolis in 2013 for an audition, Herman and I got to catch up a bit. He told me that he had gotten a job in Florida and was moving there soon. We kept in touch sporadically since then. I've thought about offering Herman to make an edition of the sonata so other people could enjoy playing it.</p><p>I am very saddened to hear about Herman's death at such a young age. I hope that his memory will live on through his music. Please enjoy his other works on his <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/darrinstevens20008/videos" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YouTube channel.">YouTube channel.</a></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/69287572022-03-22T09:50:07-04:002023-09-25T07:59:59-04:00Cellist bio: Mikhail Bukinik<p>(This biography was excerpted from Lev Ginsburg's Volume 3 of "The Art of the Violoncello" pp. 310-314, translated by Yuriy Leonovich).</p><p>Born in 1872 to a poor Kharkiv family [in Dubno], Mikhail Evseevich Bukinik received his initial education at the city public school [in Kharkiv]. Early musical talent and love for the cello led him in 1885 to the Musical College of the Kharkiv branch of the Russian Musical Society (RMS), where he became a student of A. E. Glehn (Alfred von Glehn). When, two years later, Karl Davydov gave concerts in Kharkiv, he auditioned the young cellist and encouraged him to continue his work.</p><p>In 1890, when moving to the Moscow Conservatory, A. E. Glehn took with him Bukinik (as well as Isaac Ilyich Dubinsky). In the second half of the year, Bukinik was accepted for probation in his class. In 1892, already at the soiree, he played the first movement of Davydov's Concerto No. 2, and then publicly performed the first part of Schumann's concerto. In the following period, he repeatedly performed at student and open soirees, mainly playing works by Davydov and Tchaikovsky. The seriousness of Mikhail Bukinik's musical tastes is evidenced by his interest in chamber music, which manifested itself already in his student years. In addition to participating in cello ensembles (at the soirees in memory of N. G. Rubinstein, he participated in the performance of Fantasia for five cellos and double bass by K. Schubert and with I. Dubinsky played Popper's Suite for two cellos), he repeatedly performed in ensembles with piano, as well as in quartet (with K. Saradzhev, R. Gliere, and A. Medtner). In 1894, together with V. Maurina and G. Dulov, he performed the Mendelssohn trio (d-moll). In the same concert, Bukinik played pieces by Davydov, Tchaikovsky, Popper, and his classmate F. Bubek.</p><p>In the last year of his stay at the conservatory (1895), Bukinik performed Davydov’s “Fantasy on Russian Songs” with an orchestra conducted by V. I. Safonov, and at the annual concert, he performed with Davydov’s Allegro de concert. The young cellist's preference for the works of Davydov showed Bukinik and his teacher's respect for the "patriarch of the Russian cello school", and their desire to instill and continue his direction. </p><p>Mikhail Bukinik graduated from the conservatory with a diploma of a free artist and a silver medal; in addition, he was presented with a cello and given a subsidy for a trip abroad; he took advantage of this subsidy in 1898.</p><p>Prior to that, he gave concerts in Moscow; known, for example, his performance with A. B. Goldenweiser of Rubinstein's Sonata in 1897. Having gone to Berlin for improvement (where he, apparently, consulted with Hugo Becker), he also performed in concerts here. </p><p>After returning to Moscow in 1899, Bukinik received an offer to teach at the Musical College of the Saratov branch of the RMS. M. E. Bukinik worked in Saratov for five years, by no means limiting himself to teaching. He did a lot for the musical and in general for the cultural life of the city; arranged concerts and literary and musical evenings, gave lectures and collaborated in the press, contributed to the organization of an art exhibition, etc. </p><p>In the chamber concerts organized by him, the best classical and modern works were played. For example, in 1902 Saratov music lovers heard Beethoven's trio (Avierino, Medzhevitenko, Bukinik), Rubinstein's Sonata (Goldenweiser, Bukinik), and Schumann's sonata (Goldenweiser). In 1904, Mikhail Bukinik organized an "Evening of New Art" in Saratov, in which he himself performed Rachmaninov's sonata (with A. B. Goldenveizeram) and Rebikov's works. </p><p>From time to time, he came to Moscow. So in 1900, in the symphony concert of the RMS in memory of N. G. Rubinstein, Bukinik played with the orchestra under the direction of V. I. Safonov, Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, still rarely performed at that time. The review of this performance said: "Mr. Bukinik performed With Tchaikovsky's forgotten Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra. This work was written in 1878 and then performed by Fitzenhagen (to whom it is dedicated), but since then it has been completely undeservedly forgotten, and only now, thanks to Mr. Bukinik, they have again gained access to concert programs. The beautiful variations of Tchaikovsky were conveyed by the young artist very gracefully, with technical completeness. In his playing, with a somewhat weak tone, there is a lot of melodiousness. He phrases with musicality. At the end of the number, the audience rewarded the artist with applause and forced him to play an encore." </p><p>In 1904, Bukinik left Saratov and soon went abroad, where he stayed until 1906. We learn about his life during this period in Germany, France, and Switzerland from his surviving letters to V. V. Maslovskaya in Saratov. After a two-month stay in Berlin, Bukinik accepted in 1905 an invitation to take the place of soloist in the symphony orchestra in Görlitz; weekly he played solo with an orchestra and also participated in a quartet. He writes about the exceptional public interest in Russian music (especially Tchaikovsky) and Russian musicians. “Of course, I play only Russian authors," Bukinik writes on February 3, 1905. "I really like Arensky. Rachmaninov's Sonata, it seems, was not to their taste; they did not understand it. But [Paul ] Juon was a great success." </p><p>One of the attached newspaper clippings says: “The new soloist, cellist of our city orchestra, Bukinik from Moscow, showed himself to be an outstanding artist, playing Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations, which had not yet been performed here. Mr. Bukinik played this graceful piece with great musicality, confidence, wide and melodious bowing, and lightness in passages and strokes. His fine instrument sounded great in the Great Hall of the Philharmonic. Thunderous applause was the response to this artistic performance."</p><p>Despite the success, Mikhail Bukinik yearned for his homeland and in 1906 he returned to Moscow. Here he developed a broad musical and social activity: he took an active part in the work of the National Conservatory (at the Society of National Universities), in organizing the Society of Orchestral Musicians, the Society for the Promotion of Chamber Music, etc. </p><p>Occasionally Bukinik appeared on the concert stage. Not possessing particularly bright artistic abilities, he performed mainly in chamber concerts. The name Mikhail Bukinik is repeatedly found in the chamber programs of the RMS, the Guild of Russian Music Lovers, the Society for the Promotion of Chamber Music, etc. A. B. Goldenweiser names Bukinik among the musicians who performed before L. N. Tolstoy.</p><p>In the concert in memory of A. S. Arensky (1906), he played Arensky cello pieces and participated in the performance of a trio (with A. N. Koreshchenko and N. K. Avierino). More than once he played with A. B. Goldenweiser and B. O. Sibor the trios of Tchaikovsky, Arensky, and Taneyev. The Taneyev Trio Bukinik also played with the author in concerts dedicated to his work, in 1909 with the violinist A. Ya. Mogilevsky and in 1915 with B. O. Sibor; in the last concert, Bukinik also participated in the performance of the Quintet (author, B. O. Sibor, K. G. Mostras, V. R. Bakaleinikav, M. E. Bukinik) and Taneyev's Canzona (N. G. Raisky, S. I. Taneev, B. O. Sibor, M. E. Bukinik). </p><p>Bukinik also took part in the performance of the trio Kornilov, Gedike, and Pomerantsev together with the composers of these works (the violin parts were performed by K. S. Saradzhev, A. G. Mets, A. Ya. Mogilevsky). </p><p>In 1909, B. O. Sibor and M. E. Bukinik performed as partners of the harpsichordist Wanda Landovskaya, who came on tour to Moscow; this ensemble performed the Beethoven Trio and Rameau's Trio Concerts. Together with B. O. Sibor, M. E. Bukinik organized public chamber soirees. In 1908, for example, at one of the soirees, they performed trios of Beethoven and Rachmaninov with A. B. Goldenweiser, and a Haydn quartet with K. G. Mostras and A. K. Medtner; on the other, Beethoven's Septet, Schumann's quartet, and Brahms' Cello Sonata in E minor were performed (K. N. Igumnov performed the piano part). </p><p>Speaking about the chamber activity of Mikhail Bukinik, we should note his performances of sonatas by Rubinstein, Rachmaninov, Chopin, Brahms, and other composers. Especially often he played sonatas with A. B. Goldenweiser. </p><p>The cellist's repertoire included many pieces by Russian composers - Tchaikovsky, Arensky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninov, as well as his own, which he played in various concerts. </p><p>Occasionally, Bukinik also gave independent concerts. For example, in October 1910, in the Small Hall of the Conservatory, he played Chopin's Sonata (with A. B. Goldenweiser), Boellman's Symphonic Variations, Andante cantabile for cello and organ by Bubek (with A. F. Morozov), Intermezzo Op. 43 by Tchaikovsky in his own arrangement, Gliere's "Moment Musical," his own Fantasie for cello and double bass (with V. N. Praskurnin), and others of own pieces: Preludes, Concert Etude (no. 4) for cello solo, and 6 small pieces. The reviewer spoke with restraint about Bukinik's pieces, praised the performance of Chopin's Sonata and Gliere's piece, and wrote that "Mr. Bukinik's playing is thoughtful, expressive, but does not capture the listener." </p><p>Apparently, Bukinik's playing was devoid of virtuosity, showiness, and artistic scope, but it showed a great culture and understanding of the style of the music performed. This can also be judged on the basis of the responses to his participation in the cello competition held in Moscow in 1911 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the RMS. Grigory Prokofiev, for example, wrote that Bukinik "managed to give his performance of the Bach suite real artistic significance." Bukinik's program included Suite No. 5 by Bach, Concerto No. 2 by Davydov, Tchaikovsky/Bukinik Intermezzo, and his own Concert Etude No. 4.</p><p>In 1915, M.E. Bukinik was mobilized and returned to music only after the revolution. In 1919, this musician took a professorship at the Kharkiv Conservatory and at the same time worked in the Commissariat for People's Education, being a member of the "troika" that was in charge of musical education in Ukraine. (Among the Kharkiv students of Bukinik in the early 1920s was A. V. Broun, now a professor at the Kharkiv Conservatory.) </p><p>In 1922, by permission of the Ukrainian government, Bukinik left for America with his son, who was heading there to continue his education. Yearning for the homeland, he subsequently strenuously worried about returning. Together with his memories of P. I. Tchaikovsky, Mikhail Bukinik sent a short autobiography from New York to Moscow in the 1930s, in which he wrote: “In America, of course, I live in the interests of my homeland and I vividly experience everything that our great, glorious people are experiencing. </p><p>Among the pedagogical works of Bukinik: "Fingering for scales in 1, 2 and 3 octaves", "Basic exercises in shifting", "Virtuoso exercises in arpeggios", "6 Easy Pieces", "6 Easy Duets." his Four Concert Etudes are of considerable interest in terms of masterfully used virtuoso technique, dedicated by Bukinik to “dear teacher and friend A. E. Glehn," the last of which (F minor) was performed by all participants of the II International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1962. His "Ten Preludes for Cello Solo" are not without musical significance, in which various techniques of cello virtuosity are no less interestingly used. </p><p>Bukinik also wrote a piece titled "Story" for cello solo</p><p>A number of Bukinik's transcriptions for cello and piano have been published, including Lensky's aria from "Eugene Onegin", Lullaby from "Mazepa", chorus from "Maid of Orleans” and Intermezzo from the Suite Op. 43 by Tchaikovsky, Rubinstein's Barcarolle, Kalinnikov's Chanson triste, Romance from Napravnik's "Dubravsky," and others. </p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/69103222022-03-01T07:57:14-05:002023-11-13T14:55:40-05:00Critical Notes Series: Ukrainian Cello Music<p>I would like to offer a list of Ukrainian music and Ukraine-inspired music that will enrich your repertoire. In some cases, you might already have these works in your repertoire. This list is by no means exhaustive. If you find a work that you like, I will be happy to add it. NB: There are some works on this list that are not originally for cello, but I believe can successfully be played on the cello. In the future, I might consider making a collection of arrangements of these works.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Akimenko</strong><br>Cello Sonata, Op. 37 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Cello_Sonata%2C_Op.37_(Akimenko%2C_Theodore)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Two Pieces, Op. 11- <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/2_Morceaux,_Op.11_(Akimenko,_Theodore)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a></p><p><strong>Beethoven</strong><br>Schöne Minka from 10 National Airs with Variations, Op.107 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCkAjuE6sa8" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/832589" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a> (transcribed for cello)<br>Note: Schöne Minka is the most famous Ukrainian folk song, better known as "The Kozak went beyond the Danube" and "You lied and deceived" (a humorous days-of-the-week song)</p><p><strong>Bortkiewicz</strong><br>Cello Concerto, Op. 20 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B9p6HZV0GM" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a><br>Three Pieces, Op. 25 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/3_Morceaux,_Op.25_(Bortkiewicz,_Sergei)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a></p><p><strong>Dotzauer</strong><br>Aria Russa, Op. 32 (variations on Schöne Minka) - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXymfXI_RHo" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://artisticscoreng.gumroad.com/l/wnzsz" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a></p><p><strong>Dvořák</strong><br>Dumky Trio, Op. 90</p><p><strong>Franchomme</strong><br>Air Russe Varié No.2, Op. 32 (Urtext Edition) (variations on Schöne Minka) - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkuJagBwjsE&pp=ygUNZnJhbmNob21tZSAzMg%3D%3D" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/909602" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">Score</a></p><p><strong>Gliere</strong><br>Ballade, Op. 4 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJFXzFVJD6w" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Ballade%2C_Op.4_(Gli%C3%A8re%2C_Reinhold)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Cello Concerto - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXcjZF5SV90" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/concerto-pour-violoncelle-op-87-sheet-music/21415198" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>12 Album Leaves for Cello and Piano, Op. 51 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAfg7zUmgts" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/12_Album_Leaves%2C_Op.51_(Gli%C3%A8re%2C_Reinhold)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>8 Duets for Violin and Cello, Op. 39 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD3wsaKhn6U" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/8_Pieces%2C_Op.39_(Gli%C3%A8re%2C_Reinhold)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>10 Duets for 2 Cellos, Op. 53 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OlCt8GhGYE" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/10_Duos_for_2_Cellos%2C_Op.53_(Gli%C3%A8re%2C_Reinhold)" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a></p><p><strong>Glinka</strong><br>Ruslan and Lyudmila - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Ruslan_and_Lyudmila_(Glinka,_Mikhail)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Note: This opera is set in Kyiv. Besides the overture that your orchestra might program often, I would like to recommend a few arias that will work great on cello from the vocal score: Lyudmila's Cavatina (Act 1), Ruslan's Aria (Act 2), Ratmir's Aria (Act 3)</p><p><strong>Ishchenko</strong><br>Adagietto and Scherzino for Cello and Piano - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NV-sR521QI" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a><br>Rhapsody - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cei2-uAqlr8" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="http://notes.tarakanov.net/katalog/kompozitsii/rapsodiya3/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Cello Concerto No. 2 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSU8FKNz6iw" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a><br>Cello Sonata No. 1 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MmMoQ0LoZE" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a><br>Cello Sonata No. 2 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOs4UeQKDBs" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a></p><p><strong>Hubarenko</strong><br>Concerto Grosso for Violin, Viola, Cello and Strings - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffS6vQnm6Lg" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a></p><p><strong>Hulak-Artemovsky</strong><br>Zaporozhets za Dunayem (Zaporozhets beyond the Danube) Andriy's aria - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6FEdlIAd_o" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Zaporozhets_za_Dunayem_(Hulak-Artemovsky%2C_Semen)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Note: Andriy's aria may be played directly from the vocal score.</p><p><strong>Kosenko</strong><br>Sonata - Listen, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/en/product/kosenko-viktor-14/" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a></p><p><strong>Laniuk</strong><br>Etudes - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8jiaKqfnUM" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, Score (available from Disentis Sordino Ediziuns Musikalas)<br>Sonata for Solo Cello - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d99Ixq82eI4" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, Score (available from Disentis Sordino Ediziuns Musikalas)</p><p><strong>Leonovich</strong><br>Fantasie-impromptu for Cello Solo - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651211" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Koheleth for Cello Solo - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://youtu.be/IrS5-Yyt5Zk" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651193" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Rusalka Fantasia for Cello and Piano - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668683" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Serenade for Cello Solo - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://youtu.be/qJCxkfI8TYo" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651217" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Solomon for Cello and Piano- <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651215" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Sonatensatz for Cello and Piano - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://youtu.be/JlI5M8taUIs" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668691" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>9 Short Pieces for Cello and Piano - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://youtu.be/SQmRyPGFd2Q" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668668" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Sonata for Violin and Cello - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://youtu.be/wjxH7RyFOVk" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668676" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a></p><p><strong>Leontovych</strong><br>Shchedryk (aka Carol of the Bells)</p><p><strong>Lysenko</strong><br>Elegy "La Tristesse," Op. 39 for Cello and Piano - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=707ZrXDx7jM" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/La_Tristesse%2C_Op.39_(Lysenko%2C_Mykola)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a></p><p><strong>Lyzohub</strong><br>Sonata in G minor - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKLW6X_m7YE" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Cello_Sonata_in_G_minor_(Lizogub%2C_Ilya)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a></p><p><strong>Modzelewski</strong><br>Mazur, Op. 9 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Mazur,_Op.9_(Modzelewski,_Micha%C5%82)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Mazur No. 3, Op. 16 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Mazur_No.3%2C_Op.16_(Modzelewski%2C_Micha%C5%82)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Rhapsodie, Op. 15 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Rhapsodie,_Op.15_(Modzelewski,_Micha%C5%82)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Valse, Op. 10 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Valse,_Op.10_(Modzelewski,_Micha%C5%82)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Note: Other works are also found on IMSLP. There are no recordings of Modzelewski's works.</p><p><strong>Musorgsky</strong><br>Hopak from Sorochinsky Fair arr. Rachmaninov for Violin and Piano - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYaBvVHV8Dw" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Sorochinsky_Fair_(Mussorgsky%2C_Modest)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Great Gate of Kyiv from Pictures at an Exhibition, arr. for Cello and Piano by Charles Schiff - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://youtu.be/MjM2yZbCsP8?t=1638" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.jwpepper.com/7877244.item#.Yh4pz570k2w" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Note: Night on the Bald Mountain is also based in Kyiv.</p><p><strong>Ornstein</strong><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/2_Cello_Pieces%2C_SO_620_(Ornstein%2C_Leo)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="2 Cello Pieces, SO 620&nbsp;">2 Cello Pieces, SO 620</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Cello_Sonata_No.1%2C_SO_612_(Ornstein%2C_Leo)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Cello Sonata No.1, SO 612">Cello Sonata No.1, SO 612</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Cello_Sonata_No.2%2C_SO_613_(Ornstein%2C_Leo)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Cello Sonata No.2, SO 613">Cello Sonata No.2, SO 613</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Composition_No.1_for_Cello_and_Piano,_S619_(Ornstein,_Leo)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Composition No.1 for Cello and Piano, SO 619">Composition No.1 for Cello and Piano, SO 619</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/6_Preludes_for_Cello_and_Piano,_S611_(Ornstein,_Leo)" data-link-type="url" contents="Six Preludes for 'Cello and Piano">Six Preludes for 'Cello and Piano</a><br>Note: Complete cello works were recorded by Joshua Gordon - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://open.spotify.com/album/4khgo04m57TTASBRRLprP4" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a> </p><p><strong>Popper</strong><br>Fantasy on Little Russian (Ukrainian) Songs, Op. 43 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWzVNdNxFZI" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Fantasie_%C3%BCber_Kleinrussische_Lieder%2C_Op.43_(Popper%2C_David)" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.davidpopper.org/fantasie-uber-kleinrussische-lieder" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Additional Information">Additional Information</a></p><p><strong>Prokofiev</strong><br>Ballade, Op. 15 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKw0XNdtFZE" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a><br>Sinfonia Concertante, Op. 125<br>Sonata, Op. 119<br>Sonata, Op. 134 (Unfinished) - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://youtu.be/MHhK6jG6U2I" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a><br>Note: Prokofiev was born in Sontsovka, Ukraine.</p><p><strong>Servais</strong><br>Fille du Regiment Fantasia, Op. 16 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnJ86_Tf0D8" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/665359" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Souvenir de Czernowitz, Op. 21 - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/7302422/critical-notes-series-servais-s-souvenir-de-czernowitz" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">Article and Score</a><br>Note: La Fille Fantasia was dedicated to the Ukrainian composer Modzelewski. Servais also had a piece called Souvenir de Kyiv, but it is now considered lost.</p><p><strong>Skoryk</strong><br>A-RI-A for cello and piano - <a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.dumamusic.com/composers/myroslavskoryk.html" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Cello Concerto - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfmUEncrjKk" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a></p><p><strong>Shtoharenko</strong><br>Ballad in Memory of Lysenko - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwSKOYD82OE" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="/files/1166092/shtogarenko-ballade-vlc-and-klv.pdf" data-link-type="file" data-link-label="shtogarenko-ballade-vlc-and-klv.pdf" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Cello Sonata - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRbi0uaqQ7Q" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a></p><p><strong>Stutschewsky</strong><br>Kaddish - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K0RBOVzPIs" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.ortav.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=536" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/critical-notes-series-stutschewsky-s-kaddish" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Additional Information">Additional Information</a><br>Note: Stutschewsky was born in Romny, Ukraine, but later moved to Israel.</p><p><strong>Szymanowski</strong><br>Violin Sonata - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzVdo4VVsJw" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.musicroom.com/karol-szymanowski-sonata-in-d-minor-op-9-cello-and-pwm8613" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Mythes - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k55EIS4nlJs" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668695" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a> (arr. for cello and piano)<br>Note: Szymanowski was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, but later moved to Poland.</p><p><strong>Tchaikovsky</strong><br>Lullaby from Mazeppa arr. Milstein - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEd1A73OkZs" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.jwpepper.com/Four-Russian-Pieces-Violin/6087068.item#.Yh5MAJ70k2w" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Score">Score</a><br>Note: Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Symphony No. 2 are largely based on Ukrainian folk songs.</p><p><strong>Znosko-Borovsky</strong> - Improvisation and Humoresque for Cello Solo - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiAjBkb9IpA" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Listen">Listen</a></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/69049122022-02-23T08:02:02-05:002022-02-23T08:02:02-05:00REVIEW: Cello Bow Force - Bow Training Aid from Shar Violin Shop<p>REVIEW: Cello Bow Force - Bow Training Aid from Shar Violin Shop (originally posted on Instagram on June 13, 2019)</p>
<p>I bought this device specifically to review. I have used it for a month now. With all the business I have given to Shar over the last 2 decades, their customer service is less than stellar, but the only reason I come back to them is because of their unbeatable sale prices. I say this to highlight that I BOUGHT the Cello Bow Force to review. They didn't offer it to me free of charge to promote their new product. </p>
<p>PROS: This device does what they say it does: helps the player keep his/her bow straight. It is easy to put on and remove. I know many teachers are against such devices, but I believe that if used in moderation and stimulating critical thinking in the student, the Cello Bow Force is a great tool. The key is to have the student note the results of the better bow arm usage and the narrower rosin spot on the string. </p>
<p>CONS: The $34.95 price ticket. The Cello Bow Force is a simple concept made out of cheap materials. I believe $15 dollars would be a great price. As far as the cons for bow technique, there are a few. This device doesn't allow the player to go all the way to the frog (because the arch is too tall and wide) or the tip (because on the bow change the tip goes through the loop). Any kind of retakes are bound to get the hair stuck on the arch. This device works best for small, on-the-string strokes. My baroque bow was a total fail with Cello Bow Force. </p>
<p>CONCLUSION: This is a great concept and I would recommend it for a teacher to have in his/her arsenal. It should be used specifically to show the student how the bow arm and bow placement change for the better. The rest is up to the student to work out with a mirror. The build and materials don't warrant a $35 price ticket. $15 would be the best price in my opinion. </p>
<p>I hope this review helps teachers of beginners and intermediate students.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/68964792022-02-13T08:57:48-05:002022-02-13T18:04:59-05:00Critical Notes Series: Lalo's Cello Sonata<p>Introducing Lalo's Cello Sonata <a contents="Urtext edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/763499" target="_blank">Urtext edition</a>. </p>
<p>Édouard Lalo (1823-1892) was a French composer who is best known for his Symphonie Espagnole for violin and orchestra as well as his Cello Concerto. However, he also composed beautiful chamber works such as sonatas for cello and for violin, piano trios, and string quartets that are often overlooked. Like in other composers from Lalo's generation, we can hear an influence of German composers such as Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Wagner, as well as the French-Polish Chopin. We can also hear a distinctly French sound in Lalo's music, the turn of a phrase, the use of harmony. </p>
<p>Lalo composed his Cello Sonata in 1856, but it was not published until 1875 by the French publishing firm operated by Georges Hartmann. This firm was acquired by Heugel in 1891, and all subsequent reprints were made by Heugel. Lalo dedicated his three-movement Cello sonata to a fellow composer and pianist Anton Rubinstein. The outer movements of the Cello Sonata are in A minor, both in sonata form. The ternary slow movement is in F major with a D minor/major middle section. </p>
<p>Harmonically unsettled, the first movement begins with a stately introduction in D minor, then moving to C minor, and finally landing on E dominant, preparing the music for the real tonality. Much of the first movement is moody, similar to the composition style and piano writing of Brahms. The second theme is sunny, very likely inspired by Mendelssohn's Song without Words Op. 19, No. 1. Surely, Lalo had Mendelssohn's Cello Sonata No. 2 slow movement in mind when he was composing his own slow movement. Lalo's finale is a stormy tarantella, probably inspired by Chopin's Cello Sonata finale. Alkan's Cello Sonata, composed the same year as Lalo's Sonata, also has a fiery Italian dance for its finale. Perhaps the two composers influenced each other. In turn, Lalo's finale seems to have influenced the first sonata finale by Saint-Saens. There are echoes of Schumann's Fantasie, Op. 17 in bar 41 of Lalo's Sonata finale.</p>
<p>Some cellists prefer to play several passages of Lalo's Sonata up the octave, saying that these passages sound too low. This phenomenon can be observed in a recording by Maurice Gendron, who also tampered with the text of Chopin's Cello Sonata. We believe that Lalo's text should be left as is with the same respect a cellist would have for Beethoven, Chopin, and Rachmaninov's text. </p>
<p>Our new edition is based on the first edition published by Georges Hartmann in 1875. Differences in slurring, dynamics, and articulation between the score and cello part have been resolved. When the slurring differs in the cello part and the score, the score slurring is placed below and the part slurring above. Editorial marks are placed in brackets or denoted by dashed slurs and hairpins. Missing clef changes have been inserted without comment. The lowest note in bar 118 of the first movement has been changed from a G to an F to match the octave passage. In the finale, bar 120, RH, the seventh note should be a G, not an F#, to match the pattern 2 bars later. </p>
<p>Lalo's original piano pedaling, including the "con sord." (una corda) has been retained.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/68665082022-01-12T09:11:51-05:002022-01-12T17:19:27-05:00Critical Notes Series: Stutschewsky's Kaddish<p>I was recently asked to review several editions on Jewish themes. One of the works on the list was Joachim Stutschewsky's Kaddish. Stutschewsky was a Ukrainian-Jewish cellist, composer, arranger, and a great promoter of Jewish music in the 20th century. The Kaddish was composed in 1957 in Tel-Aviv and published by OR-TAV Music Publications in 1970. Stutschewsky's Kaddish is a harmonization of the chant sung before the Neilah service on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). The same melody was harmonized by Maurice Ravel in 1914. </p>
<p>The holograph manuscript cover title and copyright information are handwritten in ink by the composer at the end: Tel-Aviv, 30/9/1957. A copy of the holograph is housed at the Martha Blakeney Hodges Collection at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, inscribed to Maurice Eisenberg by the composer, dated 1961</p>
<p>OR-TAV Music Publications has re-engraved their edition on the Finale music notation software. The original 1970 engraving is now out of print. This is the evaluation of Stutschewsky's Kaddish as it is currently available from OR-TAV Music Publication both <a contents="printed" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.ortav.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=214" target="_blank">printed</a> and <a contents="digital" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.ortav.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=536" target="_blank">digital</a>. Special thank you to the Martha Blakeney Hodges Collection for making the original sources available for comparison.</p>
<p>m. 3 - piano LH missing courtesy bass clef for the lower voice (erroneously missing in the manuscript, too)<br>m. 4 - piano missing <em>diminuendo</em><br>m. 6 - piano LH missing a <strong>p</strong> on beat 2 <br>m. 6 - cello part note 3 must be a C-natural, not a C#.<br>m. 8 - piano LH needs a double dot on note 1 and a 16th note on note 2 <br>m. 8 - cello part has a <strong>mf</strong> in the manuscript (MS)<br>m. 10 - piano LH sloppy notation on note 1 </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/bd158fc39bd929df0f19b80af32cd2a45270a0ed/original/stustchewsky-or-tav-m-10.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_none border_none" alt="" /><br>m. 10 in OR-TAV (new edition)</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/40069560835e61e7f07f34ce31a33035080415fd/original/stustchewsky-yl-m-10.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_none border_none" alt="" /><br>My suggestion</p>
<p>m. 13 - piano LH sloppy notation on note 1 <br>m. 15 - piano LH sloppy notation on note 1 <br>m. 15 - first edition cello part has an "a tempo." The MS and first edition score do not have this marking.<br>m. 18 - piano LH sloppy notation on note 1 <br>m. 21 - piano LH beat 4 needs a B-flat grace note, not a B-natural <br>m. 22 - piano LH missing bass clef on beat 3 <br>m. 22 - piano LH beat 4 has an unnecessary rest, and it is sloppily placed <br>m. 24 - piano LH sloppy notation on note 1 <br>m. 25 - piano LH beat 3 has a D above the G on the 8th note in the MS <br>m. 26 - piano LH has a cresc. hairpin on beats 3-4 in the MS <br>m. 27 - staff collision <br>m. 27 - cello part does not have a note on beat 5 in the MS<br>m. 30 - piano RH beat 1 rest is misplaced <br>m. 31 - beats 1-2 have a <em>dim.</em> hairpin in the cello and piano parts in the MS <br>m. 32 - piano LH sloppy notation on note 1 <br>m. 34 - cello part only has the top D's in the MS. The first edition has the lower voice, too.<br>m. 35-37 - piano LH sloppy notation on note 1 <br>mm. 35-37 - piano part has tenuto marks on beats 3-4 <br>m. 37 - piano LH sloppy notation on beat 2 <br>m. 38 - m. 10 - piano LH sloppy notation on beats 1 and 3 <br>m. 43 - the hairpin must be on the piano LH starting on beat 3. mp dim. missing on beat 2 <br>m. 48 - first edition cello part has a staccato mark. MS and first edition score do not have this mark.<br>m. 48 - piano RH sloppy accidental placement on beat 1 <br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/11ae945ab07f1ea17ad0dfd9a1ab7fbdfe5aed42/original/stustchewsky-or-tav-m-48.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_orig justify_none border_none" alt="" /><br>m. 48 - piano LH beat 4 B-flat must be tied to the next measure <br>m. 49 - piano LH sloppy notation on note 1 <br>m. 50 - piano part has a p on beat 2 in the MS <br>mm. 51-52 - piano LH missing 8th rest on beat 1 <br>m. 53 - piano RH missing a tied over F from m.52 <br>m. 53 - piano LH beat 1 note F is a half note in the MS <br>m. 54 - piano RH rests are not in the MS <br>m. 55 - piano half notes have accent marks in the MS <br>m. 55 - piano LH beat 1 missing a courtesy natural on note F <br>m. 56 - piano note 1 in both hands has an accent mark. <br>m. 56 - piano part beat 2 has a <em>marcato</em> under note 2 in the MS<br>m. 56 - piano RH beat 3, note 2 of the triplet, the middle voice has a C# instead of a D in the MS </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/6ac13dc2f164a48704fa7d7ea4ad0e53be40ce0f/original/stustchewsky-ms-m-56.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_none border_none" alt="" /><br>m. 56 in the manuscript</p>
<p>m. 57 - cello part has a dim. hairpin instead of the cresc. in the MS</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/68507622021-12-24T09:03:50-05:002023-01-27T14:10:20-05:00Maurice Eisenberg's Concert Schedule<p>Born in Konigsberg of Polish parents, [Maurice] Eisenberg (1900-1972) was brought to the United States by his family when he was two years old. After early training in Baltimore, he played in the Philadelphia Orchestra before becoming principal cellist of the New York Symphony at the age of 18. In 1921, Eisenberg had the opportunity to play for Pablo Casals, who was touring the U.S. This meeting proved to be a turning point in Eisenberg's life because, with Casals' encouragement, he went to Europe the following year to continue his advanced training. Although he studied with Julius Klengel, Hugo Becker, Nadia Boulanger, and Diran Alexanian, Casals was his most important mentor, and they became lifelong friends. </p>
<p>Eisenberg spent the years between 1926-1939 playing and teaching in Europe. He was well known for his interpretation of the Bach Suites, but his repertoire also included much twentieth-century music. He was a member of the Menuhin Trio and was the founder and artistic director of the London International Violoncello Center. Eisenberg held teaching positions at the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris (where he succeeded Alexanian as professor of the Casals Class), the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and during the last ten years of his life, the International Summer Courses in Cascais, Portugal. His book, Cello Playing of Today, first published in 1957, is now in its fifth edition. At the time of his death in 1972, Eisenberg was Professor of the Cello at the Juilliard School of Music. (Biography from the <a contents="University of North Carolina at Greensboro" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://libcdm1.uncg.edu/cdm/msseisenberg/" target="_blank">University of North Carolina at Greensboro</a>)</p>
<p>I would like to present Eisenberg's concert schedule below for anyone who is interested in learning about how a leading cellist and pedagogue helped codify the cello repertoire in the twentieth-century United States. The information is taken from historic newspapers and concert programs from various archives.</p>
<p>12 February 1914 (Baltimore)<br>Concert sponsored by the Young Men's Hebrew Association at the Old Masonic Temple, accompanied by E. Lester Man.</p>
<p>8 May 1914 (Baltimore)<br>Played at the Peabody Exhibition Concert with other advanced Conservatory students.</p>
<p>15 December 1914 (Baltimore)<br>Played at the Madison Street Synagogue as Hanukkah entertainment. Violinist Benjamin Eisenberg also participated. </p>
<p>28 February 1915 (Baltimore)<br>Played a recital with pianist Helen Kinsman at the Enoch Pratt Library (Branch No. 12).<br>Grützmacher - Nocturne [Op. 32, No. 1]<br>Corelli - Sarabande [Op. 5, No. 8]<br>Godard - Berceuse from Jocelyn<br>Martini - Gavotte<br>Works for piano by Beethoven, Staub, Liszt, and Chopin</p>
<p>28 March 1915 (Baltimore) <br>Played a recital with organist Ethel Lustnauer at the Columbia Avenue Methodist Church.<br>Goltermann - Andante from Cello Concerto No. 3<br>Works for organ by Borowski, Widor, J.S. Bach, and Hollins</p>
<p>25 April 1915 (Baltimore)<br>Participated in the sacred concert by the Meyerbeer Singing Society at the Jewish Educational Alliance Building. Violinist Benjamin Eisenberg also participated. </p>
<p>25 July 1915 (Baltimore)<br>Played on a recital with organist Harold D. Phillips at the Peabody Conservatory.<br>Bargiel - Adagio, Op. 38<br>Goltermann - Andante from Cello Concerto No. 3<br>Popper - Mazurka [Op. 11, No. 3]<br>Works for organ by Beethoven, Weber, Tchaikovsky</p>
<p>3 February 1916 (Elkton, Maryland)<br>Played for the Women's Club of Elkton at the Mechanics' Hall with pianist Esther Cutchin and soprano Mary E. Sharp (sponsored by Peabody).<br>Grützmacher - Nocturne [Op. 32, No. 1]<br>Bruch - Kol Nidrei, Op. 47<br>Popper - Mazurka [Op. 11, No. 3] <br>Works for piano by Chopin, Aliabiev, Arensky, Schumann, and Saint-Saens. Songs by Haydn, Verdi, Cadman, Lehman, Laforge, Sinding, Homer, Horn, and Arne.</p>
<p>4 February 1916 (York, Pennsylvania)<br>Played for the Women's Club of York at the Country Club of York with pianist Esther Cutchin and soprano Mary E. Sharp (sponsored by Peabody). The proceeds went to war relief in Poland.<br>Grützmacher - Nocturne [Op. 32, No. 1]<br>Bruch - Kol Nidrei, Op. 47<br>Popper - Mazurka [Op. 11, No. 3]<br>Works for piano by Chopin, Aliabiev, Arensky, Schumann, and Saint-Saens. Songs by Haydn, Verdi, Cadman, Lehman, Laforge, Sinding, Homer, Horn, and Arne.</p>
<p>13 February 1916 (Baltimore)<br>Played on a recital with organist Anne H. Peterson at Peabody.<br>Bargiel - Adagio, Op. 38<br>Massenet - Elegie<br>Godard - Berceuse from Jocelyn<br>Popper - Mazurka [Op. 11, No. 3]<br>Work for organ by Buck, Schumann, Boëllmann, Bartlett, and Smart.</p>
<p>20 November 1916 (Baltimore)<br>Played Bargiel's Adagio, Op. 38 after a speech by Rabbi Schulman at the Hebrew Benevolent Society.</p>
<p>21 December 1916 (Baltimore)<br>Played for the Hanukkah presentation for the Sisterhood of the Madison Avenue Temple.</p>
<p>26 May 1917 (Baltimore)<br>Played at an awards ceremony at Peabody with other advanced students.</p>
<p>22 July 1917 (Baltimore)<br>Played at an open-air service at Pro-Cathedral. Eisenberg was already in the Baltimore Symphony at this point.</p>
<p>12 April 1921 (Washington DC)<br>Played a joint recital with pianist Louis Potter at the Mew Masonic Temple Auditorium. Eisenberg was accompanied by Gertrude McRae. Eisenberg was a member of the New York Symphony Orchestra at this point.<br>Boëllmann - Variations Symphoniques, Op. 23<br>Bruch - Kol Nidrei, Op. 47<br>Popper - Gavotte, Op. 23<br>Chausson/Ronchini - Poème de l'amour et de la mer, Op. 19<br>Rimsky-Korsakov/Schroeder - Song of India from Sadko<br>Saint-Saens - Allegro Appassionato, Op. 43<br>Saint-Saens - Swan from the Carnival of the Animals (encore)</p>
<p>5 February 1922 (New York)<br>Provided music at the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church at services. He played Andante Moderato from an unspecified piece by Saint-Saens with organist John Hyatt Brewer and Andante Cantabile by Tchaikovsky as part of a string quartet.</p>
<p>4 December 1925 (Paris) <br>Recital at the Maison Gaveau, Salle des Concerts, accompanied by Eugene Wagner<br>Locatelli/Piatti - Sonata (from Op. 6, Nos. 6 and 12) <br>Boccherini/Grützmacher - Cello Concerto in B-flat major <br>Bach - Suite No. 6, BWV 1012 <br>Corelli - Grave [from Violin Sonata in G minor, Op. 5, No. 5?] <br>Kreisler - Scherzo in the Style of Dittersdorf <br>Schumann - Abendlied, Op. 85, No. 12 <br>Schubert (Francois) - L'Abeille, Op. 13, No. 9</p>
<p>2 February 1926 (Berlin) <br>Recital at the Kastanienwäldchen Singakademie, accompanied by Dr. V. Ernst Wolff<br>Locatelli/Piatti - Sonata (from Op. 6, Nos. 6 and 12) <br>Boccherini/Grützmacher - Cello Concerto in B-flat major <br>Bach - Suite No. 6, BWV 1012 <br>Corelli - Grave [from Violin Sonata in G minor, Op. 5, No. 5?] <br>Kreisler - Scherzo in the Style of Dittersdorf <br>Schumann - Abendlied, Op. 85, No. 12 <br>Schubert (Francois) - L'Abeille, Op. 13, No. 9</p>
<p>5 February 1926 (Leipzig) <br>Recital at the Festaal im Neuen Rathaus, accompanied by Max Wünsche<br>Locatelli/Piatti - Sonata (from Op. 6, Nos. 6 and 12) <br>Boccherini/Grützmacher - Cello Concerto in B-flat major <br>Bach - Suite No. 6, BWV 1012 <br>Corelli - Grave [from Violin Sonata in G minor, Op. 5, No. 5?] <br>Schubert (Francois) - L'Abeille, Op. 13, No. 9 <br>Schumann - Abendlied, Op. 85, No. 12<br>Klengel - Scherzo, Op. 6</p>
<p>18 February 1926 (London debut)<br>Recital at the Aeolian Hall with pianist Clarence Raybould.<br>Locatelli/Piatti - Sonata (from Op. 6, Nos. 6 and 12)<br>Boccherini/Grützmacher - Cello Concerto in B-flat major<br>Bach - Suite No. 6, BWV 1012<br>Corelli - Grave [from Violin Sonata in G minor, Op. 5, No. 5?]<br>Kreisler - Scherzo in the Style of Dittersdorf<br>Schumann - Abendlied, Op. 85, No. 12<br>Schubert (Francois) - L'Abeille, Op. 13, No. 9</p>
<p>25 February 1926 (London) <br>Recital at the Aeolian Hall with pianist Clarence Raybould.<br>Bréval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5<br>Tchaikovsky - Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 38<br>Bach - Arioso [from Cantata No. 156?]<br>Fauré/Casals - Après un rêve, Op. 7, No. 1<br>Granados - Spanish Dance [No. 5]<br>Klengel - Scherzo, Op. 6</p>
<p>27 April 1926 (Paris)<br>Recital at the Conservatoire Royal de Musique, accompanied by Boris Golschmann. Other works for solo piano were also performed besides the cello works listed below.<br>Bréval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5 <br>Tchaikovsky - Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33<br>Fauré/Casals - Après un rêve, Op. 7, No. 1 <br>Kreisler - Scherzo in the Style of Dittersdorf<br>Granados - Spanish Dance [No. 5]<br>Schubert (Francois) - L'Abeille, Op. 13, No. 9</p>
<p>19 October 1926 (Berlin) <br>Recital at the Kastanienwäldchen Singakademie, accompanied by Dr. V. Ernst Wolff<br>Couperin - Pieces (Prelude, Fughetta, Pompe funebre, La Chemise blanche) <br>Haydn - Cello Concerto in D major <br>Huré - Sonata in F-sharp minor<br>Bloch - Prayer from Jewish Life <br>Debussy - Menuet from Petite Suite <br>Granados/Cassadó - Intermezzo from Goyescas <br>Fauré/Ronchini - Fileuse from Pelléas et Mélisande</p>
<p>15 November 1926 (Paris) <br>Recital at the Salle du Conservatoire, accompanied by Eugene Wagner <br>Couperin - Pieces (Prelude, Fughetta, Pompe funebre, La Chemise blanche) <br>Haydn - Cello Concerto in D major <br>Huré - Sonata in F-sharp minor (with the composer at the piano) <br>Bloch - Prayer from Jewish Life <br>Debussy - Menuet from Petite Suite <br>Granados/Cassadó - Intermezzo from Goyescas <br>Fauré/Ronchini - Fileuse from Pelléas et Mélisande</p>
<p>7 December 1926 (London)<br>Recital at the Aeolian Hall with pianist Clarence Raybould.<br>Couperin - Pieces (Prelude, Fughetta, Pompe funebre, La Chemise blanche) <br>Haydn - Cello Concerto in D major <br>Huré - Sonata in F-sharp minor<br>Bloch - Prayer from Jewish Life <br>Debussy - Menuet from Petite Suite <br>Granados/Cassadó - Intermezzo from Goyescas <br>Fauré/Ronchini - Fileuse from Pelléas et Mélisande</p>
<p>12 January 1927 (Zürich) <br>Recital at the Tonhalle, Kleiner Saal with pianist Elisabeth Reitz-Croset. <br>Couperin - Pieces (Prelude, Fughetta, Pompe funebre, La Chemise blanche) <br>Haydn - Cello Concerto in D major <br>Huré - Sonata in F-sharp minor <br>Bloch - Prayer from Jewish Life <br>Debussy - Menuet from Petite Suite <br>Granados/Cassadó - Intermezzo from Goyescas <br>Schubert (Francois) - L'Abeille, Op. 13, No. 9</p>
<p>5 March 1928 (Paris)<br>Recital at the Maison Pleyel (Salle Chopin)<br>Berteau/Salmon (attr. Sammartini) - Sonata in G major<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69<br>Ravel - Pavane pour une infante défunte<br>Hindemith - Capriccio, Op. 8, No. 1<br>Kreisler - Scherzo in the Style of Dittersdorf <br>Davydov - At the Fountain, Op. 20, No. 2</p>
<p>15 November 1928 (Berlin)<br>Played a recital including works by Debussy, Ravel, and Couperin.</p>
<p>3 March 1930 (Daventry)<br>Performance with the BBC Wireless Military Band, conducted by B. Walton O'Donnell</p>
<p>15 November 1930 (Berlin)<br>Recital at the Sing-akademie. Below is an incomplete recital program.<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Davydov - At the Fountain, Op. 20, No. 2<br>Granados - Spanish Dance [No. 5]</p>
<p>29 November 1930 (London)<br>Performance with the BBC Wireless Military Band, conducted by B. Walton O'Donnell</p>
<p>10 February 1931<br>Played Casella's Cello Sonata with the composer for the Eifel Tower radio.</p>
<p>24 May 1931 (London) <br>Recital</p>
<p>18 October 1931 (Barcelona)<br>Recital at the Catalan Music Palace</p>
<p>3 February 1932 (Bournemouth) <br>Played the Boccherini/Grützmacher Cello Concerto and d'Erlanger's Ballade with Bournemouth Municipal Symphony with conductor Sir Dan Godfrey.</p>
<p>9 February 1932 (London)<br>Recital at Wigmore Hall</p>
<p>12 February 1932 (London)<br>Premiere of Julian (Julius) Krein's Cello Concerto, Op. 25.</p>
<p>30 May 1932 (Paris)<br>Recital at the Ecole Normale de Musique, Salle des Concerts, accompanied by Felix Hupka<br>Boccherini/Grützmacher - Cello Concerto in B-flat major<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 38<br>Bach/Kodaly - 3 Chorale Preludes<br>Samazeuilh - Chant d'Espagne<br>Fauré - [no title]<br>Locatelli/Piatti - Sonata (from Op. 6, Nos. 6 and 12) </p>
<p>27 November 1932 (Paris)<br>Played Krein's Concerto with the Orchestre Symphonique de Paris at Salle Pleyel.</p>
<p>22 February 1933 (Bournemouth)<br>Played Dvořak's Cello Concerto with Bournemouth Municipal Symphony with conductor Sir Dan Godfrey.</p>
<p>March 1933 (Paris)<br>Recital at the Ecole Normale<br>Bach - Suite No. 6, BWV 1012<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 38<br>Vivaldi/Dandelot - Violin Concerto In D major, RV 230<br>J. Krein - Aria from Suite, Op. 20<br>Stravinsky/Dushkin - Lullaby from The Firebird<br>Boulanger - Berceuse</p>
<p>16 December 1933 (Paris)<br>Played Krein's Concerto with the Poulet Orchestra at the Sarah Bernhardt Theater, conducted by M. Cloëz.</p>
<p>12 February 1934 (London)<br>Played Bloch's Schelomo with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in Queen’s Hall with Bloch conducting.</p>
<p>14 February 1934 (Bournemouth)<br>British premiere of Glazunov's Concerto-Ballata, Op. 108, conducted by Sir Dan Godfrey.</p>
<p>21 April 1934<br>Played Schumann's Concerto for the Luxembourg Radio with the Radio Orchestra.</p>
<p>30 January 1935 (Bournemouth)<br>Played Bloch's Schelomo with the Bournemouth Municipal Symphony with conductor, conducted by Richard Austin</p>
<p>1 March 1935 (Paris)<br>Recital at the Maison Gaveau, Salle des Concerts, accompanied by Felix Hupka<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 38<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Valentini/Piatti - Sonata in E major (Allettamento Op. 8, No. 10)<br>Casals - Reverie<br>Halffter/Cassado - Canzona e Pastorella<br>Boulanger - Piece No. 3 in C-sharp minor<br>Schumann - Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70</p>
<p>4 February 1935 (London)<br>Recital at Wigmore Hall, accompanied by George Reeves<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Fauré - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 117<br>Valentini/Piatti - Sonata in E major (Allettamento Op. 8, No. 10)</p>
<p>2 March 1935<br>Played Haydn's D-major Concerto for the Luxembourg Radio with the Radio Orchestra, followed by a recital:<br>Schumann - Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70<br>Chopin/Eisenberg - Mazurka<br>Saint-Saens - Allegro Appassionato, Op. 43</p>
<p>10 December 1935<br>Played with the BBC Orchestra at Thurston's Leicester Square, conducted by Clarence Raybould.</p>
<p>24 January 1936 (London) <br>Recital at Wigmore Hall, accompanied by George Reeves<br>Bach - Suite No. 1, BWV 1007<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 38</p>
<p>7 February 1936 (Paris)<br>French premiere of Arnold Bax's Sonatine at Salle Grevin, accompanied by Lelia Gousseau.</p>
<p>10 October 1936 (Torquay)<br>Played Dvořak's Cello Concerto with the Torquay Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Ernest Goss.</p>
<p>14 December 1936 (Paris)<br>Recital at Dar Baroud<br>Huré - Sonata in F-sharp minor <br>Ravel - Gaspard de la nuit<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009 (without the Prelude)<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 38</p>
<p>7 March 1937<br>Played Glazunov's Concerto-Ballata, Op. 108 on the National Radio of Great Britain, conducted by J. Clifford.</p>
<p>10 March 1937 (London)<br>Recital at Wigmore Hall, accompanied by Erich-Itor Kahn.</p>
<p>8 October 1937 (Belfast)<br>Recital at the British Music Society of Northern Ireland, accompanied by Harry Isaacs.</p>
<p>11 October 1937 (London) <br>Played on a recital at Wigmore Hall with pianist Cecile Simon and violinist Yvonne Astruc.<br>Simon - Poeme for Violin, Cello, and Piano<br>Ravel - Sonata for Violin and Cello<br>Fauré - Violin Sonata No. 1, Op. 13</p>
<p>22 December 1937 (Bergen, New Jersey)<br>Solo with Bergen County Orchestra.</p>
<p>27 December 1937 (New York)<br>Debut recital at the Town Hall, accompanied by Ernst Victor Wolff<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 99 <br>Bach - Suite No. 4, BWV 1010<br>Valentini/Piatti - Sonata in E major (Allettamento Op. 8, No. 10) <br>Turina - Le Jeudi Saint a minuit from Sevilla, Op. 2, No. 2<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165 <br>Hindemith - Capriccio, Op. 8, No. 1<br>Weber - unspecified piece</p>
<p>7 January 1938 (Baltimore)<br>Recital at the Peabody Conservatory.<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 99<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Valentini/Piatti - Sonata in E major (Allettamento Op. 8, No. 10)<br>de Laserna/Cassadó - Tonadilla<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Hindemith - Capriccio, Op. 8, No. 1<br>Howe - Ballade Fantasque</p>
<p>25 March 1938 (London)<br>Recital at Wigmore Hall, accompanied by Erich-Itor Kahn.</p>
<p>18 May 1938 (Paris)<br>Played the Boccherini/Grützmacher Cello Concerto with the Orchestre de l'Association des Concerts Colonne, conducted by Charles Miller.</p>
<p>24 January 1939 (Danbury, Connecticut)<br>Recital at the Danbury Music Centre.</p>
<p>30 January 1939 (Scranton, Pennsylvania)<br>Solo with the Anthracite Philarmonic Orchestra at the Masonic Temple Theatre, conducted by Felix M. Gatz.</p>
<p>14 February 1939 (Montclair, New Jersey)<br>Played Dvořak's Cello Concerto with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra at the Mount Hebron Junior High School, conducted by Rene Pollain.</p>
<p>26 February 1939 (New York)<br>Recital at the Town Hall.</p>
<p>4 March 1939 (New York) <br>Recital at the Town Hall, accompanied by Harry Kaufman.<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 38<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Bréval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5 <br>Debussy/Eisenberg - Berceuse Heroique<br>Cupis de Camargo - Moto Perpetuo (Gavotte) from Violin Sonata Op. 1, No. 2<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Sarasate - Zapateado, Op. 23, No. 2</p>
<p>2 May 1939<br>Recital at Salle Gaveau, accompanied by Erich-Itor Kahn.<br>Schubert - Arpeggione Sonata, D. 821<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 5, Op. 102, No. 2<br>Bach - [unidentified Suite]<br>Debussy/Eisenberg - Berceuse Heroique<br>Cupis de Camargo - Moto Perpetuo (Gavotte) from Violin Sonata Op. 1, No. 2</p>
<p>18 January 1940 (Troy, New York)<br>Recital at the Vocal Society, accompanied by Harry Kaufman.<br>Bréval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5<br>Sarasate - Zapateado, Op. 23, No. 2<br>Bruch - Kol Nidrei, Op. 47<br>Haydn/Piatti - Minuet from Sonata in C major (after Duo, Hob.VI:6)<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Bach/Siloti - Adagio from Toccata in C major<br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102<br>Senaille/Salmon - Allegro spiritoso from Violin Sonata, Op. 10, No. 4<br>Granados/Cassadó - Intermezzo from Goyescas<br>Handel - Aria from The Messiah<br>Arensky - Mystic Stars (obbligato)</p>
<p>24 January 1940 (Danbury, Connecticut)<br>Premiere of Donald Tweedy's Cello Sonata with Harry Kaufman.</p>
<p>26 January 1940 (New York)<br>Recital at the Town Hall.</p>
<p>29 February 1940 (West Orange, New Jersey)<br>Recital at the Carteret School for Boys.</p>
<p>17 March 1940 (Austin, Texas)<br>Recital in the Hogg Auditorium, accompanied by Ruth Penick Pickard.<br>Cassadó - Toccata in the Style of Frescobaldi<br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102<br>Bach - Suite No. 6, BWV 1012 (Prelude, Sarabande, and Gavottes)<br>Bréval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5<br>Fauré/Casals - Après un rêve, Op. 7, No. 1<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Haydn/Piatti - Minuet from Sonata in C major (after Duo, Hob.VI:6)<br>Granados/Cassadó - Intermezzo from Goyescas<br>Senaille/Salmon - Allegro spiritoso from Violin Sonata, Op. 10, No. 4</p>
<p>26 March 1940 (Raleigh, North Carolina)<br>Recital with Joseph Battista at the Memorial Auditorium, sponsored by the Raleigh Woman's Club.</p>
<p>26 November 1940 (Stillwater, Oklahoma)<br>Solo with the Oklahoma A and M Orchestra, conducted by Frank Hladky. The first half of the concert was with orchestra and the second was with piano accompaniment with James Stephenson.</p>
<p>30 November 1940 (Clinton, South Carolina)<br>Recital at the Presbyterian College, accompanied by Harry Kaufman.<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69<br>Breval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5<br>Bornschein - Appalachian Legend (US Premiere)<br>Haydn/Piatti - Minuet from Sonata in C major (after Duo, Hob.VI:6)<br>Sarasate - Zapateado, Op. 23, No. 2<br>Chopin - Nocturne <br>de Laserna/Cassadó - Tonadilla<br>Granados/Cassadó - Intermezzo from Goyescas <br>Davydov - At the Fountain, Op. 20, No. 2</p>
<p>3 December 1940 (Maryville, Tennessee)<br>Recital with Joseph Battista at the Maryville College)<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69<br>Boëllmann - Variations Symphoniques, Op. 23<br>Chopin - Nocturne<br>de Laserna/Cassadó - Tonadilla<br>Granados/Cassadó - Intermezzo from Goyescas <br>Davydov - At the Fountain, Op. 20, No. 2<br>The program also included works for solo piano by Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninov, Debussy, and Shostakovich.</p>
<p>9 December 1940 (Seattle)<br>Solo with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Nikolai Sokoloff.</p>
<p>12 December 1940 (Provo, Utah)<br>Solo with the Brigham Young University Orchestra, conducted by Leroy Robertson.</p>
<p>10 February 1941 (Baltimore)<br>Recital at Peabody, accompanied by Harry Kaufman.<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69<br>Boccherini/Grützmacher - Cello Concerto in B-flat major<br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102<br>Bornschein - Appalachian Legend<br>Fauré/Casals - Après un rêve, Op. 7, No. 1 (encore)<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165 (encore)<br>Davydov - At the Fountain, Op. 20, No. 2 (encore)</p>
<p>17-18 February 1941 (Montclair, New Jersey) <br>Played Haydn's Cello Concerto in D major and Strauss's Don Quixote with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra at the Mount Hebron Junior High School, conducted by Frieder Weissmann, William Primrose on viola</p>
<p>28 March 1941 (Montclair, New Jersey) <br>Informal concert at John Kremer's home hosted by the New Jersey Chamber Music Society. Other musicians included Kenneth Deane, John Cataldo, Gerard Glaubitz, and Dorothy Chapman.<br>Elliot Griffis - String Quartet No. 2, Allegro<br>Bach - Sarabande from an unspecified Suite.</p>
<p>1 December 1941 (Hartsville, South Carolina)<br>Recital at the Coker College Auditorium sponsored by Hartville Music Study and the Coker College.</p>
<p>10 February 1942 (Albany, New York)<br>Played Saint-Saens's Cello Concerto No. 1 with the Albany Symphony Orchestra at Philip Livingston High School, conducted by Rudolph Thomas.</p>
<p>15 February 1942 (Indianapolis)<br>Joint recital with soprano Jean Tennyson as part of the Wabash Valley Concert Series.</p>
<p>16 February 1942 (Chicago)<br>Played 2 movements of the Boccherini/Grützmacher Concerto with the WGN Symphony Orchestra for a program "Music that Endures."</p>
<p>26 February 1942 (New York)<br>Recital at the Town Hall, accompanied by Erich-Itor Kahn<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Boccherini/Grützmacher - Cello Concerto in B-flat major<br>Julian Krein - Andante from Cello Concerto, Op. 25<br>Fauré/Casals - Après un rêve, Op. 7, No. 1<br>Debussy - unnamed piece</p>
<p>12-13 March 1942 (Los Angeles)<br>Played the Schumann Cello Concerto, Op. 129 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by George Szell.</p>
<p>29 July 1942 (New York)<br>Played Saint-Saens's Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 32 over the radio for WABC, collaborated with Isidor Philipp.</p>
<p>29 November 1942 (Millburn, New Jersey)<br>Recital at the Millburn Arts Center</p>
<p>18 December 1942 (New York)<br>8th Jubilee concert at the Hunter College</p>
<p>4-5 January 1943 (Chikisha, Oklahoma)<br>Recital</p>
<p>12 January 1943 (Provo, Utah)<br>Solo with the Brigham Young University Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leroy Robertson.<br>Boccherini/Grützmacher - Cello Concerto in B-flat major<br>Bach - Suite No. 6, BWV 1012</p>
<p>17 January 1943 (Los Angeles) <br>Haydn's Concerto in D major with the Hancock Ensemble at the Hancock Auditorium at the University of Southern California.</p>
<p>19 January 1943 (Los Angeles)<br>Recital at the Hancock Auditorium at the University of Southern California.</p>
<p>24 January 1943 (Stillwater, Oklahoma) <br>Recital, accompanied by Mable Murphy</p>
<p>7-8 February 1943 (Red Springs, North Carolina)<br>Recital at Flora Macdonald College, accompanied by Alexander Wilalta.</p>
<p>April 1943 (Los Angeles) <br>Recital with the Hancock Ensemble at the University of Southern California.</p>
<p>9 April 1943 (Waterbury, Connecticut)<br>Played Beethoven's Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69 for a radio broadcast (WATR)</p>
<p>9 April 1943 (Waterbury, Connecticut) <br>Played Brahms's Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 38 for a radio broadcast (WATR)</p>
<p>2 May 1943 (Los Angeles) <br>Recital with violinist Anton Maaskof and pianist John Crown at the University of Southern California.<br>Brahms - Violin Sonata No. 2, Op. 100<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69<br>Brahms - Trio No. 2, Op. 87</p>
<p>6 May 1943 (Los Angeles) <br>Recital at the Hancock Auditorium at the University of Southern California.<br>Schubert - Arpeggione Sonata, D. 821<br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102<br>Haydn/Piatti - Sonata in C major (after Duo, Hob.VI:6)</p>
<p>17 October 1943 (New York)<br>Recital at the Town Hall, accompanied by Erich-Itor Kahn<br>Moor - Prelude, Op. 123<br>Bach - Suite No. 6, BWV 1012<br>Bloch - Prayer from Jewish Life<br>Hindemith - Capriccio, Op. 8, No. 1<br>Haydn/Piatti - Sonata in C major (after Duo, Hob.VI:6)<br>Chopin - Cello Sonata, Op. 65<br>Unspecified works by Fuleihan and Weber</p>
<p>19 November 1943 (Evansville, Indiana)<br>Joint recital with Percy Grainger at the Bosse High School Auditorium. Eisenberg was accompanied by Dorothy Wittich.<br>Cassadó - Toccata in the Style of Frescobaldi<br>Chopin - Nocturne<br>Boccherini - Rondo from String Quintet in C major<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009 (Prelude, Sarabande, Bourrees)<br>Fauré/Casals - Après un rêve, Op. 7, No. 1<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Davydov - At the Fountain, Op. 20, No. 2</p>
<p>30 November 1943 (Newark, New Jersey)<br>Played Haydn's Cello Concerto in D major with the National Symphony of Washington DC at the Mosque Theatre, conducted by Hans Kindler. The concert also included Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony.</p>
<p>4 January 1944 (Provo, Utah)<br>Played Haydn's Cello Concerto in D major with the Brigham Young University Orchestra, conducted by Leroy Robertson. The concert also included Bach's Suite No. 3, BWV 1009.</p>
<p>13 January 1944 (Portland Oregon)<br>Recital with pianist Andor Foldes at the Friend of Chamber Music.<br>Bach - Suite No. 3 in C Major <br>Beethoven - Sonata in A Major, Op. 69 <br>Schubert - Arpeggione Sonata in A minor <br>Debussy - Cello Sonata (1915)</p>
<p>3 March 1944 (Schenectady, New York)<br>Recital with the Schubert Club of Schenectady at Union College, accompanied by Harrison Potter. (Only cello works of the recital are listed)<br>Cassadó - Toccata in the Style of Frescobaldi<br>Boccherini - Adagio and Allegro from Cello Sonata in A major, G. 6<br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102<br>Arensky - Mystic Stars (obbligato)<br>Fauré/Casals - Après un rêve, Op. 7, No. 1<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165 <br>Eisenberg - Pizzicato Blues<br>Davydov - At the Fountain, Op. 20, No. 2</p>
<p>31 March 1944 (Philadelphia)<br>Recital at the Barclay Ballroom, presented by the Philadelphia Musical Academy, accompanied by Erich-Itor Kahn.<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 38<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Stravinsky - Suite Italienne<br>Bloch - Prayer from Jewish Life<br>Boccherini - Rondo from String Quintet in C major<br>Hindemith - Capriccio, Op. 8, No. 1<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Davydov - At the Fountain, Op. 20, No. 2</p>
<p>18 April 1944 (Newark, New Jersey)<br>Recital at Fuld Hall, accompanied by Erich-Itor Kahn.<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69<br>Hindemith - Capriccio, Op. 8, No. 1<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102<br>Unspecified work by Schubert</p>
<p>21 April 1944 (Los Angeles) <br>Recital with the Hancock Ensemble at the University of Southern California.</p>
<p>27 April 1944 (Philadelphia)<br>Recital presented by the Philadelphia Musical Academy</p>
<p>22 July 1944 (Au Sable Forks, New York)<br>Recital at the Old Mill Studio, accompanied by Samuel Slussel.</p>
<p>16 October 1944 (Williamsburg)<br>Recital at the College of William and Mary</p>
<p>22 November 1944 (Philadelphia)<br>Recital with pianist Joseph Schwarz, violinist Jani Szanto, and violist Erwin Groer.<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 38<br>Brahms - Piano Trio No. 3, Op. 101<br>Brahms - Piano Quartet No. 2, Op. 26</p>
<p>29 November 1944 (Montreal)<br>Recital at the Quebec Provincial Conservatory with Isidor Philipp<br>Saint-Saens - Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 32<br>Philipp - Les Cygnes Noirs<br>Philipp - Serenade Grotesque<br>Saint-Saens - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 123</p>
<p>13 December 1944 (Philadelphia) <br>Recital at the Ethical Society Auditorium with pianist Joseph Schwarz, violinist Jani Szanto, and violist Erwin Groer. <br>Brahms - Violin Sonata No. 1, Op. 78<br>Brahms - Piano Trio No. 2, Op. 87<br>Brahms - Piano Quartet No. 3, Op. 60</p>
<p>17 December 1944 (New York)<br>Recital at the Brooklyn Museum, accompanied by Erich-Itor Kahn<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69 <br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102<br>Bach - Suite No. 5, BWV 1011 (Prelude, Courante, Sarabande, Gavottes)<br>Philipp - Les Cygnes Noirs <br>Haydn/Piatti - Minuet from Sonata in C major (after Duo, Hob.VI:6) <br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Senaille/Salmon - Allegro spiritoso from Violin Sonata, Op. 10, No. 4</p>
<p>3 January 1945 (Philadelphia)<br>Recital at the Ethical Society Auditorium.<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69 <br>Stravinsky - Suite Italienne<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009 <br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102<br>Haydn/Piatti - Minuet from Sonata in C major (after Duo, Hob.VI:6) <br>Granados/Cassadó - Intermezzo from Goyescas<br>Senaille/Salmon - Allegro spiritoso from Violin Sonata, Op. 10, No. 4<br>Philipp - Les Cygnes Noirs <br>Philipp - Serenade Grotesque</p>
<p>6 January 1945 (New York)<br>Recital at the Town Hall.</p>
<p>20 January 1945 (Philadelphia) <br>Recital at the Ethical Society Auditorium with pianist Joseph Schwarz, violinist Jani Szanto, and violist Carlton Cooley. <br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 99<br>Brahms - Viola Sonata No. 2, Op. 120, No. 2<br>Brahms - VIolin Sonata No. 3, Op. 108</p>
<p>2 February 1945 (Newark, New Jersey)<br>Recital at the Newark Academy</p>
<p>26 February 1945 (Durham, North Carolina) <br>Recital at Duke University with clarinetist Allan H. Bone and pianist Narcissus Figueroa.<br>Brahms - Clarinet Trio, Op. 114</p>
<p>27 February 1945 (Durham, North Carolina)<br>Recital at Duke University accompanied by Narcissus Figueroa.<br>Cassadó - Toccata in the Style of Frescobaldi<br>Haydn/Piatti - Sonata in C major (after Duo, Hob.VI:6)<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009 (Prelude, Sarabande, Bourrees) <br>Debussy - Cello Sonata<br>Stravinsky - Serenata and Aria from Suite Italienne<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Eisenberg - Pizzicato Blue<br>Davydov - At the Fountain, Op. 20, No. 2</p>
<p>14 March 1945 (Philadelphia) <br>Recital at the Ethical Society Auditorium with pianist Joseph Schwarz, violinist Jani Szanto, violist Trude Gundert, contralto Lyuba Senderowna, and clarinetist Walter Cochrane.<br>Brahms - Alto Songs, Op. 91<br>Brahms - Clarinet Sonata No. 1, Op. 120, No. 1<br>Brahms - Clarinet Trio, Op. 114<br>Brahms - Violin Sonata No. 2, Op. 100</p>
<p>10 April 1945 (New York) <br>Recital at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences with pianist Erno Balogh and violinist Roman Totenberg.<br>Beethoven - Violin Sonata No. 9 "Kreutzer," Op. 47<br>Debussy - Cello Sonata<br>Schubert - Piano Trio No. 2, Op. 100</p>
<p>17 April 1945 (New York)<br>Recital at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences with pianist Erno Balogh and violinist Roman Totenberg.<br>Mozart - Violin Sonata, K. 454<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69<br>Villa-Lobos - Piano Trio No. 3</p>
<p>24 April 1945 (New York) <br>Recital at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences with pianist Erno Balogh and violinist Roman Totenberg. <br>Milhaud - Violin Sonata No. 2 <br>Chopin - Cello Sonata, Op. 65<br>Brahms - Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 8</p>
<p>26 April 1945 (Millburn, New Jersey)<br>Recital at the Millburn High School Auditorium, accompanied by Erich-Itor Kahn.</p>
<p>11 May 1945 (Philadelphia) <br>Recital at the Ethical Society Auditorium with pianist Joseph Schwarz, violinist Jani Szanto, violinist Albert Busilow, violist Trude Gundert, and clarinetist Walter Cochrane. <br>Brahms - Clarinet Quintet, Op. 115<br>Brahms - Piano Quintet, Op. 34</p>
<p>20 May 1945<br>Recital at the Brooklyn Museum</p>
<p>27 May 1945 (Boston)<br>Recital at the Gardner Museum</p>
<p>4 October 1945 (Montreal)<br>Recital at the YM-YWHA of Montreal, accompanied by John Newmark.<br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102<br>Bréval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5<br>Bach - Suite No. 2, BWV 1008<br>Bruch - Kol Nidrei, Op. 47</p>
<p>28 October 1945 (Montclair, New Jersey) <br>Played Dvořak's Cello Concerto with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra at the Mount Hebron Junior High School, conducted by Frieder Weissmann.</p>
<p>11 November 1945 (Baltimore)<br>Played the Boccherini/Grützmacher Cello Concerto with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Reginald Stewart.</p>
<p>14 December 1945 (Baltimore)<br>Recital at the Peabody Conservatory, accompanied by Arpad Sandor.<br>Cassadó - Toccata in the Style of Frescobaldi <br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102 <br>Bach - Suite No. 2, BWV 1008<br>Stravinsky - Serenata and Aria from Suite Italienne<br>Duke - Dialogue (world premiere)<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Hindemith - Capriccio, Op. 8, No. 1<br>Senaille/Salmon - Allegro spiritoso from Violin Sonata, Op. 10, No. 4</p>
<p>17 December 1945 (Scranton, Pennsylvania)<br>Played Dvořak's Cello Concerto with Scranton Philharmonic Orchestra (subbed for Joseph Schuster) at the Masonic Temple, conducted by Frieder Weissmann.</p>
<p>11 January 1946 (Philadelphia)<br>Recital at the Ethical Society Auditorium with pianist Bruno Eisner, violinists Jeno Szanto and Albert Brusilow, and violist Trude Gundert.<br>Schubert - Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 99<br>Schubert - Duo in A major<br>Schubert - String Quartet "Death and the Maiden"</p>
<p>17 January 1946 (Philadelphia) <br>Recital at the Barclay Ballroom, presented by the Philadelphia Musical Academy.<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 99<br>Bach - Suite No. 2, BWV 1008<br>Cassadó - Toccata in the Style of Frescobaldi <br>Bréval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5<br>Duke - Dialogue (world premiere) <br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Benjamin - Jamaican Rumba<br>Alexander Krein - Jewish Melodie, Op. 43</p>
<p>26 January 1946 (New York)<br>Recital at the Town Hall.</p>
<p>29 January 1946 (New York)<br>Recital at the Brooklyn Academy of Music with violinist Roman Totenberg and pianist Arpad Sandor.<br>Schubert - Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat major<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 99<br>Dvořak - Dumky Trio, Op. 90</p>
<p>3 March 1946 (Torquay) <br>Played Dvořak's Cello Concerto with the Torquay Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Ernest Goss.</p>
<p>10 March 1946 (London)<br>Played the Boccherini/Grützmacher Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent.</p>
<p>12 April 1946 (Philadelphia) <br>Recital at the Ethical Society Auditorium with pianist Bruno Eisner, violinists Jeno Szanto and Albert Brusilow, and violist Trude Gundert. <br>Schubert - String Quartet in E-flat major<br>Schubert - String Quartet in G major<br>Schubert - Fantasie in A for violin and piano </p>
<p>3 May 1946 (Philadelphia) <br>Recital at the Ethical Society Auditorium with pianist Bruno Eisner, violinists Jeno Szanto and Albert Brusilow, violist Trude Gundert, cellist JaneSaunders, and bassist Roger Scott.<br>Schubert - Piano Quintet "Trout"<br>Schubert - String Quintet</p>
<p>24 October 1946 (Montreal) <br>Recital at the YMHA of Montreal accompanied by John Newmark<br>Bach - Gamba Sonata No. 3, BWV 1029<br>Valentini/Piatti - Sonata in E major (Allettamento Op. 8, No. 10)<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 99<br>Bloch - Prayer from Jewish Life<br>Ibert/Marechal - Le petit âne blanc from Histoires<br>Turina - Le Jeudi Saint a minuit from Sevilla, Op. 2, No. 2<br>Benjamin - Jamaican Rumba</p>
<p>27 October 1946 (New York)<br>Joint recital with soprano Ann Roselle at the Brooklyn Museum.</p>
<p>30 October 1946 (Newark, New Jersey) <br>Recital at Fuld Hall with Bruno Eisner at the piano.<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69<br>Debussy - Cello Sonata<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 99</p>
<p>14-15 November 1946 (Lincoln, Nebraska)<br>Recital at the Doane College, accompanied by Allan Sly.<br>Cassadó - Toccata in the Style of Frescobaldi<br>Valentini/Piatti - Sonata in E major (Allettamento Op. 8, No. 10)<br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102 <br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009 <br>Eisenberg - Pizzicato Blues<br>Other unspecified works</p>
<p>7 November 1946 (Stillwater, Oklahoma) <br>Recital at the Oklahoma A and M College, accompanied by Allan Sly.</p>
<p>18 November 1946 (Nashville)<br>Recital at the Ward Balmont College<br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Eisenberg - Pizzicato Blues<br>Other unspecified works</p>
<p>7 January 1947 (Philadelphia) <br>Recital at the Ethical Society Auditorium, accompanied by Bruno Eisner<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69<br>Debussy - Cello Sonata<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 99</p>
<p>12 January 1947 (Hackettstown, New Jersey) <br>Recital at the Centenary Junior College.</p>
<p>5 February 1947<br>Premiered Bax's Cello Concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, conducted by Sit Adrian Boult.</p>
<p>1 March 1947 (London)<br>Recital for the radio, accompanied by Harriet Cohen.</p>
<p>24 March 1947 (Ottawa)<br>Recital at the Technical School Hall, accompanied by John Newmark.<br>Cassadó - Toccata in the Style of Frescobaldi <br>Valentini/Piatti - Sonata in E major (Allettamento Op. 8, No. 10)<br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102 <br>Debussy - Cello Sonata<br>Ibert/Marechal - Le petit âne blanc from Histoires<br>Turina - Le Jeudi Saint a minuit from Sevilla, Op. 2, No. 2<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Davydov - At the Fountain, Op. 20, No. 2</p>
<p>30 March 1947 (New York)<br>Joint recital with Vladimir Padwa at the Brooklyn Museum. Eisenberg was accompanied by Otto Herz.<br>Cassadó - Toccata in the Style of Frescobaldi <br>Schumann - 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102 (3 pieces performed)<br>Bach/Siloti - Komm, susser Tod<br>Turina - Le Jeudi Saint a minuit from Sevilla, Op. 2, No. 2<br>Hindemith - Capriccio, Op. 8, No. 1</p>
<p>26 May 1947 (Bloomfield, New Jersey)<br>Recital at the Bloomfield High School, accompanied by Erich-Itor Kahn.</p>
<p>1 February 1948 (Millburn, New Jersey)<br>Recital at the Milburn High School</p>
<p>19 February 1948 (Philadelphia) <br>Recital at the Ethical Society Auditorium, accompanied by Arpad Sandor.<br>Elgar - Cello Concerto, Op. 85<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Fauré/Casals - Après un rêve, Op. 7, No. 1<br>Turina - Le Jeudi Saint a minuit from Sevilla, Op. 2, No. 2<br>Haydn/Piatti - Sonata in C major (after Duo, Hob.VI:6)<br>Ibert/Marechal - Le petit âne blanc from Histoires<br>Hindemith - Capriccio, Op. 8, No. 1<br>Prokofiev - Gavotte from the Classical Symphony, Op. 25<br>Unspecified piece by Handel</p>
<p>2 May 1948 (Boston)<br>Recital at the Gardner Museum</p>
<p>24 October 1948 (Hackettstown, New Jersey)<br>Recital at the Centenary Junior College, accompanied by Erich-Itor Kahn. The recital included Brahms and pieces by modern and classical composers.</p>
<p>19 January 1949 (Orange, New Jersey)<br>Recital at the Orange High School<br>Turina - Le Jeudi Saint a minuit from Sevilla, Op. 2, No. 2<br>Sarasate - Zapateado, Op. 23, No. 2<br>Other unspecified pieces.</p>
<p>20 October 1949 (Orono, Maine)<br>Recital at the University of Maine, accompanied by David Bacon.<br>Pieces by Bach, Boccherini, Schumann, Stravinsky, Sarasate.</p>
<p>6 November 1949 (Montreal)<br>Played Haydn's Cello Concerto in D major with the CBC The Little Symphonies Orchestra, conducted by Roland Leduc.</p>
<p>9 November 1949 (Montreal)<br>Guest artist at McGill University<br>Boccherini - String Quintet in C major<br>Schubert - String Quintet in C major</p>
<p>15 November 1949 (Montclair, New Jersey)<br>Played Schumann's Cello Concerto with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Samuel Antek.</p>
<p>5 February 1950 (Washington DC)<br>Recital at the Phillips Gallery.<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69<br>Haydn/Piatti - Sonata in C major (after Duo, Hob.VI:6)<br>Bach - Suite No. 6, BWV 1012 (Prelude, Sarabande, and Gavottes)<br>Stravinsky - Serenata and Aria from Suite Italienne<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Prokofiev - Gavotte from the Classical Symphony, Op. 25<br>Hindemith - Capriccio, Op. 8, No. 1</p>
<p>16 March 1950 (Birmingham, England)<br>Played Haydn's Cello Concerto in D major with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by George Weldon.</p>
<p>15 July 1950 (Amagansett, New York)<br>Recital with Tsuya Matsuki</p>
<p>24 October 1950 (Montreal) <br>Plays a Suite on an all-Bach concert at McGill University.</p>
<p>26 October 1950 (Montreal)<br>Recital at the YH-YWMA concert series at the Snowdon Auditorium, accompanied by John Newmark.<br>Bach - Suite No. 6, BWV 1012<br>Debussy - Cello Sonata<br>Beethoven - 7 Variations on a theme from Mozart's Magic Flute<br>Bloch - Prayer from Jewish Life<br>Haydn/Piatti - Sonata in C major (after Duo, Hob.VI:6)<br>Granados/Cassadó - Intermezzo from Goyescas<br>Sarasate - Zapateado, Op. 23, No. 2<br>Prokofiev - Gavotte from the Classical Symphony, Op. 25</p>
<p>12 November 1950 (Philadelphia)<br>All-Bach recital at the Philadelphia Musical Academy with Agi Jambor.</p>
<p>14 November 1950 (New York)<br>Recital at the Town Hall.</p>
<p>24 November 1950 (Montreal)<br>Plays on a recital at McGill University with violinist Alexander Brott and violist Lucien Robert.<br>Dohnanyi - Serenade, Op. 8<br>Bach - Suite No. 2, BWV 1008<br>Brahms - String Quartet No. 2, Op. 51</p>
<p>3 February 1950 (Washington DC) <br>Recital at the Phillips Gallery with Vladimir Padwa at the piano.<br>Bach/Kodaly - 3 Chorale Preludes<br>Bach/Busoni - Toccata in C major (piano alone)<br>Bach - Suite No. 2, BWV 1008<br>Bach - Gamba Sonata No. 2, BWV 1027</p>
<p>5 December 1950 (New York) <br>Recital at the Town Hall.</p>
<p>5 January 1951 (Philadelphia) <br>All-Bach recital at the Philadelphia Musical Academy with Agi Jambor.</p>
<p>9 January 1951 (New York) <br>Recital at the Town Hall.</p>
<p>6 March 1951 (Athens, Ohio)<br>Recital at the Ohio University, accompanied by Adolph Weiser.<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Debussy - Cello Sonata<br>Stravinsky - Serenata and Aria from Suite Italienne<br>Hindemith - Capriccio, Op. 8, No. 1<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Sarasate - Zapateado, Op. 23, No. 2</p>
<p>8 March 1951 (Zanesville, Ohio)<br>Recital at the Muskingum College</p>
<p>15 March 1951 (Newark, New Jersey)<br>Played Dvořak's Cello Concerto with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Mosque Theatre, conducted by Eugene Ormandy.</p>
<p>9 June 1951 (Poughkeepsie, New York)<br>Recital at the Hudson Valley Chamber Music<br>Boccherini/Grützmacher - Cello Concerto in B-flat major<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165<br>Granados/Cassadó - Intermezzo from Goyescas <br>Prokofiev - Gavotte from the Classical Symphony</p>
<p>27 November 1951 (Lawrence, Kansas)<br>Recital at the University of Kansas, accompanied by Marian Jersild.</p>
<p>21 January 1952 (Montreal) <br>All-Bach recital with pianist John Newmark and flutist Mario Duschenes at the Gesu Theatre. The recital included an unspecified cello suite, gamba sonata, and flute sonata.</p>
<p>March 1952 (Belfast)<br>Recital in Belfast, Ireland.</p>
<p>24 and 27 March, and 1 April 1952 (London)<br>Played the complete Bach Suites and Gamba Sonatas over the course of three concerts at Wigmore Hall, accompanied by Ivor Keys on the Sonatas.</p>
<p>24 April 1952 (Newark, New Jersey)<br>Joint recital with Mieczyslaw Horszowski at the Griffith Auditorium.<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69<br>Valentini/Piatti - Sonata in E major (Allettamento Op. 8, No. 10)<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 99</p>
<p>24 May 1952 (Newark, New Jersey) <br>Played the Boccherini/Grützmacher Concerto with a string ensemble at the Griffith Auditorium in honor of Mrs. Parker O. Griffith.</p>
<p>9 November 1952<br>Recital at the Longy School of Music, accompanied by David Bacon on the piano and Melville Smith on the harpsichord.<br>Bach - Gamba Sonata No. 1, BWV 1027<br>Bach - Suite No. 5, BWV 1011<br>Martinů - Cello Sonata No. 2 (1941)<br>Bréval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5</p>
<p>30 November 1952 (Cambridge, Massachusetts)<br>All-Bach recital at Harvard University<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Bach - Suite No. 4, BWV 1010<br>Bach - Suite No. 5, BWV 1011</p>
<p>10 December 1952 (New York)<br>All-Bach recital at the Lexington Ave. YM-YWHA</p>
<p>25 January 1953 (Washington DC) <br>Recital at the Phillips Gallery.<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, 1009<br>Stravinsky - Serenata and Aria from Suite Italienne</p>
<p>1 February 1953 (Boston)<br>Played a recital called "Bach the Court Musician" at the Museum of Fine Arts, accompanied by David Bacon on harpsichord and Virginia Bacon on cello. The program consisted of Bach's 3 Gamba Sonatas, BWV 1027-1029.</p>
<p>10 April 1953 (Belfast)<br>Played Dvorak's Cello Concerto and Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations with the City of Belfast Orchestra, conducted by Denis Mulgan in Wellington Hall.</p>
<p>1 November 1953 (Princeton, New Jersey) <br>Recital at Princeton University playing Bach's Cello Suites Nos. 1, 2, and 6. </p>
<p>22 November 1953 (Princeton, New Jersey) <br>Recital at Princeton University playing Bach's Cello Suites Nos. 3, 4, and 5.</p>
<p>October 1954 (Birmingham, England)<br>Recital at the Barber Institute (Birmingham University) with Ivor Keys. Included music by Bach, Beethoven, and Fauré.</p>
<p>11 October 1954 (London)<br>Recital at Wigmore Hall with Ivor Keys.</p>
<p>12 December 1954 (Cambridge, Massachusetts)<br>Recital at the Longy School, accompanied by David Bacon.<br>Bréval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5<br>Fauré - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 117<br>Stravinsky - Excerpts from Suite Italienne<br>Hindemith - Capriccio, Op. 8, No. 1<br>Bach - Unspecified Suite</p>
<p>12 April 1955 (Boston)<br>Played Elgar's Cello Concerto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Charles Munch.</p>
<p>10 May 1955 (Athens, Ohio)<br>Recital at the Ohio University with Erno Dohnanyi.<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 38<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 4, Op. 102, No. 1<br>Dohnanyi - Cello Sonata, Op. 8</p>
<p>16 October 1955 (London)<br>Recital at Wigmore Hall with Ivor Keys.</p>
<p>7-8 November 1955 (Montclair, New Jersey)<br>Played Brahms's Double Concerto with Maurice Wilk and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Samuel Antek.</p>
<p>11 December 1955 (San Antonio, Texas)<br>Played Bloch's Schelomo with the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Victor Alessandro.</p>
<p>1 March 1956 (Bournemouth, England)<br>Played Elgar's Cello Concerto with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Charles Groves.</p>
<p>19 October 1956 (London)<br>Recital at St.Mark's Church Hamilton Terrace (St. John's Wood) with Ivor Keys.</p>
<p>6 November 1956<br>Recital at the Oklahoma College for Women<br>Granados/Cassadó - Intermezzo from Goyescas<br>de Laserna/Cassadó - Tonadilla<br>Prokofiev - Gavotte from the Classical Symphony<br>Bach - Unspecified suite<br>Unspecified works by Schumann and Boccherini</p>
<p>17 January 1957 (Oswego, New York) <br>Recital at SUNY Oswego </p>
<p>7 April 1957 (London) <br>Recital at Wigmore Hall with Ivor Keys. Complete Beethoven works for cello and piano.</p>
<p>16 March 1958 (Dekalb, Illinois)<br>Played Lalo's Cello Concerto with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra at the Jefferson J.H.S Auditorium, conducted by Arthur Zack.</p>
<p>19 March 1958 (Stillwater, Oklahoma)<br>Recital at the Oklahoma State University, accompanied by Marie Friedlander.<br>Lully/Bazelaire - Passacaille<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Boulanger - Piece No. 3 in C-sharp minor<br>Fauré - Après un rêve, Op. 7, No. 1<br>Schumann - Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70<br>Prokofiev - Gavotte from the Classical Symphony, Op. 25<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165</p>
<p>3 May 1958 (London)<br>Recital at Kilmorey Hall of the Royal Naval School</p>
<p>4 October 1958 (Canterbury, England)<br>Recital at the King's School, accompanied by Alan Jellen.<br>Lully/Bazelaire - Passacaille<br>Beethoven - 12 Variations on a theme from Mozart's Magic Flute, Op. 66<br>Bach - Suite No. 5, BWV 1011 (Prelude, Sarabande, Gigue)<br>Bax - Sonatine<br>Chopin - Adagio [Largo from the Cello Sonata?]<br>Prokofiev - Gavotte from the Classical Symphony, Op. 25<br>Bréval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5</p>
<p>19 October 1958 (Dartington Hall, England)<br>Recital at the Dartington Hall Centre, accompanied by Alan Jellen.<br>Lully/Bazelaire - Passacaille <br>Beethoven - 12 Variations on a theme from Mozart's Magic Flute, Op. 66 <br>Bach - Suite No. 5, BWV 1011 <br>Martinů - Cello Sonata No. 2 (1941) <br>Bréval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5</p>
<p>22 October 1958 (London) <br>Recital at Wigmore Hall with Ivor Keys.<br>Lully/Bazelaire - Passacaille <br>Beethoven - 12 Variations on a theme from Mozart's Magic Flute, Op. 66<br>Bach - Suite No. 5, BWV 1011<br>Martinů - Cello Sonata No. 2 (1941)<br>Bréval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5</p>
<p>11 April 1959 (London)<br>Lecture and recital at the London Cello Club. The lecture was followed by a performance of Bach's Suite No. 5.</p>
<p>May 1959 (Montclair, New Jersey)<br>Played Bach/Siloti Air with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jennings Butterfield. Eisenberg also played the Sarabande from Bach's Suite No. 5.</p>
<p>11 May 1959 (Cambridge, Massachusetts)<br>Concert at the Longy School.<br>Gregory Tucker - Divertimento for Piano and Strings (world premiere)<br>Boccherini/Grützmacher - Cello Concerto in B-flat major<br>Villa-Lobos - Bachianas Brasileiras No. 1 (Eisenberg conducted)</p>
<p>8 October 1959 (London)<br>Solo with the Capriol Orchestra, conducted by Roy Budden.<br>Handel - Cello Concerto in G minor (arr. from the Oboe Concerto)<br>Bach - Suite No. 6, BWV 1012<br>Boccherini/Grützmacher - Cello Concerto in B-flat major</p>
<p>19 October 1959 (Dartington Hall, England) <br>Recital at the University of Aberdeen in the Picture Gallery at the Marischal College, accompanied by David Gwilt. <br>Lully/Bazelaire - Passacaille <br>Beethoven - 12 Variations on a theme from Mozart's Magic Flute, Op. 66 <br>Bach - Suite No. 6, BWV 1012 <br>Martinů - Cello Sonata No. 2 (1941) <br>Bloch - Prayer from Jewish Life<br>Albéniz/Eisenberg - Malagueña from España, Op. 165 <br>Boulanger - Piece No. 3 in C-sharp minor</p>
<p>6 December 1959 (Wellesley, Massachusetts)<br>Recital at the Wellesley College, accompanied by Gregory Tucker.<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 5, No. 2<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 4, Op. 102, No. 1<br>Beethoven - 12 Variations on a theme from Mozart's Magic Flute, Op. 66<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 69</p>
<p>7 December 1959 (Wellesley, Massachusetts) <br>Recital at the Wellesley College, accompanied by Gregory Tucker. <br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 5, No. 1<br>Beethoven - 7 Variations on a theme from Mozart's Magic Flute<br>Beethoven - 12 Variations on a theme from Handel's Judas Maccabeus<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 5, Op. 102, No. 2</p>
<p>12 March 1962 (London) <br>Recital at Wigmore Hall with Ivor Keys.</p>
<p>3 May 1962 (Boston)<br>Recital at the Lowell House</p>
<p>7 May 1962 (Cambridge, Massachusetts)<br>Concert at the Longy School.<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 99 (with pianist David Bacon)<br>Mozart - Oboe Quartet, K. 370<br>Schumann - Andante and Variations, Op. 46<br>Piston - Piano Quintet</p>
<p>13 November 1962 (Austin, Texas)<br>Recital at the University of Texas at Austin, accompanied by Dolores Jerde Keahey.<br>Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 5, Op. 102, No. 2<br>Martinů - Cello Sonata No. 2 (1941)<br>Bach - Suite No. 3, BWV 1009<br>Haydn/Piatti - Sonata in C major (after Duo, Hob.VI:6)</p>
<p>13 January 1963 (Cambridge, Massachusetts)<br>Recital at the Longy School, accompanied by Ivor Keys.<br>Martinů - Cello Sonata No. 2 (1941)<br>Bréval/Alexanian - Cello Sonata in G major, Op. 12, No. 5<br>Brahms - Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 99<br>Unspecified Bach suite</p>
<p>15 January 1963 (New York)<br>Recital at the Town Hall.</p>
<p>14 December 1963 (Mexico City)<br>Played Dvorak's Cello Concerto and Maria Teresa Prieto's Adagio and Fugue (Adagio y Fuga) with the Mexican National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Abel Eisenberg (no relation). </p>
<p>11 January 1964 (Montclair, New Jersey)<br>Played Elgar's Cello Concerto with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kenneth Schermerhorn.</p>
<p>11 March 1964 (London) <br>Recital at Wigmore Hall with Ivor Keys.</p>
<p>24 October 1965 (Montclair, New Jersey) <br>Played Fauré's Elegie with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kenneth Schermerhorn.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/67739632021-10-12T19:00:43-04:002023-09-25T08:00:43-04:00Critical Notes Series: Henle Curriculum<p>Every other school year I teach a 400-level class called "String Literature Survey" at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC. This class is designed for string majors to learn about sonatas from 1700 to 2000, starting with Corelli's violin sonatas and ending with my Sonatensatz. We cover a large range of topics including style, technique, form, the collaboration between composer and artist, etc. My main goal is for the students to be well-versed in the sonata genre. The choice of teaching exclusively sonatas was personal. We also talk about concertos and concert pieces, but not in-depth. Covering all genres would be surfacy and overwhelming.</p><p>Building a curriculum for this class was not easy. The literature about strings strongly favors violin; however, I have students who also play viola and cello. After exploring different options, I settled on the core curriculum to include Melvin Berger's <i>Guide to Sonatas, </i>Abram Loft's <i>Violin and Keyboard, </i>and a set of Henle prefaces. Together, these texts create a balanced view of the pieces that we study.</p><p>Berger's text is a good overview of the sonatas in general. Some of the information is outdated, but I believe this text serves as a good primer. As I teach the students to think critically, we learn to point out outdated or erroneous information. Berger also does not Saint-Saens and some other composers we talk about.</p><p>Loft's 2-volume set takes a deep look at works for violin. I also like Loft's writing style, something that works well as a starting point for my students as they learn to write about music. However, Loft is antagonistic and unhelpful with works by Saint-Saens, D'indy, and others; this is very disappointing since his overview of most standard violin works is superb. Loft does not mention Poulenc's violin sonata.</p><p>Henle prefaces vary in writing style and information from editor to editor, but they all contain information useful for research, which prepares my students for master's and doctoral programs. Henle's text also needs to be balanced out because, for example, Brahms's Cello Sonata, Op. 38 does not mention a connection to Bach's <i>The Art of the Fugue </i>when there is a clear connection. This is where Berger's text is helpful. Nevertheless, the Henle text is generally well-researched. Another perk of using Henle prefaces is that students make a connection between the scholarship and the edition, which builds discernment.</p><p>When we come to 20th-century sonatas, we use texts from biographies. For example, we read Barbara Heyman's Barber biography about the cello sonata. Both the cello sonata and cello concerto are covered in great depth. For Poulenc, we read Wilfrid Mellers's Poulenc biography, which covers his sonatas. For Shostakovich, we read Elizabeth Wilson's Shostakovich biography. For some composers like John Corigliano and William Bolcom, we read the personal writings of those composers.</p><p>We finish the class with a look at my Sonatensatz which I wrote in 2003 and revised several times for various performances.</p><p>Students choose a sonata that we didn't cover in class for their term papers. The choices in this regard are limitless. Typically, students end up choosing a sonata for their senior recital as a result of taking this class.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/67508442021-09-18T20:22:09-04:002021-09-19T20:53:45-04:00David Popper's Concert Schedule 1860-68<p>My sources are Stephen De'ak's <em>David Popper </em>and Clytus Gottwald's <em>Max Seifriz: Beiträge zu Lebenslauf und Werk. </em>Other sources are linked.<em> </em>Additional information is provided in brackets.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="29 March 1860" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://prague-concerts.info/en/event/1539" target="_blank">29 March 1860</a> (Royal Estates Theatre in Prague, Prague Conservatory Orchestra under Kittl)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 "Pastorale," Op. 68<br>Ambros: Overture to drama Der Wunderthätige Magus<br>Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor," Op. 73 (Bülow)<br>Servais: Souvenir de St Petersburg, Op. 15 (Popper)<br>Hérold: aria "Jours de mon enfance" from act 1 of opera Le pré aux clercs (Klettnerová, Řebíček on obbligato violin)<br>Léonard: Fantaisie pastorale "Les échos," Op.22 (Hřímalý)<br>Chopin: Nocturne in D-flat major, Op.27/2 (Bülow)<br>Wagner/Liszt: March from Tannhäuser (Bülow)<br>Liszt: Rigoletto, paraphrase de concert (Bülow)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>18 December 1861 (Vienna)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Piano Trio, Op. 70, No. 2<br>Goltermann: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 14</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="7&nbsp;March 1862" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://prague-concerts.info/en/event/7475" target="_blank">7 March 1862</a> (Prague Girls Reformatory Institute)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Archduke Trio, Op. 97</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="9 March 1862" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://prague-concerts.info/en/event/7391" target="_blank">9 March 1862</a> (Prague, Konvikt)</p>
<p>Mendelssohn: Sonata No. 2, Op. 58 (Popper, Čermáková pf)<br>Goltermann: Concerto [No. 1] (Popper, Slanský ? pf)<br>Chopin: Scherzo No. 2, Op. 31 (Čermáková pf)<br>Servais: Fantaisie on Slavonic/Bohemian Folk Songs (Popper, Slanský ? pf)<br>Schubert: Der Neugierige (Bachmann)<br>Schubert: Auf dem Wasser zu Singen (Ehrenbergů)<br>Schumann: Waldesgespräch (Ehrenbergů)<br>Schubert: selection from Die schöne Müllerin (Bachmann)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="12 March 1862" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://prague-concerts.info/en/event/7413" target="_blank">12 March 1862</a> (Prague, Žofín Island, with Estates Theatre orchestra)</p>
<p>Slavík: unspecified Overture (‘first performance’) <br>Procházka: chorus Naše vlast (solo v, Hardtmuth, Hlahol male voice singing society)<br>Popper: Adagio and Rondo [from Cello Concerto No. 2, Op. 24] (Popper)<br>Jelen: Tam v dáli!: (Josefa Schmidt-Procházková)<br>Lachner: chorus Na Vltavě (solo T, solo v, TTBB chorus; Hlahol male voice singing society, dir. J.L. Lukes) <br>Veit: Concert Overture, Op. 17, Nocí k světlu<br>Škroup: unsp. aria from opera Oldřich a Božena (Oldřich and Božena) (Ehrenbergů)<br>Chopin: 2nd and 3rd movs. from unsp. Concerto (Svobodová)<br>2 Czech Folk Songs: ([J.L.] Lukes)<br>Vojáček: chorus Před nepřítelem (Before the foe) (TTBB chorus; Hlahol singing society)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="8 May 1862" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://prague-concerts.info/en/event/7812" target="_blank">8 May 1862</a> (Prague, New Town Theatre [Novoměstské divadlo], with Estates Theatre orchestra under Jahn)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Symphony No. 7, Op. 92<br>Winter: Aria from opera Das unterbrochene Opferfest (Eilers)<br>Donizetti: aria of Antonina from act 1 of opera Belisario (Bělská)<br>Pivoda: Slovanská píseň (Bělská, Pivoda)<br>Popper: Concertstück [probably a movement of Concerto No. 2] (Popper)<br>Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 37, mvt. I (Pišová)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>9 (or 2) May 1862 (Leipzig Conservatory)</p>
<p>Schumann: Cello Concerto, Op. 129 (Popper)<br>Goltermann: Cello Concerto [No. 1] (Popper)<br> </p>
<p>9 November 1862 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Overture Coriolan <br>Chopin: Nocturne in B major and Polonaise in A-flat major (Bransart) <br>David Popper: Cello Concerto in E minor [Op. 24] (Popper) <br>Liszt: Tasso <br>Schubert: Symphony in C major "Great"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>27 November 1862 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Wagner: Vorspiel from Tristan und Isolde <br>Rossini: Aria from I Tancredi (Albertine Meyer) <br>Beethoven: Cello Sonata in A major, Op. 69 (Popper, Bronsart) <br>Bellini: Aria from Montechi e Capuleti (Meyer) <br>Berlioz: Overture to Benvenuto Cellini <br>Liszt: Orpheus <br>Schubert: Der Wanderer (Meyer) <br>Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, Op. 67</p>
<p> </p>
<p>26 December 1862 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Wagner: Eine Faust-Ouverture <br>Beethoven: Horn Sonata in F major, Op. 17 (Bronsart. Klotz) <br>[Seifriz]/Popper: Fantasie über Lieder des Fürsten [Op. 1] (Popper) <br>Chopin: Nocturne in F# major (Bronsart) <br>Liszt: Valse impromptu (Bronsart) <br>Liszt: Les Preludes <br>Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3 "Scottish," Op. 56</p>
<p> </p>
<p>28 January 1863 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Cherubini: Overture to Der Wasserträger <br>Beethoven: Piano Trio, "Archduke," Op. 97 (Bronsart. Seifriz. Popper) <br>Schumann: Beim Abschied zu singen op. 84 <br>Beethoven: Meerestille und glückliche Fahrt op. 112 <br>Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 "Italian," Op. 90<br>Beethoven: Overture to Egmont</p>
<p> </p>
<p>29 January 1863 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 "Pastorale," Op. 68<br>Beethoven: Aria from Fidelio (Louise Köster, Berlin) <br>Mendelssohn: Overture to Athalia <br>Weber: Szene and Arie from Oberon (Köster) <br>[Seifriz]/Popper: Fantasie über Lieder des Fürsten [Op. 1] (Popper) <br>Taubert: Zwei Lieder (welche?) (Köster) <br>Weber: Overture from Freischütz</p>
<p> </p>
<p>26 February 1863 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Leonoren-Ouverture No. 1 <br>Beethoven: Sonata appassionata Op. 57 (Bronsart) <br>Servais: Fantaisie characteristique (Popper) <br>Glinka: Kamarinskaya <br>Berlioz: Overture to Le Corsaire <br>Schumann: Symphony No. 4, Op. 120</p>
<p> </p>
<p>26 March 1863 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Brahms: Serenade <br>Spontini: Overture to Ferdinand Cortez <br>Beethoven: Sonata Op. 31, No. 2 (Bronsart) <br>Batta: Elegie (Popper) <br>Schubert: Ave Maria (Popper) <br>Glinka: Capriccio brillant sur jota Aragonesa <br>Rossini: Overture to Guillaume Tell</p>
<p> </p>
<p>7 April 1863 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Taubert: Overture to Der Sturm <br>Mozart: Arie from Figaros Hochzeit (Mampe-Babnigg) <br>Popper: Konzertstück for Violin und Violoncello (Stern. Popper) <br>Spontini: Szene und Arie aus Vestalin (Mampe-Babnigg) <br>Chopin: Nocturne in D minor (Bronsart) <br>Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 (Bronsart) <br>Moritz Strakosch: Patti-Walzer (Mampe-Babnigg) <br>Berlioz: Overture to Les Francs-juges <br>Beethoven: Symphony No. 4, Op. 60</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="17 June 1863" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://prague-concerts.info/en/event/11412" target="_blank">17 June 1863</a> (Prague, Žofín Island)</p>
<p>Popper played an unspecified solo work with Orchestra</p>
<p> </p>
<p>12 November 1863 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Symphony No. 1, Op. 21 <br>Spohr: Overture to Jessonda <br>Popper: Fantasie über Themen aus den Hugenotten (Popper) <br>Schumann: Nachtlied for Choir and Orchestra<br>Schumann: Zigeunerleben (orch. Seifriz)<br>Wagner: Overture to Rienzi</p>
<p> </p>
<p>18 December 1863 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Méhul: Overture to La chasse du jeune Henri <br>Servais: Souvenir de Petersbourg, Op. 15 (Popper) <br>Spontini: Overture to Olympia <br>Berlioz: Romeo et juliette, Parts 2 and 3<br>Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, mvt. II <br>Rossini: Overture to Guillaume Tell</p>
<p> </p>
<p>24 January 1864 (in Berlin) (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Volkmann: Cello Concerto, Op. 33 (Popper. Bülow)<br>Servais: Morceau de concert (Popper. Bülow)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>4 March 1864 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Symphony No. 7, Op. 92<br>Schumann: Overture to Manfred, Op. 115 <br>Volkmann: Cello Concerto [Op. 33] (Popper) <br>Schubert/Liszt: Reitermarsch <br>Spontini: Overture to Ferdinand Cortez</p>
<p> </p>
<p>14 April 1864 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Liszt: Tasso <br>Donizetti: Aria from Lucia di Lammermoor (Weiss) <br>Fürst Constantin: Ich bleib bei dir. Lied for Tenor and Horn (Weiss. Klotz) <br>[Volkmann: Cello Concerto, Op. 33 (Popper)] (listed as a different work in the quotation)<br>Fürst Constantin: Sehnsucht (Weiss. Klotz) <br>Fürst Constantin: Wo poch ich an (Weiss. Popper) <br>Weber: Overture to Oberon <br>Beethoven: Symphony No. 7, Op. 92</p>
<p> </p>
<p>June 1864 (in Breslau)</p>
<p>Popper: Romanesca [unpublished]<br>Schumann: Phantasiestucke [Op. 73]<br>Schumann: Trio in D minor, Op. 63 (with Silberschmidt and Damrosch)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>24 August 1864 (Karlsruhe in honor of Volkmann's 49th birthday)</p>
<p>Volkmann: Piano Trio, Op. 5 (Rötscher, Reményi, Popper)<br>Volkmann: Cello Concerto, Op. 33 (Popper, Seifriz replaced Bülow due to illness) </p>
<p> </p>
<p>13 October 1864 (Leipzig)</p>
<p>Mozart/Popper: Larghetto for Clarinet Quintet, K. 581 (Popper)<br>Pergolesi: Air [Nina] (Popper) <br>Volkmann: Cello Concerto, Op. 33 (Popper) </p>
<p> </p>
<p>27 November 1864 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Symphony No. 4, Op. 60<br>Mendelssohn: Overture "Die Hebriden"<br>Rubinstein: Cello Concerto, Op. 65 (Popper)<br>Liszt: Mephisto-Walzer for Orchestra<br>Rossini: Overture to Guillaume Tell</p>
<p> </p>
<p>4 December 1864 (Prague)</p>
<p>Bach: Sarabande [G major Suite] (Popper) <br>Rubinstein: Sonata No. 1 in D major, Op. 18 (Popper)<br>Pergolesi: Air [Nina] (Popper) <br>Servais: Morceau de concert (Popper)<br>Popper: [Scenes d'un bal masque, Op. 3]</p>
<p> </p>
<p>December 1864 (Magdeburg)</p>
<p>Volkmann: Cello Concerto, Op. 33 (Popper)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>December 1864 (Prague, Cacilienverein)</p>
<p>No program was given. Probably a mix of the above works.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>26 December 1864 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Gade: Overture Nachklänge an Ossian <br>Mozart: Aria from Titus (Lorch) <br>Bach: Sarabande [G major Suite] (Popper) <br>Popper: Scenes d'un bal masque [Op. 3] (Popper) <br>Beethoven: Zwei schottische Lieder (Lorch. Popper. ?) <br>Beethoven: Overture to König Stephan op. 117 <br>Schubert: Symphony No. 7</p>
<p> </p>
<p>5 February 1865 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Raff: Suite in C major, Op. 101 <br>Volkmann: Cello Concerto, Op. 33 (Popper) <br>Bülow: Des Sängers Fluch <br>Berlioz: Romeo et Juliette, Part 3 and 2</p>
<p> </p>
<p>19 March 1865 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Liszt: Tasso <br>Volkmann: Cello Concerto, Op. 33 (Popper) <br>Schumann: Overture to Manfred, Op. 115<br>Fürst Constantin: Wo poch ich an (Lorch) <br>Berlioz: Overture to Le roi Lear <br>Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, Op. 67</p>
<p> </p>
<p>6 April 1865 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Maurer: Symphony in F minor [No. 1, Op. 67]<br>Schumann: Overture to Braut von Messina <br>Bach/Gounod: Meditation (Ave Maria) (Popper) <br>Pergolesi: Air [Nina] (Popper) <br>Kletzer: Rhapsodie hongroise [Op. 7] (Popper) <br>Berlioz: Rackozy-Marsch from La damnation de Faust <br>Glinka: Kamarinskaya <br>Gade: Overture to Michel Angelo</p>
<p> </p>
<p>23 April 1865 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Schumann: Symphony No. 1, Op. 38<br>Mozart: Overture to Zauberflöte <br>Reichelt: Das Meer erglänzet weit hinaus (Lorch) <br>[Seifriz]/Popper: Fantasie über Lieder des Fürsten [Op. 1] (Popper) <br>Schubert: Zwei Lieder (Der Neugierige. Ungeduld) (Lorch) <br>Spontini: Overture to Ferdinand Cortez</p>
<p> </p>
<p>19 November 1865 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Symphony No. 1, Op. 21<br>Rubinstein: Faust <br>Molique: Cello Concerto, Op. 45 (Popper) <br>Gade: Overture to Im Hochland <br>Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (Vorspiel and Liebestod)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>17 December 1865 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Overture and 2 Lieder aus der Musik zu Egmont (Lorch) <br>Popper: Cello Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 8 (Popper) - world premiere<br>Weber: Overture to Euryanthe <br>Schubert: Symphony No. 7</p>
<p> </p>
<p>4 February 1866 (Löwenberg) </p>
<p>Gade: Overture to Hamlet <br>Berlioz: La Captive (Lorch) <br>Volkmann: Cello Concerto, Op. 33 (Popper) <br>Cherubini: Overture to Der Wasserträger <br>Schumann: Symphony No. 3, "Rhenish," Op. 97</p>
<p> </p>
<p>18 February 1866 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Mendelssohn: Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt <br>Vieuxtemps: Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 10 (Introduction and Rondo) (Frau Schmidt-Bydo) <br>Liszt: Mignon (Lorch) <br>Schumann: Frühlingsnacht (Lorch) <br>Popper: Ich will meine Seele tauchen [Op. 2 No. 5] (Lorch) <br>Ernst: Fantasie über Motive aus Othello, Op. 11 (Schmidt-Bydo) <br>Berlioz: Carneval romain, Op. 9<br>Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, "Pastorale," Op. 68</p>
<p> </p>
<p>18 March 1866 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4, "Italian," Op. 90<br>Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 (Topp) <br>Weber: Overture to Der Beherrscher der Geister <br>Liszt: La Campanella (Topp) <br>Popper: Cello Concerto [No. 1 in D minor, Op. 8] (Popper) <br>Liszt: Grande Polonaise in E major (Topp) <br>Beethoven: Overture to Fidelio</p>
<p> </p>
<p>September 1866 (Stuttgart, Hofkonzert)</p>
<p>Suite for 2 Cellos, Op. 16</p>
<p> </p>
<p>25 November 1866 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Schumann: Symphony No. 3, "Rhenish," Op. 97<br>Berlioz: Overture to Waverley <br>[Seifriz]/Popper: Fantasie über Lieder des Fürsten [Op. 1] (Popper) <br>Schubert/Liszt: Zwei Lieder mit Orch. (Der Doppelgänger. Die junge Nonne) (Lorch) <br>Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 (Topp) <br>Spontini: Overture to Ferdinand Cortez</p>
<p> </p>
<p>26 December 1866 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Mozart: Symphony in C major<br>Beethoven: Overture to Fidelio <br>Boccherini/[Grützmacher]: Cello Concerto (Popper) <br>Popper: Romanze [Op. 5] (Popper. Topp) <br>Berlioz: Romeo et Juliette, Scherzo Die Fee Mab <br>Mendelssohn: Nocturne from Sommernachtstraum<br>Weber: Overture to Euryanthe</p>
<p> </p>
<p>31 December 1866 (Prague)</p>
<p>Mendelssohn: Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66</p>
<p> </p>
<p>22 January 1867 (Zürich)</p>
<p>Pergolesi: Nina (Popper, Kirchner)<br>Popper: Romanze, Op. 5 (Popper, Kirchner)<br>Schumann: Abendlied from 6 Songs, Op. 107 (Popper, Kirchner)<br>Schumann: Piano Trio No. 2 in F major, Op. 80 (Hegar, Popper, Kirchner)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>10 February 1867 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Volkmann: Symphony in D minor [No. 1, Op. 44]<br>Weber: Overture to Der Beherrscher der Geister <br>Molique: Andante from Cello Concerto, Op. 45 (Popper) <br>Popper: Maskenballscenen [Op. 3] (Popper) <br>Schubert/Liszt: Reitermarsch <br>Berlioz: La Captive (Lorch) <br>Liszt: Mazeppa</p>
<p> </p>
<p>31 March 1867 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Gade: Symphony No. 4, Op. 20<br>Mendelssohn: Overture "Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt"<br>Popper: Sarabande und Gavotte [Op. 10] (Popper) <br>Bach/Gounod/Popper: Meditation (Popper) <br>Berlioz: Rackozy-Marsch <br>Beethoven: Adagio from Symphony No. 9, Op. 125<br>Weber: Overture to Oberon</p>
<p> </p>
<p>10 September 1867 (Vienna, Carltheater, organized by Ullmann)</p>
<p>Mendelssohn: Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor (mvts. 1 and 2), Op. 49 (Auer, Popper, Willmer)<br>Opera arias (Carlotta Patti)<br>Popper: Andante [Sarabande] and Gavotte, Op. 10 (Popper, Willmer)<br>Molique: [Andante] from Cello Concerto, Op. 45 (Popper, Willmer)<br>Popper: Warum and Papillon, Op. 3 (Popper, Willmer)<br>Schubert/Popper: Du bist die Ruch (Popper, Willmer)<br>Gounod: Serenade " Le Vallon" (Lefort, Popper)<br>Vieuxtemps: Ballade and Polonaise, Op. 38 (Auer, Willmer)<br>Spohr: Andante [from a concerto] (Auer, Willmer)<br>Paganini: Caprice [No. not given] (Auer)<br>Piano solos (Willmer)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>15 December 1867 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Symphony No. 4, Op. 60<br>Marschner: Overture to Adolph von Nassau <br>Schumann: Cello Concerto , Op. 129 (Popper) <br>Seifriz: Fest-Gesang for Choir and Solos <br>Schumann: Fest-Ouverture Op. 123</p>
<p> </p>
<p>1 January 1868 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Mendelssohn: Hochzeitsmarsch from Sommernachtstraum <br>Popper: Cello Concerto in D minor (Adagio) [Op. 8] (Popper) <br>Servais: Morceau de Concert [Op. 14] (Popper) <br>Spontini: Overture to Olympia <br>Weber: Overture to Oberon <br>Wagner: Tannhäuser Einzug der Gäste <br>Rossini: Overture to Guillaume Tell</p>
<p> </p>
<p>9 February 1868 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Beethoven: Symphony No. 8, Op. 93<br>Gade: Overture to Nachklänge an Ossian <br>Molique: Andante from Cello Concerto, Op. 45 (Popper) <br>Popper: Maskenball-Scenen [Op. 3] (Popper) <br>Haydn: Variationen über Gott erhalte Franz <br>Liszt: Les Preludes</p>
<p> </p>
<p>15 March 1868 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Bülow: Des Sängers Fluch <br>Händel: Theme and Variations in E major [The Harmonious Blacksmith] (Menter) <br>Tausig: Soirees de Vienne No. 3 (Menter) <br>Batta: Souvenir de Don Sébastien: Elégie, Op. 48 (Popper) <br>Popper: Mazurka [Op. 11] (Popper) <br>Piatti: Airs baskyrs, Op. 8 (Popper) <br>Wagner: Prelude to Die Meistersinger<br>Beethoven: Symphony No. 2, Op. 36</p>
<p> </p>
<p>13 April 1868 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Berlioz: Overture to Le roi Lear <br>Liszt: Don Juan-Fantasie (Menter) <br>Mendelssohn: Overture to Die schöne Melusine <br>Mozart/Popper: Adagio [from String Quintet, K. 516] (Popper) <br>Popper: Gavotte [Op. 10] (Popper) <br>F. Kletzer: Ungarische Rhapsodie, Op. 7 (Popper) <br>Chopin: Grande Polonaise precedee d'un Andante spianato, Op. 22 (Menter) <br>Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, Op. 67</p>
<p> </p>
<p>15 November 1868 (Vienna, Music Society)</p>
<p>Haydn: String Quartet in G major (Hellmesberger, Brodsky, Bachrich, Popper)<br>Beethoven: Piano Trio, Op. 70, No. 1 (Hellmesberger, Popper, Schenner)<br>Beethoven: String Quintet in C major Hellmesberger, Brodsky, Bachrich, Nigg, Popper)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>3 December 1868 (Vienna, Philarmonic)</p>
<p>Esser: Symphony in B minor, Op. 79<br>Volkmann: Cello Concerto, Op. 33 (Popper. Esser)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>14 March 1869 (Löwenberg)</p>
<p>Schumann: Symphony No. 2, Op. 61<br>Beethoven: Overture to Fidelio <br>Popper: Romanze for Violoncello and Piano [Op. 5] (Peer) <br>Berlioz: Romeo et Juliette, Part 1</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/67465922021-09-15T11:00:54-04:002022-01-31T06:59:25-05:00Critical Notes Series: Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme<p>We are celebrating our new release of Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme Urtext Edition.<br><a contents="Original cello/piano version" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/717869" target="_blank">Original cello/piano version</a> <br><a contents="Original orchestra score" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/759743" target="_blank">Original orchestra score</a><br><a contents="Original orchestra parts" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/759745" target="_blank">Original orchestra parts</a><br><a contents="Standard cello/piano version" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/759749" target="_blank">Standard cello/piano version</a></p>
<p>Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–93) remains, arguably, the most famous Russian composer from the <br>Romantic Era. His Variations on a Rococo Theme reflect his lifelong passion for Mozart’s music. The Variations bear a striking resemblance to Franz Danzi’s variations on Mozart’s “La ci darem la mano” from the opera Don Giovanni. Danzi included his variations as the finale to his Cello Concerto No. 1, in A major, the same key as Tchaikovsky’s Variations. </p>
<p>The history of the Variations is often made out to be more dramatic than it really was. This work started its life in a piano score in Tchaikovsky’s hand in late 1876 or early 1877. Composed for the cellist Wilhelm (Guillaume) Fitzenhagen, Tchaikovsky naturally relied on Fitzenhagen to help him make the work more idiomatic for the instrument. Fitzenhagen made the necessary corrections to the piano score, which Tchaikovsky then orchestrated. The manuscript of the orchestration in Tchaikovsky’s hand reflects all Fitzenhagen’s suggestions. The cello part in the orchestra score is almost entirely in Fitzenhagen’s hand; however, this is not out of the ordinary, as the orchestra score to Tchaikovsky’s Pezzo Capriccioso contains the cello part in the hand of Anatoly Brandukov, Pezzo’s dedicatee. </p>
<p>The disagreement between Tchaikovsky and Fitzenhagen arose when Fitzenhagen submitted the work to <br>Tchaikovsky’s publisher, Jurgenson. Jurgenson complained that Fitzenhagen was trying to rewrite the Variations, namely that he wanted to cut the final variation (No. 8) and to reorder the others. There is no reason to believe that the complaint extended beyond this major change. Any other changes, like slurring, minor articulation, and dynamic adjustments in the cello part were inconsequential to the performance of the work. It is evident from the manuscript of the orchestra score that the final variation is crossed out in pencil, and pencil marks redirect the order of the variations. However, the entire score remains intact and was used for the cello part of our edition. The fair copy of the piano score, mostly in Tchaikovsky’s hand, with Fitzenhagen’s suggestions, was used as the source of the piano score in the present edition. Because the piano score of Variation No. 4 does not exist in the version parallel to the orchestra score, we used the same variation from the first edition (1878), with minor adjustments to the dynamics as well as the variation’s <br>ending from the orchestra score. </p>
<p>Tchaikovsky’s tempo-marking spelling errors were corrected without comment. Editorial marks are noted with brackets and dashed lines. We believe that our edition is the first to reflect Tchaikovsky’s desires without the need to rely on Victor Kubatsky’s mid-1900s reconstruction, which he sought through dubious means with the help of a criminologist. </p>
<p>The Schott "Urtext" edition even claims the following: </p>
<p><span class="font_small">The music of the present edition of the original score version is based on the edition by the cellist Victor L. Kubatsky (1891–</span><span class="font_small">1970), one of Anatoly Brandukov's students, in volume 30b of the Old Tchaikovsky Complete Edition (Moscow, 1956). (Before V. L. Kubatsky reconstructed the original version, the Scientific Research Institute of Criminology, MVD, in the USSR had been asked to analyse the damaged, changed and pasted parts of the piano autograph score as arranged by Fitzenhagen, as well as the autograph score. The file of the expert, A. I. Purtow, is dated 3 July 1955).</span></p>
<p>We would have hoped that an Urtext edition would have used the manuscript as the source instead of a reconstruction from 80 years after the work's composition.</p>
<p>The sources were graciously provided by the Russian National Museum of Music in Moscow. </p>
<p>A special thank you to Phillip Gaskill for offering his help in proofreading this project. <br><br><strong>Enjoy other titles we publish by Tchaikovsky:</strong></p>
<p><a contents="Tchaikovsky - Pezzo Capriccioso, Op. 62 (Urtext Edition, Cello and Piano)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/674259" target="_blank">Pezzo Capriccioso, Op. 62 (Urtext Edition, Cello and Piano)</a><br><a contents="Tchaikovsky - October, from The Seasons, Op. 37b, No. 10 (Transcribed for Cello and Piano)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668649" target="_blank">October, from The Seasons, Op. 37b, No. 10 (Transcribed for Cello and Piano)</a><br><a contents="Nocturne Op. 19, No. 4 for Cello and Piano (original key: C# minor)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668617" target="_blank">Nocturne Op. 19, No. 4 for Cello and Piano (original key: C# minor)</a><br><a contents="Cello Concerto, TH 249 (Piano Reduction and Solo Part)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668721" target="_blank">Cello Concerto, TH 249 (Piano Reduction and Solo Part)</a><br><a contents="Aveu Passionne (Transcribed for Cello and Piano)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668631" target="_blank">Aveu Passionne (Transcribed for Cello and Piano)</a><br><a contents="Andante cantabile, from Symphony No. 5 (Transcribed for Cello and Piano)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/690591" target="_blank">Andante cantabile, from Symphony No. 5 (Transcribed for Cello and Piano)</a><br> </p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/65530972021-09-11T08:21:33-04:002023-11-14T16:57:39-05:00Reviews of Major Publishers<p>(Presented in alphabetical order)</p><p><strong>Ars Antiqva</strong> (Complete Instrumental Works by Vivaldi edited by Olivier Fourés) </p><p>If you are looking to play some of the more obscure works by Vivaldi, you might start with the Ricordi complete edition (which is highly edited, especially in the bass and cembalo parts). But there is a new complete edition on the market published by Ars Antiqva. </p><p>This is what the website says about their edition: Ars Antiqua, Madrid, 2010 -. format: 23 x 33 cm (scores & parts), with critical notes included with the score. Softbound, in individual portfolios (one portfolio, consisting of one or a group of works, is considered a volume). </p><p>A few things to note here. 23x33cm is roughly 9x13 inches. That size is fine for music printing. But that's not the actual size of the score and parts you receive, but something roughly 8.5x12.5 inches. This makes a huge difference since music is typically measured in millimeters. They are printed on pretty heavy cardstock. The printing is glossy. If any light hits the music, you are blinded by the reflection. The printing of the parts is also odd. The score has 2 works in it, which would make sense for the parts to be bundled in that format. But each piece comes with its set of parts. This is confusing. The potential for grabbing a part to the wrong piece is much greater. </p><p>The staff size in the score is 4.0mm. The standard for an orchestra score is 5.0-6.0mm. Those extra 1-2mm help the readability. The score pages are tightly packed with 4 systems per page (in the edition I am reviewing). Parts are a little over 7.0mm in staff size, which is fine, but they are not balanced with regards to the number of bars per system and staves per page. </p><p>Conclusion: The material for the critical notes seems well researched. However, as a performance edition, it's pretty much useless. I hope that this company takes my review to heart and revises the editions that have the potential to be the best Vivaldi edition out there. For now 3/10.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Bärenreiter</strong> </p><p>It seems like almost by storm Bärenreiter has taken the sheet music market in the last 15 years, but this company is almost 100 years old and has been consistently publishing pretty decent editions before going heavily into the "urtext" market. As a young cellist, I remember running into Bärenreiter with their edition of Alkan's sonata and a few complete editions like Neue Bach Ausgabe and Neue Mozart Ausgabe. But in the last 15 years, they have become more aggressive in their marketing campaign. They have a good reputation to fall back on. </p><p>Today, Bärenreiter markets itself as primarily an "urtext" publisher of public domain music, but they also publish quite a bit of contemporary works by composers like Matthias Pintscher and others. Bärenreiter seems to have a good relationship with Henle, their direct competitor in the "urtext" market, even publishing orchestra parts for Henle's complete Haydn edition. </p><p>Every company has a slogan: "Bärenreiter Urtext: the last word in authentic text - the musicians' choice." This is where I take issue with Bärenreiter. You might say, "It's just a slogan." But I believe that a slogan should honestly reflect reality. </p><p>Bärenreiter's scholarship is hit or miss. They have some world-class scholars working for them as editors. Saying that these editors have the "last word" on any type of scholarship makes anyone who disagrees with their research look like a fool. I've seen this and experienced it myself by disagreeing with editions like Beethoven's symphonies and sonatas, and Dvorak and Elgar's concertos. Bärenreiter's editors do not present an airtight case for any of their more "unconventional" choices. The musician should not be shamed into playing something because a famous editor says so. With much knowledge comes much responsibility. Stay humble! </p><p>Bärenreiter recently published what they call "Cello Sonata No. 3" by Saint-Saëns. Their editor presents a very weak case for this work. I find it curious that Bärenreiter charges $25 for an incomplete work based on rejected sketches. How is this a "musician's choice?" The part is not even annotated with fingerings or bowings. A performance edition would be more of the "musician's choice." The editor doesn't even hide that he is fudging the evidence in the preface by taking Saint-Saëns's words out of context and changing some words to scotch tape his weak argument. </p><p>My last issue with Bärenreiter is their engraving. In addition to wrong notes (which I've never seen fixed) and spelling errors, Bärenreiter's engravers don't consider page turns for string players, and tend to cram too much music on the page (see Debussy's Cello Sonata, second movement as one example of many). In the case of "urtext" editions of chamber music by Dvorak and Smetana, they just take the old Supraphon editions and do a whiteout job on them like the International Music Company used to do. These editions still have many bad page-turns and unintuitive multi-bar rest groupings. Some of their Neue Bach Ausgabe vocal scores have very bad alignment issues. </p><p>Conclusion: use caution when purchasing Bärenreiter. If the piece is also available from Henle, that would be a preferred route. If Bärenreiter is the only publisher, proceed with caution. </p><p> </p><p><strong>Boosey & Hawkes, Sikorski, and Wise Music Classical</strong> (formerly Music Sales Group)</p><p>You've probably heard of the first two publishers, but what about the last one? Wise Music Classical is one of the biggest firms in the world to control classical publishing and licensing. They are the equivalent of the Universal Music Group which loves to demonetize YouTube videos. Whether you like it or not Wise Music and Hal Leonard control most of the classical music publishing in the world. In my estimation, the larger the company, the weaker the quality control. </p><p>Boosey and Sikorski are under the Hal Leonard umbrella. Chester, Chant du monde, Schirmer, Novello, and many others are under the Wise Music umbrella. But get this, Hal Leonard is technically under the Wise Music umbrella. So even though Wise doesn't list Boosey and Sikorski in their publisher list, Hal reports to Wise. </p><p>So basically anything on your stand that is not Breitkopf, Peters, IMC, or Bärenreiter somehow has a tie to the Wise Music Group. Why did I include Wise in a review about Boosey and Sikorski? Because Wise controls Chant du monde, which is the publisher that brings Soviet music to French-speaking countries, like Boosey to English-speaking, and Sikorski to German-speaking. If you want to rent orchestral parts to Shostakovich, Kabalevsky, or Khachaturian (all published by Sikorski) in the US, you must contact the Schirmer rental office; and Schirmer is controlled by Wise. I hope you are catching all of this. To find out which office you need to get in touch with for your rental needs, you can check zinfonia.com. In most cases, you will be talking to Boosey or an affiliate of Wise. </p><p>In addition to Soviet music, Boosey publishes many contemporary composers from English-speaking countries, composers like Bernstein, Copland, Bartok, and others. Sikorski, in addition to Soviet music, publishes many contemporary composers from German-speaking countries: Auerbach, Schnittke, Kancheli, and others. </p><p>Historically, both Boosey and Sikorski have relied heavily on reprinting Soviet music, which is full of mistakes and poorly engraved. Some decent old engravings of Boosey's include Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures, Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2, and Bartok Concerto for Orchestra. Sikorski's Prokofiev and Shostakovich cello sonatas from the 1960s are well-engraved. Those are the plates that IMC now uses in their reprints. Please avoid the newer publications of those works from Sikorski (read my blog on yuriyleonovich.com to see why). </p><p>In recent years, Boosey has stepped up its game by hiring a team of top-notch engravers in New York to overhaul its catalog. You will find Copland's Symphony No. 3 and Billy the Kid, and a few Prokofiev works in the standard repertoire with the new facelift. I got to perform Copland 3 from one of these new engravings. It really looks great. Prokofiev's Concertino solo/piano edition (edited by Blok) and Cello Concerto orchestra parts have also been overhauled. But then again, they are still selling things like Prokofiev's Sinfonia Concertante in the old edition for $70. Also, keep in mind that Boosey might be correcting some very obvious mistakes, but they are generally not working with editors who know their sources. So the updated editions of Prokofiev will not be fixing any pitch errors like several dozen in Sinfonia. </p><p>A short story about Boosey and Prokofiev's Cello Concerto, Op. 58: when Prokofiev met Rostropovich in the late 1940s, many project ideas opened up. One of the ideas was to rewrite the Cello Concerto into what would become Sinfonia Concertante. Meanwhile, in western Europe, there was a copy of the unpublished Cello Concerto floating around. Boosey jumped at the opportunity to be the first to publish this work in 1951 without the composer's knowledge. In 1951, Prokofiev and Rostropovich were well on their way to revising the Concerto, and the publication of the piece in its original form was far from Prokofiev's mind. I got the chance to review the composer's autograph of the piano reduction. In fact, Boosey's premature publication contains text that is not congruent with Prokofiev's final thoughts on the work. Thus, the recordings by Starker, Walevska, Isserlis, Gerhardt, and Solow do not reflect the most accurate reading of the work, but just reading, perhaps passing towards the final version of the original Concerto, Op. 58. </p><p>Sikorski, on the other hand, seems to be getting worse, while still charging an arm and a leg. Their engraver team is not trained to produce top-notch work, and the glossy paper they print their music on is atrocious. You can't read it or write on it. Avoid at all costs! </p><p>Conclusion: in our day, it's difficult to avoid buying from Boosey, Sikorski, or the two giants: Hal Leonard and Wise Music. Avoid Sikorski, if there is another option. Understand that you will most likely be buying music with dozens of mistakes in it.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Breitkopf & Härtel </strong></p><p>Breitkopf is the grandfather of all contemporary publishing companies. It was established in 1719. Whether classical musicians realize it or not, they are the most familiar with this publisher over any other because Breitkopf published 99% of all the major orchestra repertoire we play. We use their original parts or the reprints, but the Breitkopf signature look is immediately recognizable. </p><p>Breitkopf is the publisher of Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann (Clara and Robert), Schubert. You might be surprised that the first edition of Fauré's Violin Sonata No. 1 was published by Breitkopf. This is the publisher of Klengel, Fitzenhagen, Grützmacher . They also published modern music by composers such as Jean Sibelius and Günter Raphael, and others. In fact, Dvorak's Cello Concerto in A major in Raphael's arrangement was published by Breitkopf. </p><p>Affectionately called Barenwronger, Breitkopf has had a spotty history with regards to accuracy, primarily because of Grützmacher's editions. Otherwise, their historical publications are worthy of their high esteem. </p><p>In the last two decades, Breitkopf has entered the "urtext" market and is producing some amazing updates to their old classics with the help of leading scholars and very competent engravers. Breitkopf works with Henle on Henle's orchestra projects, providing orchestra parts. Having said this, Breitkopf still publishes many of their old standards, so if you are interested in their new editions, make sure you look at the "urtext" symbol and/or publication date. </p><p>Conclusion: Breitkopf is a great publisher and is highly recommended. I would choose Breitkopf Urtext over Bärenreiter any day. Their new engravings are beautiful, clear, and accurate. Please avoid anything with Grützmacher's name on it.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Carl Fischer </strong></p><p>Carl Fischer is your home for musical hoaxes. Fritz Kreisler, anyone? They also have the "Telemann" Sinfonia arranged for orchestra, actually composed by Robert Bennett Brown in the style of Vivaldi. You might have played it in high school if you went down the US public school track. </p><p>Carl Fischer has some decent performance editions of Goltermann and Saint-Saens concertos. This publisher used to be much more popular before 1970 when they used to publish pedagogical repertoire like Popper's Hungarian Rhapsody and even their own cello method. </p><p>You are probably familiar with Alwin Schroeder's 170 Foundation Studies, which was great in its original 1916 printing, but is the worst place to spend your money with the new Robert Hughey edition (avoid at all costs... spread the message far and wide... tell all of your colleagues). I posted the original edition of Volume 1 on IMSLP for your use. </p><p>Carl Fischer also publishes 20th-century contemporary works by composers such as Howard Hanson, Ernest Bloch, and others. </p><p>Conclusion: as a cellist, you will rarely run into Carl Fischer. The only things I see worth buying from their catalog are Kreisler pieces, Bloch's cello collection, and 15 Favorite Contest Pieces edited by Collier, maybe Saint-Saens's Concerto No. 1 for decent fingerings.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Dover (Kalmus, Luck's Music)</strong></p><p>Before you throw away your Dover score for a "shiny new" Henle or Bärenreiter, please consider that Dover has some great critical and urtext editions of the "canon." It's difficult to believe that "Dover" and "urtext" can be said in the same breath, but it's true! Dover, Kalmus, and Luck's for that matter are not technically publishers but reprinting companies. The bulk of what they offer consists of reprints of public domain music. Don't misunderstand me. Not all Dover is urtext, not by a longshot. But continue reading to find out what you might already have free access to. </p><p>There are some amazing treasures being reprinted by Dover, Kalmus, and Luck's, as well as even more that are posted on IMSLP daily. You just have to know what to look for. The following list is just a small cross-section of what you can find in Dover and on IMSLP that is legitimately great scholarship, complete with detailed critical commentary. </p><p>Bach - Bach-Gesellschaft Ausgabe, edited by various top Bach scholars, originally published by Breitkopf </p><p>Beethoven - Ludwig van Beethovens Werke, edited by Mandyczewski, Reinecke, and others, originally published by Breitkopf </p><p>Brahms - edited by Hans Gál, originally published by Breitkopf </p><p>Chopin - edited by Paderewski, and others, originally published by Institut Fryderyka Chopina: PWM </p><p>Dvorak - Souborné vydání díla, edited by Burghauser (B. number on Dvorak's works), Sourek, Bartos, and others, originally published by Supraphon and others. </p><p>Rameau - edited by Saint-Saens, originally published by Durand. </p><p>Robert Schumann - Robert Schumanns Werke, edited by Clara Schumann and Brahms, originally published by Breitkopf (now, come on! Are you really going to trust Draheim and Herttrich over Clara and Johannes? How pretentious is that? Yes, you can find these in Dover and on IMSLP). </p><p>Vivaldi - the Dover edition of the Opp. 3 and 8 concertos (including the 4 Seasons) are actually a serious critical editions. </p><p>I didn't list everything here. If you have a question about a public domain urtext or critical edition, please ask in the comments.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Faber Music</strong></p><p><span>UPDATE (2023): Wise Music Classical now owns Faber</span></p><p>Looking for British or Australian composers from the last 100 years? You will, no doubt, run into Faber Music (with their signature fortissimo mark). This is the publisher of Britten's Suites, Malcolm Arnold, Thomas Adès, and Peter Sculthorpe. Faber was the publisher of Deryck Cooke's completion of Mahler 10. Bridge's Oration? Faber. Colin and David Matthews? Faber. Steven Isserlis editions? Faber. </p><p>Faber prides itself on having Elaine Gould, the author of "Behind Bars," as its editor. Behind Bars is an engraving manual that many typesetters swear by. This book is sort of a sequel to Gardner Read's "Music Notation." Both are very good books to fine-tune your craft of engraving. </p><p>While I am not a huge fan of Faber's font choice, I can't deny that their engravings are done very well. </p><p>Conclusion: I highly recommend all of Isserlis's collections. Faber's catalog is well worth exploring for Carl Davis's Ballade, Malcolm Arnold's Fantasy (great for intermediate students), and other contemporary, yet tuneful cello gems.</p><p> </p><p><strong>International Music Company </strong></p><p>What a complicated story. First of all, the Rose, Gingold, and Francescatti editions we grew up on were not engraved by IMC. They were "customized" from the first/second editions. IMC photocopied the first edition of, let's say, Lalo's concerto, whited out what they didn't want, and entered the new fingerings and bowings by Rose (which I heard are mostly Felix Salmond's). IMC was a pro at this. The "mistakes" that IMC is notorious for, many of them are alternative readings found in the first/second editions. </p><p>Supposedly, they did some engraving for Cassadó's arrangements in the 1940s, but I think that those editions were engraved by Schott (Cassadó's previous publisher), and then something happened to their contract which led IMC to publish those arrangements (Popper's Elfentanz, Chopin's Minute Waltz and Aeolian Harp Etude, CPE Bach Concerto, etc.); I am deducing this based on Schott's engraving style</p><p>You can see IMC starting to engrave their music in the software called "Score" for their Edmund Kurtz editions and later. From an era when Schirmer was producing beautiful scores of Adams and Corigliano's music engraved in Score, IMC was showing themselves as novices in contemporary music engraving techniques, and selling those, instead of hiring able engravers. Why would you expect anything else from a company that spent decades whiting out public domain music? </p><p>I will give them credit for one thing, Soviet music. You can expect to buy the best sonata editions by Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and Kabalesky, as well as Shostakovich's 1st Concerto from IMC.</p><p>Conclusion: If you prefer Rose's fingerings or Soviet music start with IMC.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Kunzelmann</strong> (associated with Schott and Eulenburg) </p><p><strong>Buy at your own risk.</strong> While their catalog looks impressive, their quality leaves a lot to be desired, especially at their astronomical prices. You might have bought their 6-cello arrangement of Popper's Requiem, 5-cello arrangement of the Carmen Suite, Chopin's Polonaise Brillante, or concertos by Monn, Weber, CPE Bach, which claim to be scholarly editions. Most of their cello transcriptions of violin rep done by Werner Thomas-Mifune have wrong key signatures and are sloppily done, usually transposed down a 5th. </p><p>This year I've carefully reviewed their "scholarly" editions of CPE Bach A major concerto, Weber's Grand Potpourri, and a performance edition of the Lalo Sonata (which they maintain has scholarly aspects). Their edition of Lalo blindly copies all of the rhythmic mistakes and obvious wrong notes of the first edition, while adding dozens of new mistakes. </p><p>The Weber edition has dozens of wrong notes, clefs, articulations, etc. When I say "wrong clefs," I mean that the notes are correctly placed on the staff if there was a different clef preceding them. </p><p>The CPE Bach solo part has a page turn in the middle of practically every solo passage. They also claim to base their edition on the manuscript (which one?). Having seen both manuscripts of the cello concerto, basing my edition on one of these, I don't find their readings plausible. At best, the orchestra parts are ok for performance. Their suggested fingerings in the solo part make the piece more difficult than it is. Their critical notes spend most of the time comparing the cello, flute, and keyboard versions. </p><p>Conclusion: <strong>avoid Kunzelmann if at all possible.</strong></p><p> </p><p><strong>Henle </strong>(US distributor Hal Leonard) </p><p>Henle is every engraver's North Star: great fonts, clean/clear layout, and great page turns. However, the scholarship behind their editions is not as solid as it used to be. I do use their better-researched prefaces as required reading in my String Literature class. Their detailed critical commentary shows you their decisions but also lets you see textual variants if you want to do something else. For solo string repertoire, they include an unmarked part and a marked part (usually by a famous musician). You can view most of their scores, online at henle.de. Occasionally, they will have prefaces and critical notes available to download in PDF format. </p><p>Some peculiarities: Henle uses the bracket system for editorial slurs/ties, expressive text, dynamics, and articulations. While I like text in brackets, slurs and ties are not great this way. I much prefer dashed lines instead of bracketed ones. Another peculiarity is that they publish music that is public domain in the EU, so the American distributor does not offer some titles by Ravel, Bartok, and others. </p><p>Henle is not perfect, and neither is any other publisher, but they are reliable in many ways. They are happy to fix mistakes you find in their scores. I am a witness to this. Henle collaborates with Breitkopf to produce orchestral parts for works like Lalo's concerto and Brahms's symphonies. Henle itself does not deal with orchestral parts production. The Haydn concerto orchestra parts are available through Bärenreiter. </p><p>Their prices are steep at times, however.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Edition Peters</strong></p><p><span>UPDATE (2023): Wise Music Classical now own Peters</span><br><br>Edition Peters, in addition to working with their publications, is an umbrella company that also controls Belaieff, Schwann, and Kahnt. Belaieff was one of the publishers of Russian music from the Romantic Era; composers like Borodin, Taneyev, Glazunov, and others. </p><p>Peters is the edition that comes to mind after Breitkopf for our core orchestra and solo repertoire. You might own Beethoven's Sonatas, Mendelssohn's cello works, Schumann's cello works, and Mozart and Haydn String Quartets in a Peters edition. These are trusty warhorses. </p><p>Peters is also the publisher of Alan Hovhaness, George Crumb, Georgs Pelecis, and other modern and contemporary composers. Peters brought Soviet composers to Germany and the US, so you might also own a salmon-colored edition of Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Kabalevsky, Khachaturian, and others. </p><p>Peters has dabbled in the "urtext" market but is not depending on it as their primary source of income. You might have run into the urtext edition of Rococo Variations, edited by Raphael Wallfisch. It's well-engraved but does contain dozens of errors beyond the sources for the piece. Peters also produced a questionable edition of the Schumann concerto where the editor unnecessarily distorts what is written in the autograph score. Peters is also working on urtext editions of Haydn, which are solid rivals to Henle. </p><p>Conclusion: If I had a choice between my time-tested Peters copies of Beethoven/Haydn/Mozart quartets and Henle or Bärenreiter, I would most likely stay with Peters and pencil in anything noteworthy from scholarly critical notes.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Ricordi</strong> </p><p>In many ways, I would put Ricordi in the same category as Universal. Ricordi has exclusive rights to many 20th Century Italian composers, which makes this publisher unavoidable when looking to play Puccini, Respighi, and others. You will frequently encounter Verdi's music published by Ricordi (or reprinted from Ricordi by Luck's or Kalmus). </p><p>For baroque music, there are editions of Degli Antonii (avoid), Bach Suites, Tartini and Leo concertos, and the complete Vivaldi edition. You will see many of the Vivaldi "Ricordi-urtext" posted on IMSLP, edited by Malipiero, Zobeley, and Ephrikian. Don't buy into the "urtext" aspect of it. Although these editions use the manuscripts as sources, the editors freely added a bass part (different from the basso continuo) and an unreliable cembalo part. If you are a novice at Vivaldi, you might appreciate the prescriptivism, but period ensembles won't use these as printed. The alternative to Vivaldi would be the Ars Antiqua edition, which is not good either. I am currently working on a complete Vivaldi cello-concerto project.</p><p>For the classical period, we have Boccherini's sonatas and concertos. The sonatas were edited by Paternoster. They are pretty decent. There is nothing better on the market right now. As for Boccherini's concertos edited by Aldo Pais, those are not reliable. You can still learn the pieces from these editions, though. Schott publishes 5 of the 12 concertos, too. Once again, you have to choose between two editions that are not that great. I hope that there will be a push to make a reliable complete Boccherini concerto edition that won't cost a week's/month's salary. The Ricordi edition of the quintets by Boccherini is usable. </p><p>Conclusion: Ricordi has a monopoly on much of Italian music from 1650-2020. The earlier the period, the less reliable the edition.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Schott</strong> </p><p>If Breitkopf is the grandfather of all contemporary publishers, Schott is the great uncle, established in 1770. Schott is the publisher of everyone from Servais, Swert, and Reinecke, to Cassadó (1930-1940), Hindemith (with a new complete edition currently being released), Penderecki, Henze, and Shchedrin. Your first edition of Haydn D was probably edited by Gendron, published by Schott. Many of the Gendron editions and Gendron-Françaix collaborations, including the Chopin Polonaise, were published by Schott, </p><p>In the late 1800s, Schott published the "Cello Library," which included the Locatelli-Piatti Sonata, Breval-Cahnbley Sonata in G major, and many misattributed sonatas edited by Alfred Moffat, including the infamous Sammartini G major sonata (composed by Berteau, possibly after Dall'Abaco). </p><p>Schott's more recent venture includes the complete edition of Tchaikovsky's music. Although the research is done by top scholars, the quality and accuracy are highly questionable due to poor proofreading (a general issue with the current state of Schott). </p><p>Another recent edition with dozens of mistakes is their Saint-Saens Suite Op 16 and 16b companion. I recently published an urtext edition of the Suite Op. 16b. I've studied no fewer than 7 sources of the work, including the holograph MS of both the orchestra score and piano reduction, the edition proof, and the final printed score. The Schott edition of Op. 16b, edited by Maria Kliegel, copies every single mistake in the Hamelle piano reduction and adds at least a dozen more of its own mistakes. No edition can be farther from what Saint-Saens intended. </p><p>Conclusion: For Cassadó, Hindemith, Penderecki, Henze, and Shchedrin, Schott is unavoidable at this point. You will have to hunt for inaccuracies yourself, or with an expert. Françaix's compositions and arrangements are worth exploring. Apart from the Gendron cadenza, I would prefer Henle's Haydn D edition, although I'm not a huge fan of that either. The "Cello Library" editions are interesting, but I would not use them in performances, especially Breval. Locatelli is decent (IMC reprints the Schott). Stay away from any Saint-Saens or Popper published by Schott. If you print Servais from IMSLP or get a reprint of any of those works, including the 6 Caprices, get ready to make corrections with a red pen.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Schirmer</strong> (US distributor Hal Leonard) <br><br>There has been a lot of hostility towards Schirmer from the "urtext" supporters in the last couple of decades. Schirmer is faulted for changing the composer's intentions with extra markings. I would like to remind the readers who love to listen to the American greats from the 1930s to 1970s; their preferred edition was Schirmer. This publisher doesn't claim to be scholarly, but Schirmer makes excellent performers' editions. If you like someone's fingerings or bowings, use them, regardless of the publisher. Schirmer editions are very well engraved and they have their signature look. That's more than one could say of Breitkopf and Simrock of the same period. </p><p>Schirmer is the edition of the American greats like Barber, Copland, and Corigliano. Those first editions are incredibly consistent. Since Schirmer went to digital engraving, they were the first in their class until about 2015. I daresay that those easily rival Henle in quality. Just look at their scores to Corigliano's The Red Violin. Since 2015, they've gone downhill fast with their quality (i.e. Florence Price publications).</p><p>Conclusion: there is no shame in enjoying performing from your old Schirmer score. Use it as a reference for fingering and bowings. Learn from the best musicians in the early-to-mid-20th century. </p><p> </p><p><strong>Universal and Wiener Urtext</strong> </p><p>When talking about 20th Century composers, we can't get around talking about Universal. Its catalog includes names like Gaspar Cassadó, Richard Strauss, Max Reger, Béla Bartók, Frederick Delius, Gustav Mahler, Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern, Alexander von Zemlinsky, Karol Szymanowski, Leoš Janáček, Kurt Weill, Alban Berg, Luciano Berio, Pierre Boulez, György Kurtág, György Ligeti and Karlheinz Stockhausen, Arvo Pärt, and others. Universal's cover pages and style very much reflected Art Nouveau. </p><p>Universal did engrave their own editions of standard repertoire like Schubert's Trout Quintet, Beethoven's Sonatas, and such. They are comparable to Peters in quality, but definitely with their signature look; no reprinting here. For anyone who has played Mahler and Strauss's works will note that Universal parts are quite messy. This is true, Universal made much better-looking scores than parts. Would you like the task of engraving orchestra parts for a Mahler or Strauss work? It's stressful just to think about. There is no excuse, though. Fortunately, Universal has re-engraved all of Mahler's symphonies. I got the chance to play Symphony No. 5 one of those. It was much better than the "old standard." Sadly, those parts are only available via rental. Universal's new engravings are basic, but they work, nothing special, but they are clean and accurate. </p><p>What would our review be like if we didn't mention the lawsuit threat Universal vs. IMSLP? Universal backed down because IMSLP's server is in Canada, not Austria. Remember, please, that each country has its copyright law. I live in the US and abide by US copyright law. If you live in the EU, you should abide by the EU copyright law. But please don't expect me to abide by the EU copyright law with regard to published works especially. If you live in Canada, you have the best copyright law in the Western world. Congratulations! </p><p>Finally, Honda has Acura, Nissan has Infiniti, and Universal and Schott have Wiener Urtext. Wiener Urtext is Universal's urtext edition division. This catalog is quite modest, but it's of very high quality. If you can get your hands on it, I highly recommend their editions of Bach's Suites, Brahms's Sonatas, and Vivaldi's Sonatas. I would use the Wiener Urtext edition of Vivaldi over Bärenreiter at all costs, because of all of the misprints in Bärenreiter. </p><p>Conclusion: for 20th Century music, you can't avoid getting the Universal Edition. If you buy an old engraving, check with the score to see if there are any inconsistencies in the part. The new engravings are pretty good.<br><br> </p><p><strong>YL Edition </strong></p><p>To wrap up my edition reviews, I thought it would be a good idea to review my publishing company YL Edition. </p><p>I started engraving when I was in high school, mostly interested in engraving my compositions and making arrangements of violin and piano music. You can see some of my earliest work on IMSLP. I tried to imitate the style of the scores that I was arranging, so you will see that my layout and approach from Dvorak's Romance are very similar to Simrock (IMC reprint). </p><p>I started selling my arrangements and compositions in the early 2010s, printing them at Staples and selling them on eBay. At that point, the goal was just to get the music in print for my use and to share it with others. This is where most engravers end up. </p><p>In 2016, I started making more editions to seriously increase the cello repertoire, which led me to step up my game and improve the quality of my engraving. This is when I went to a completely digital platform on Sheet Music Plus (SMP). My friend and professional engraver Michele Galvagno convinced me to switch from Finale to Sibelius, at which point my editions started becoming more consistent and clearer. The first edition I published using Sibelius was the Schumann Cello Concerto Critical Edition (technically urtext, because my main source was Schumann’s holograph MS, but I also included a couple of markings from the first edition). I was preparing to play Schumann with orchestra and could not find a reliable, clean edition. Breitkopf Urtext is published with Schiff's markings, which I don't like. </p><p>After that, my catalog grew to include Telemann's Gamba Fantasias and Bach Suites (based on Kellner and Westphal), both of these being my bestsellers. I did not intend to sell the Bach initially, just preparing an edition for personal use, but the edition turned out well, and I was encouraged by colleagues that it was a good product. </p><p>Most editions I publish still begin as projects for personal use or students. I conduct a string orchestra at Bob Jones University, which gives me an outlet for some bigger projects like the CPE Bach’s A major Concerto, Vivaldi Concertos, and various transcriptions of the symphonic repertoire. </p><p>I have a research background, so many of my editions from the last 4 years are scholarly, for example, concertos by Schumann and Saint-Saens (No. 2 first urtext edition on the market), Bloch's Schelomo (first urtext edition on the market), baroque works, and many others. </p><p>All of my research is self-funded, but I keep my prices low because I want to give back to the cello community. Many small businesses charge double or triple the price of what is considered competitive, but I charge what I would want to pay for my edition minus the printing cost. Since my editions are all digital, I can update any typos right away for my customers to have the latest and best version of the edition. All downloads for updates are free of charge on SMP. This is something Henle also does with the in-app purchases with regards to misprints in their scores and the most recent printing. </p><p>As of Fall 2020, YL Edition has an updated look, which uses custom-made fonts, designed especially for my company by Jawher Matmati. You will notice that French music uses the French C clef, and the rest of the music uses the "standard one." The idea of the different clef styles flowed out of my colleagues' complaint that Henle and Bärenreiter's French music editions don't look "French enough." I appreciate everyone's support of the YL Edition.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/67130712021-08-11T07:56:24-04:002021-08-11T08:36:53-04:00Cellist bio: Friedrich von Mulert<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/e69cc07181ca352fb77f8d55a56b202c774fea04/original/kyiv-quartet.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_none" alt="" />Friedrich von Mulert (AKA Friedrich Vilgelmovich and Fedor Vasilievich Mulert (19 June 1859, Mitau, now Jelgava, Latvia - 1924, Kyiv, Ukraine) - cellist and teacher. In 1884 he graduated with a medical degree from the Yuryevsky University (now University of Tartu), and in 1886 graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory from the cello class of Karl Davydov. In the same year, he settled in Kyiv. He taught cellists Mark Yampolsky, Lev Berezovsky, Zinoviy Dynov, B. Sikora. He was the principal cellist in Kyiv, as well as in St. Petersburg. His first concert in St. Petersburg included Anton Rubinstein's Cello Concerto No. 1. Mulert's performing style was distinctly noble. Wrote 3 cello concertos, several short pieces, as well as etudes and exercises. Mulert's works were published by Bessel and Jurgenson, upon Tchaikovsky's recommendation.</p>
<p>(pictured to the right) Erdenko (Violin 1), Kaspin (Violin 2), Ryb (Viola), Mulert (Cello) - 1886</p>
<p>(Most of the information comes from the out-of-print Russian book by Lev Ginzburg (1965). History of the Art of the Violoncello. Vol.3.) </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/65672452021-03-08T15:01:49-05:002021-03-23T20:56:45-04:00Critical Notes Series: Servais's Barber of Seville Fantasia<p>Opera fantasias were a way of life for musicians of the Romantic era. They grew out of the potpourri and variation genres of the late 1700s. Opera fantasias could be as simple as a medley of short themes, as with Vasa Laub's potpourris, or as intricate as Tchaikovsky's Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet Overture-Fantasias. Technically, many opera overtures from the Romantic era are also fantasias, as they use and develop themes from the opera that follows, as in the case of Glinka's Ruslan & Ludmila and Verdi's Nabucco. </p>
<p>Most of the fantasias that come down to us as standard repertoire lie somewhere in the middle. To avoid the simplicity of a medley, some composers added flashy, virtuosic aspects, like in Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen and Carmen Fantaisie, and Wieniawski's Faust. As a side note, pieces like Hungarian rhapsodies also belong to the fantasia genre, but they use a different style of music as their source. Some opera fantasias take the variation form, where they have an introduction, a set of variations on a single theme, and a coda. This is the case with Paganini's I Palpiti (based on Rossini's I Tancredi) and Variations on One Strings (based on the Preghiera from Rossini's Moses in Egypt). These variations get quite virtuosic with arpeggios, harmonics, and complex bow techniques.</p>
<p>Some composers joined forces to compose a fantasia. For example, Chopin and Franchomme composed the Grand Duo Concertant, based on Meyerbeer's Robert le Diable. Leonard and Servais composed the Grand Duo de Concert, based on God Save the King and Yankee Doodle. In the case of Chopin and Franchomme, the sections composed by the respective person is painfully obvious; the instruments go on playing their respective melodies for too long.</p>
<p>Servais was one of the more imaginative fantasia composers. His Fantaisie sur deux Airs Russes, Op. 13 (published 1854, composed earlier) uses the double variation form, meaning that the first theme gets its own set of variations, followed by a second theme that receives the same treatment, followed by a coda. Wieniawski wrote his Airs Russes, Op. 6, using one of the same melodies (Red Sarafan) as Servais.</p>
<p>One of the most interesting of Servais's fantasias is the Grande Fantaisie sur des motifs de l'Opéra le Barbier de Séville de Rossini, Op. 6. This fantasia is in 4 parts, resembling a mini sonata. As the title states, it uses Rossini's themes from the Barber of Seville. The opening theme, in B-flat major, is a fragmentation of the "buona sera" motif, which Servais expands into a lively polonaise. This polonaise is then interrupted by a B-flat minor theme borrowed from the Finale of Act 1:</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/216a4327b231e314f89a29c7b9483c986d8b0e47/original/rossini-ecco-qua-1.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_none border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/7f8099ace49f7b4704e35f86876d5494bb1a1011/original/rossini-ecco-qua-2.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_none border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>The "polonaise" resumes and moves toward a transition to section 2, which is also borrowed from the Finale of Act 1.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/c2a5dc77055106f0e4992f6b6161e35f4eaf792a/original/rossini-lavete-fattura-1.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_none border_none" alt="" /><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/c1219f3075e7e87c5071d40c8e51c67cb70219d0/original/rossini-lavete-fattura-2.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_none border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Section 2 is a set of two variations on "Buona sera" from Act 2.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/d201918f429d0d3e31d61798f578e0c204aac21f/original/rossini-buona-sera-1.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_none border_none" alt="" /><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/06207037b63f312fb7549a19ff6661217fa01991/original/rossini-buona-sera-2.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_none border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Variation 1 explores the up-bow staccato technique and trill patterns. Variation 2 is a march, continuing to use up-bow staccato, but now with double-stops. </p>
<p>Section 3 is based on the Count's aria "Ecco, ridente il cielo" from Act 1. The cello first takes the virtuosic part of the winds, and then continues with the Count's Cavatina. Although the tempo never changes in the fantasia, a portion of the cabaletta "oh, Sorte," is also quoted.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/71d2b3daa75f07d4f26673260f2d4107ddf007b7/original/rossini-ecco-ridente.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_none border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>A short cadenza leads to the Finale, based on "Bricconi, birbanti" from Act 2, followed by "La testa vi gira."<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/8f1daada7a66a1f56938a90c34fa967578f7010b/original/rossini-bricconi-1.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_none border_none" alt="" /><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/41a361287e4ecb13fd9ee7da4a5c86210852f142/original/rossini-la-testa.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_none border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>The Coda features the famous "Rossini crescendo" as the cello repeats a short octave passage.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/65658532021-03-06T07:11:42-05:002021-03-06T07:11:42-05:00Critical Notes Series: Servais's 6 Caprices<p>Say the word "caprice," and our minds immediately go to Paganini and Piatti. However, other composers also wrote caprices as studies, among them François Servais (1807-66). Servais was a Belgian cello virtuoso and composer. As was typical of the Romanic Era composers, the bulk of his output included opera fantasies and variations on popular themes. Our <a contents="new edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/648100" target="_blank">new edition</a> of Servais's 6 Caprices is based on the two first editions, Richault (French) and Schott (German), graciously provided by the Servais Society, faithfully combined into a beautiful, newly engraved, critical edition. Our edition is the first to include a score of the two cello parts. All the textual variants between the two first editions are noted in the footnotes. Our edition also comes with separate parts, which include Servais's original fingerings. </p>
<p>Servais brings different styles of playing to each Caprice. Caprice No. 1 explores legato arpeggios in ABAB form. The arpeggios are within an octave spread, many of them fully diminished seventh harmonies. The B section is called "Chansonnette Flamande" (Little Flemish Song). This song recalls "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider," a children's song sung in English-speaking countries. Caprice No. 2 is a perpetual motion in rondo form, exploring the spiccato bow stroke. Caprice No. 3 explores legato string crossings between two adjacent strings. Caprice No. 4 is a da capo aria with a bit of a Spanish flair and hurdy-gurdy type of accompaniment. The transition back to the A section is a recitativo secco. Caprice No. 5 is a slow-tempo study in double stops and trills. Caprice No. 6 is another legato arpeggio study, now exploring octaves, tenths, and twelfths. </p>
<p>Note on slurring: Occasionally, Servais writes a slur over two notes of the same pitch, as in m. 1 of Caprice No. 1. Those two notes should have a slight separation between them. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/31c335377711ecaf294a75180da289b42100aff3/original/servais-ties-sample-1.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_none border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Other times, Servais writes a slur over two notes that are tied. The tied notes should be played as a single note, with no separation, as in mm. 37 and 39 of Caprice No. 1. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/dfce834b9fa4cfc1225f9940bb775ea0f277e089/original/servais-ties-sample-2.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_none border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Special thank you to Peter François (President of the Servais Society) for offering his expertise.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/65572852021-02-24T11:12:47-05:002023-12-13T07:35:01-05:00Editions of Standard Cello Repertoire<p>Welcome to my comprehensive list of editions for the standard cello repertoire. I hope that you find this list helpful when choosing the right piece for yourself or your student. Each work includes a grade level 1 through 6 (based on the ASTA syllabus recommendations).</p><p>The key to the ASTA grading:<br>Grade 1: easy keys like D, G, and C major; easy rhythms with 4/4, 3/4, and 2/4 meters; exclusively in first position.<br>Grade 2: keys include D, G, C, F, B-flat, and A major, and D and G minor; rhythms and bowings are more difficult than Grade 1; use of 1-4 positions.<br>Grade 3: use of tenor clef; use of 1-7 positions; thumb on the center harmonic; longer slurring and other complex bowing styles; simple double stops.<br>Grade 4: use of thumb position and treble clef; more advanced double stops.<br>Grade 5 and 6: use of all positions, bowings styles, double stops, etc.</p><p>Each work also includes currently available editions and my recommendations. The editions are split into 3 categories: <strong>Urtext/Critical</strong> (based on original sources), <strong>Performance</strong> (has useful fingerings and bowings), and <strong>Non-performance</strong> (no useful fingering or bowing, and not based on original sources). If you would like to suggest a work for this list, I would be happy to consider it. You may also read my detailed reviews of major publishers <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/reviews-of-major-publishers" data-link-type="url" contents="here">here</a>.<br><br><strong>A note of caution:</strong> Piano parts in sonatas that say "for Piano and Cello" or "for Cello and Piano" are all Grade 6 for the pianist. These are not "accompaniments." It can take the pianist 6-12 months to learn these sonatas properly. Baroque piano reductions and basso continuo realizations are typically Grades 2-3 for the pianist; classical and romantic piano reductions are Grades 4-5; 20th and 21st-century piano reductions are Grades 5-6. Bach's Gamba sonatas are Grades 4-5 for the harpsichord/piano. Please plan accordingly!</p><p>Alkan<br>Sonate de concert for Piano and Cello, Op. 47<br>Grade 5<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter<br>Non-performance Edition(s): Gerard Billaudot Editeur, LudwigMasters Publications<br>Note: Barenreiter is the best choice for this piece. Unfortunately, it's currently out of print. There is a copy on IMSLP; check if it's in the public domain in your country. Gerard Billaudot is way too expensive for what it is; I don't think this piece is worth the $70 asking price. LudwigMasters is badly engraved.</p><p>Bach, C.P.E.<br>Concerto in A major, H. 439<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Eulenburg/Kunzelmann, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/664830" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): cpebach.org, Eulenburg/Kunzelmann, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/664830" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Arrangements: IMC (Cassado, in F major), Salabert (Pollain)<br>Note: You may learn more about my edition from this <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-c-p-e-bach-cello-concerto-in-a-major" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="article">article</a>. Avoid getting the Kunzelmann edition. It has mistakes and bad page turns in the solo part. Cpebach.org is of better quality but also has bad page turns in the solo part.</p><p>Bach, J.S.<br>3 Gamba Sonatas, BWV 1027-1029<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): Breitkopf (Klengel), Henle, Peters (Grützmacher), IMC (Klengel)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Henle</p><p>Bach, J.S. <br>6 Suites, BWV 1007-1012<br>Grade 3 (no. 1), 4 (nos. 2-3), 5 (nos. 4-5), 6 (no. 6)<br>Performance Edition(s): Barenreiter (Wenzinger), Henle (Ginzel), Peer Music (Starker)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Bach Gesellschaft (reprinted by Dover), Henle (based on AMB), <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651209" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a> (based on Kellner and Westphal), Wiener Urtext (based on Westphal and Traeg)<br>Note: Because of the large number of Bach Suite editions, I am only listing the ones I would recommend. I do not recommend the new Barenreiter (Talle) edition. However, I do highly recommend the Dover for the first 5 suites. It's a reprint of the Bach Gesellschaft edition, a very well-prepared critical edition. It's free on IMSLP. </p><p>Barber<br>Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 6<br>Grade 5 <br>First Edition (non-performance): Schirmer<br>Note: This edition lacks a few dynamic markings which disciples of Orlando Cole have penciled into their parts.</p><p>Barber<br>Concerto, Op. 22<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): Schirmer (Garbousova)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/barber-cello-concerto-op-22-critical-edition/22001653" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Note: Here is an <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-barber-s-cello-concerto" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="article">article</a> I wrote about a few confusing passages.</p><p>Beethoven<br>5 Sonatas for Piano and Cello, Opp. 5, 69, and 102<br>Grades 4 (nos. 1-2) and 5 (nos. 3-5)<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Geringas),IMC (Fournier), Schirmer (Starker), Peters (Schulz)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Henle</p><p>Beethoven<br>Variations for Piano and Cello, Op. 66, WoO 45 and 46<br>Grades 4 (WoO 45 and 46) and 5 (Op. 66)<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Geringas), Schirmer (Starker), Peters (Stutschewsky)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Henle</p><p>Berteau<br>6 Sonatas (for Cello and Basso Continuo)<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): Grancino (under Martino), IMC (Rose, only G major), Ricordi (Salmon, under Sammartini)<br>First Edition: Richomme<br>Note: The G major sonata has been erroneously published under the name Sammartini. These sonatas can be played by 2 cellos (last one by 3 cellos)</p><p>Bloch<br>Jewish Life (3 pieces for Cello and Piano)<br>Grade 4 <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/755397" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>First Edition: Carl Fischer<br>Note: Currently available as part of a collection with other works for cello and piano by Bloch.</p><p>Bloch<br>Schelomo<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/644108" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/644104" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>First Edition: Schirmer<br>Note: The Schirmer cello solo part is full of mistakes. Here is an <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-bloch-s-schelomo" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="article">article</a> about the YL Edition Urtext edition. See my website store to purchase the Urtext Edition (marked and unmarked).</p><p>Boccherini <br>Concerto No. 1, G. 477<br>Grade 5 <br>Non-performance Edition(s): Ricordi/Zanibon and Schott<br>Note: Parts of the first and third movements were used by Grützmacher in his Concerto in B-flat major based on Boccherini's themes.</p><p>Boccherini<br>Concerto No. 2, G. 479<br>Grade 5 <br>Non-performance Edition(s): Ricordi/Zanibon and Schott<br>Note: There are still 2 editions floating around in libraries that should be avoided: Muzyka (Aslamazyan) and Ricordi (Respighi). These editions are highly edited, recomposed, and reorchestrated.</p><p>Boccherini<br>Concerto No. 3, G. 480<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Edition Delrieu (Gendron)<br>Non-performance Edition(s): Ricordi/Zanibon and Schott<br>Note: The second movement was used by Grützmacher in his Concerto in B-flat major based on Boccherini's themes.</p><p>Boccherini <br>Concerto No. 9, G. 482<br>Grade 6<br>Performance Edition(s): Édition Delrieu (Gendron)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Reinhardt (Sturzenegger)<br>Non-performance Edition(s): Ricordi/Zanibon<br>Note: Parts of the first and third movements were used by Grützmacher in his Concerto in B-flat major based on Boccherini's themes.</p><p>Boccherini<br>Cello Sonatas (for Cello and Basso Continuo)<br>Grades 5-6<br>Performance Edition(s): Ricordi (Paternoster, 19 sonatas) Ricordi (Piatti, 6 sonatas), Zanibon (Pais, complete)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Ricordi (Paternoster), Zanibon (Pais)<br>Note: I do not recommend the Wakelkamp edition because of the extremely high price and poor engraving quality. </p><p>Brahms<br>Sonata No. 1 for Piano and Cello, Op. 38<br>Grade 4 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Kanngiesser), IMC (Rose), Peters (Klengel), Wiener Urtext (Boettcher)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Breitkopf (Hans Gal,reprinted by Dover), Henle, Wiener Urtext</p><p>Brahms<br>Sonata No. 2 for Piano and Cello, Op. 99<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Kanngiesser), IMC (Rose), Peters (Klengel), Wiener Urtext (Boettcher) <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Breitkopf (Hans Gal,reprinted by Dover), Henle, Wiener Urtext</p><p>Breval<br>6 Sonatas, Op. 40 (for 2 Cellos)<br>Grade 2 <br>Performance Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://artisticscoreng.gumroad.com/l/BSRji" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Artistic Score Engraving">Artistic Score Engraving</a> (Leonovich), Henle (Klein, no. 1 only)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://artisticscoreng.gumroad.com/l/BSRji" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Artistic Score Engraving">Artistic Score Engraving</a>, Güntersberg<br>Note: These sonatas should be played by 2 cellos, not with piano accompaniment. Some of these sonatas were arranged into "concertos" and "concertinos" by Feuillard, published by Delrieu. These Feuillard arrangements do not contain any music from Breval's own concertos.</p><p>Breval<br>Sonatas Op. 28 (for 2 Cellos)<br>Grade 4 <br>Performance Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://artisticscoreng.gumroad.com/l/sfbAnv" data-link-type="url" contents="Artistic Score Engraving">Artistic Score Engraving</a> (Leonovich)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://artisticscoreng.gumroad.com/l/sfbAnv" data-link-type="url" contents="Artistic Score Engraving">Artistic Score Engraving</a><br>Note: These sonatas should be played by 2 cellos, not with piano accompaniment. Some of these sonatas were arranged into "concertos" and "concertinos" by Feuillard, published by Delrieu. These Feuillard arrangements do not contain any music from Breval's own concertos.</p><p>Breval<br>Sonatas Op. 12 (for 2 Cellos)<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://artisticscoreng.gumroad.com/l/ScbNx" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Artistic Score Engraving">Artistic Score Engraving</a> (Leonovich), IMC (Cassado, no. 5 only), Schott (Cahnbley, no.5 only)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://artisticscoreng.gumroad.com/l/ScbNx" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Artistic Score Engraving">Artistic Score Engraving</a><br>Note: These sonatas should be played by 2 cellos, not with piano accompaniment. Op. 12/6 slow movement was arranged by Feuillard into the slow movement of "Concerto No.2," published by Delrieu. This Feuillard arrangement does not contain any music from Breval's own concertos.</p><p>Bridge<br>Sonata for Cello and Piano (1913-1917)<br>Grade 4<br>Performance Edition(s): Boosey<br>Note: The Boosey edition of this work is a reprint of the Winthrop Rogers edition that is available on IMSLP.</p><p>Britten<br>Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 65<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Boosey (Rostropovich)</p><p>Britten<br>3 Suites for Solo Cello, Opp. 72, 80, and 87<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): Faber (Rostropovich)</p><p>Bruch<br>Kol Nidrei, Op. 47<br>Grade 4 <br>Performance Edition(s): Carl Fischer (part of the Contest Album), Henle (Poltéra), IMC (Rose)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle</p><p>Casadesus<br>Viola Concerto in C minor (formerly attributed to J.C. Bach)<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Salabert (arr. Marechal)<br>Note: This kind of work is called a "musical hoax" in the scholarly community. It was composed by a 20th-century violist for viola in a neo-romantic style. There are 2 Salabert editions, which are different only with regards to typesetting. If you do teach this piece, avoid the new, engraving-software-looking edition that's currently available from Shar and other music retailers.</p><p>Cassado<br>Requiebros<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Schott (Cassado)</p><p>Cassado <br>Toccata (formerly attributed to Frescobaldi)<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): Universal (Cassado)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/796128" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Note: This kind of work is called a "musical hoax" in the scholarly community.</p><p>Cassado<br>Suite for Solo Cello<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Universal (Cassado)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): YL Edition (in preparation)</p><p>Chopin<br>Sonata for Piano and Cello, Op. 65<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Kanngiesser), IMC (Fournier), Peters (Grützmacher), Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle, Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne</p><p>Chopin<br>Introduction and Polonaise Brillante for Piano and Cello, Op. 3<br>Grades vary by edition/arrangement<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Kanngiesser, Grade 4), IMC (arr. Rose, Grade 6), Peters (Grützmacher, Grade 4), Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne, Schirmer (arr. Graudan, Grade 6), Schott (arr. Gendron-Francaix, Grade 6)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle (Original, Grade 4), Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne (Original, Grade 4)<br>Note: Avoid the Kunzelmann (arr. Mifune) edition.</p><p>Dall'Abaco<br>11 Caprices for Solo Cello<br>Grades 4-5<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Hamrefors (on IMSLP), <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651204" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a>, White Prince Edition<br>Note: I do not recommend the Musedita edition of this work because of its very poor quality.</p><p>Davydov (Davidoff)<br>Romance sans paroles<br>Grade 3 <br>Performance Edition(s): Muzyka, Schott</p><p>Davydov (Davidoff)<br>At the Fountain<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Rose)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/752881" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a></p><p>Debussy<br>Sonata for Cello and Piano<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Ginzel)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle<br>First Edition: Durand (available on IMSLP)<br>Note: I cannot recommend the Barenreiter edition because it is poorly engraved.</p><p>Dotzauer-Klingenberg<br>113 Studies<br>Grades 1-5 (progressive)<br>Performance Edition(s): Carl Fischer (1-62 only), IMC, Schirmer<br>Note: The 113 Studies is a 4 volume set compiled and edited by Klingenberg. They do not reflect Dotzauer's original marking, fingerings, or dynamics. Dotzauer composed upwards of 200 solo cello etudes, which I recommend exploring in the context of their respective Op. numbers, starting with Op. 120.</p><p>Duport<br>21 Studies (Essai sur le doigté du violoncelle)<br>Grades 3-6<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Schmidt), Schirmer (Schulz)<br>Note: These etudes are the most beneficial when played with the second cello part (by the teacher). Avoid getting the Barenreiter (Rummel), Litolff (Klingenberg), and Peters (Grützmacher) edition as they depart from Duport's musical text and markings.</p><p>Dvořák <br>Concerto, Op. 104<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): Breitkopf (Schiff), IMC (Rose), Schirmer (Starker)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Breitkopf, Henle, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/799241" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a> (comparative edition)<br>Note: Because there are dozens of editions of this work, I am only including the editions I would recommend. Read my <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/critical-notes-series-dvorak-s-cello-concerto" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="article">article</a> about my comparative edition for information on textual variants. Avoid the currently available Simrock edition (and Kalmus reprint). Supraphon published an Urtext orchestra score (available on IMSLP), but the cello part sold with the piano reduction is highly edited. </p><p>Dvořák <br>Rondo, Op. 94<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Ginzel), IMC (Rose) Wiener Urtext (Rivinius) <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle, Wiener Urtext <br>Note: Wiener Urtext is the best deal because this work is part of a Dvorak collection with 3 other pieces.</p><p>Dvořák<br>Silent Woods, Op. 68, No. 5<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Ginzel), IMC (Stutch) Wiener Urtext (Rivinius)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle, Wiener Urtext<br>First Edition: Simrock (available on IMSLP)<br>Note: Wiener Urtext is the best deal because this work is part of a Dvorak collection with 3 other pieces. In the Simrock and IMC editions, be aware of 3 wrong notes in the cello part 3 before the end and a missing B-double-flat in the piano part in m. 4. Simrock on IMSLP uses the old treble clef in place of the tenor clef; some cellists will not mind this peculiarity.</p><p>Elgar<br>Concerto, Op. 85<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): Masters Music (Colon)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Novello (published in 2010s)<br>First Edition: Novello (and Masters Music reprint available on IMSLP)<br>Note: Masters Music (Colon) is poorly engraved. Use it only for the fingerings, if you want. For notes, use one of the critical editions.</p><p>Falla<br>Suite Populaire Espagnole<br>Grade 4 <br>Performance Edition(s): Eschig (arr. Marechal)</p><p>Falla<br>Ritual Fire Dance and Dance of Terror<br>Grade 4 <br>Performance Edition(s): Chester (arr. Piatigorsky)</p><p>Fauré<br>Apres un reve, Op. 7/1<br>Grade 4 <br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (arr. Casals)<br>Note: This song comes from a cycle of Trois (3) mélodies, Op. 7. The other 2 songs lie well on the cello as well, if you enjoy exploring the vocal repertoire.</p><p>Fauré<br>Elegie, Op. 24 <br>Grade 4 <br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Rose), Schirmer (Deri) <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle, Peters (part of a collection)</p><p>Fauré<br>Sicilienne, Op. 78<br>Grade 3 <br>Performance Edition(s): IMC<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Peters (part of a collection)</p><p>Fauré<br>Sonata No. 1 for Piano and Cello, Op. 109<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Geringas)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle<br>First edition: Durand (available on IMSLP)<br>Note: Be aware that Henle removed Fauré's original rehearsal letters, so the mixing of editions becomes more labor-intensive. Durand works very well.</p><p>Fauré<br>Sonata No. 2 for Piano and Cello, Op. 117<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Geringas) <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle <br>First edition: Durand (available on IMSLP)<br>Note: Be aware that Henle removed Fauré's original rehearsal letters, so the mixing of editions becomes more labor-intensive. Durand works very well.</p><p>Foss<br>Capriccio<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Carl Fischer (Piatigorsky)</p><p>Franchomme<br>12 Caprices, Op. 7<br>Grade 4-5<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/701283" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Klengel), Schott (Becker)<br>Note: The Klengel edition is highly edited and abridged. It has dozens of extra notes and a large cut in #7. The Becker edition is mostly true to the original musical text but has hundreds of new dynamic marks and articulations. Both of these are available on IMSLP.</p><p>Franck-Delsart<br>Sonata for Piano and Violin (Transcribed for cello)<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Poltéra), IMC (Rose)<br>Note: Henle is not "urtext" in this case because this is an arrangement of a violin work, but they did a great job with the edition. Barenreiter is poorly engraved, so I cannot recommend it. Avoid the Kunzelmann (Mifune) edition.</p><p>Gabrielli<br>7 Ricerceri for Solo Cello<br>Grade 3 <br>Performance Edition(s): Schott<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter</p><p>Glazunov <br>Melodie and Serenade espagnole, Op. 20<br>Grade 4 <br>Non-Performance Edition(s): Peters<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/767367" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>First Edition: Belaieff</p><p>Glazunov<br>Chant du Menestrel, Op. 71<br>Grade 4<br>Non-Performance Edition(s): IMC (copy of Belaieff)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/767360" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>First Edition: Belaieff</p><p>Goltermann <br>Concerto No. 3, Op. 51<br>Grade 4<br>Performance Edition(s): Carl Fischer (Shultz), IMC (Klengel)</p><p>Goltermann<br>Concerto No. 4, Op. 65<br>Grade 3 <br>Performance Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/781776" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Artistic Music Engraving">Artistic Music Engraving</a> (Carneiro), IMC (Rose), Schirmer (van Vliet)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/781775" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Artistic Music Engraving">Artistic Music Engraving</a></p><p>Granados (arr. Cassadó)<br>Intermezzo from Goyescas<br>Grade 4<br>Performance Edition(s): Schirmer<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/796129" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a></p><p>Grieg<br>Sonata for Piano and Cello, Op. 36<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Geringas), IMC (Rose), Peters<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle</p><p>Grützmacher<br>24 Technical Studies, Op. 38 (in 2 volumes)<br>Grades 2-6 (progressive)<br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Klengel), Peters (Klengel)<br>Note: Avoid getting the Barenreiter (Rummel) edition of these etudes.</p><p>Haydn<br>Concerto in C, Hob VIIb: 1<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Ginzel), IMC (Rostropovich), Peters (Bosbach)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle</p><p>Haydn<br>Concerto in D, Hob VIIb: 2<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Ginzel), Schott (Gendron), Peters (Storck)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle, Peters (Storck)<br>Note: Avoid getting Breitkopf (Gevaert), IMC (Gevaert-Rose), Kalmus (Klengel).</p><p>Herbert<br>Concerto No. 1, Op. 8<br>Grade 6 <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/660776" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a></p><p>Herbert<br>Concerto No. 2, Op. 30<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Rose), YL Edition (in preparation)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): YL Edition (in preparation)</p><p>Hindemith<br>Sonata for Solo Cello, Op. 25, No. 3<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): Schott (old edition)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Schott (new edition)</p><p>Janacek<br>Pohadka, for Piano and Cello<br>Grade 5 <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Supraphon<br>Note: Supraphon is available on IMSLP. </p><p>Kabalevsky<br>Concerto No. 1, Op. 49<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): IMC, Leeds, Sikorski</p><p>Kabalevsky<br>Concerto No. 2, Op. 77<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): Sikorski (Shafran)<br>Note: There are 3 different printings of this piece. I discuss these in this <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-kabalevsky-s-cello-concerto-no-2" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="article">article</a>.</p><p>Klengel<br>Concertino No. 1, Op. 7<br>Grade 4 <br>Performance Edition(s): Breitkopf (Klengel), IMC (Rose), YL Edition (Klengel, corrected)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651213" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a> (also orchestrated)<br>Note: Here is an <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-klengel-s-concertino-no-1-op-7" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="article">article</a> about my orchestration.</p><p>Kodaly<br>Sonata for Solo Cello Op. 8<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): Masters Music (Colon)<br>First Edition: Universal</p><p>Lalo<br>Concerto<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Rose), Peters (Klengel), Schirmer (Deri)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Henle<br>Note: Avoid the Barenreiter edition because of poor engraving.</p><p>Lee<br>40 Études mélodiques et progressives, Op.31 (in 2 vols.)<br>Grades 3 (vol. 1) and 4 (vol. 2)<br>First Edition: Aulagnier (Lee)<br>Performance Edition(s) (all with cuts!): Carl Fischer (Becker), IMC (Becker), Schirmer (Schulz), Schott<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651446" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Notes: All performance editions listed above contain major cuts by Hugo Becker in numbers 10, 14, 22, 24, 28, 29, 35, and 36. Some passages are recomposed by Hugo Becker to accommodate the cuts. Some passages are recomposed in number 11. Schott is newly engraved, based on Becker's version. In the Schott, the etudes are often spread across 3 pages, introducing unnecessary page turns and many mistakes like wrong notes, missing time/key signatures, and repeats in the wrong place.</p><p>Ligeti<br>Sonata (1948-1953)<br>Grade 6 <br>First Edition: Schott</p><p>Locatelli<br>Sonata in D major<br>Grade 6<br>Performance edition(s): Artaria (arr. Starkweather), IMC (arr. Piatti, reprint of Schott), Schott (arr. Piatti)<br>Note: This piece is a compilation of 2 violin sonatas: Op. 6/6 (first and third movements) and Op. 6/12 (second movement). The Artaria edition includes arrangements of the 2 violin sonatas in their entirety. However, Artaria's prices are very steep for digital editions. I don't recommend Artaria. Stick to the free Schott edition on IMSLP.</p><p>Mendelssohn <br>Sonata No. 1 for Piano and Cello, Op. 45<br>Grade 4<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Kanngiesser), Peters (Cahnbley)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Henle<br>Note: Barenreiter and Peters are a part of a Mendelssohn complete cello music collection</p><p>Mendelssohn <br>Sonata No. 2 for Piano and Cello Op. 58<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Kanngiesser), Peters (Cahnbley) <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Henle <br>Note: Barenreiter and Peters are a part of a Mendelssohn complete cello music collection</p><p>Mendelssohn<br>Song without words for Cello and Piano, Op. 109<br>Grade 3<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Kanngiesser), Peters (Cahnbley) <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Henle <br>Note: Barenreiter and Peters are a part of a Mendelssohn complete cello music collection</p><p>Mendelssohn<br>Variations Piano and Cello, Op. 17<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Kanngiesser), Peters (Cahnbley) <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Henle <br>Note: Barenreiter and Peters are a part of a Mendelssohn complete cello music collection</p><p>Paganini<br>24 Caprices, Op. 1<br>Grade 6<br>Performance Edition(s): Ricordi (Silva)<br>Note: Ricordi has Silva's preparatory exercises for each Caprice.</p><p>Paganini<br>Variations on one string<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Fournier), Ricordi (Silva)</p><p>Piatti<br>12 Caprices, Op. 25<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Piatti), Ricordi (Silva), Simrock (Piatti)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle<br>Note: I like the Henle edition, but my students have used Simrock from IMSLP with great success. Ricordi has Silva's preparatory exercises for each Caprice.</p><p>Popper<br>Elfentanz, Op. 39<br>Grade 6<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/710863" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Performance Edition(s): Carl Fischer (Rostropovich), Faber (Isserlis), IMC (Fournier)<br>Note: IMC (Cassado), currently out of print, is shorter and has a recomposed piano part (a little more avant-garde)</p><p>Popper<br>High School of Cello Playing, Op. 73<br>Performance Edition(s): Bärenreiter (Rummel), IMC (Popper, reprint), Paladino (Rummel, revised), Schirmer (Popper, reprint)<br>First Edition: Hofmeister<br><strong>AVOID AT ALL COSTS: </strong>Dover (Yablonsky) edition. This is one of the worst editions I've seen on the market of any work.</p><p>Popper<br>Hungarian Rhapsody, Op. 68<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Carl Fischer (Malkin), Hofmeister (Popper, reprinted by Kalmus), IMC (Rose), Schirmer (Starker, part of a collection)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/646335" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a> (Popper)<br>Notes: Carl Fischer and Schirmer simplify a few passages, including the upper register scales and chords in the fast sections.</p><p>Popper <br>Im Walde, Op. 50<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): Barenreiter (Rummel), Rahter (Popper), YL Edition (Popper) <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/645497" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition&nbsp;">YL Edition</a></p><p>Popper<br>Tarantella, Op. 33<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Rose), Rahter (Popper), Schirmer (Starker, part of a collection)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/707651" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a> </p><p>Poulenc<br>Sonata for Cello and Piano<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition (First Edition): Heugel (Fournier)<br>Note: There is also a revised edition in 1953.</p><p>Prokofiev<br>Sinfonia Concertante, Op. 125<br>Grade 6<br>Performance Edition(s): Boosey (Rostropovich)<br>Note: Read my <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/critical-notes-series-prokofiev-s-sinfonia-contertante" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="article">article</a> about the musical text in Prokofiev's manuscript.</p><p>Prokofiev<br>Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 119<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Rostropovich), Peters (Rostropovich)<br>Note: Absolutely avoid getting the Sikorski edition! Here is my <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-prokofiev-s-cello-sonata-op-119" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="article">article</a> explaining the reasons.</p><p>Rachmaninov<br>Sonata for Piano and Cello, Op. 19<br>Grade 5<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/644120" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>First Edition: Gutheil (reprinted by Boosey, IMC, Jurgenson)<br>Note: None of the major publishers get it right with this edition. Expect misprints. YL Edition offers a corrected cello part at my website store. I wrote an <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-rachmaninov-s-cello-sonata" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="article">article</a> about the deficiencies in the current editions.</p><p>Rachmaninov<br>Vocalise, Op. 34/14<br>Grade 4<br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Rose)<br>Note: The Vocalise is the last in a set of 14 Romances that are all well worth exploring. Op. 4 Romances also work great on cello.</p><p>Reger<br>3 Suites, Op. 131c<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Ginzel), IMC (Kurtz)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle</p><p>Romberg<br>Sonata Op. 43/1<br>Grade 2<br>Performance Edition(s): IMC, YL Edition (Romberg)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/652114" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Note: Romberg's sonatas Op. 43 were composed as pedagogical pieces for 2 cellos (student and teacher). Jansen of the IMC edition was a pianist, not a cellist. The old IMC edition actually has Romberg's fingerings and bowings for the most part. The new IMC (Solow) edition leaves the poorly written piano part and adds a poor engraving on top of that.</p><p>Romberg<br>Sonata Op. 43/2<br>Grade 3<br>Performance Edition(s): IMC, YL Edition (Romberg)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/652114" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Note: Romberg's sonatas Op. 43 were composed as pedagogical pieces for 2 cellos (student and teacher). Jansen of the IMC edition was a pianist, not a cellist. The old IMC edition actually has Romberg's fingerings and bowings for the most part. The new IMC (Solow) edition leaves the poorly written piano part and adds a poor engraving on top of that.</p><p>Romberg <br>Sonata Op. 43/3<br>Grade 4<br>Performance Edition(s): IMC, YL Edition (Romberg) <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/652114" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a> <br>Note: Romberg's sonatas Op. 43 were composed as pedagogical pieces for 2 cellos (student and teacher). Jansen of the IMC edition was a pianist, not a cellist. The old IMC edition actually has Romberg's fingerings and bowings for the most part. The new IMC (Solow) edition leaves the poorly written piano part and adds a poor engraving on top of that.</p><p>Romberg<br>Sonata Op. 38/1 (Trio)<br>Grade 3<br>Performance Edition(s): IMC, YL Edition (Romberg) <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/652115" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Note: Romberg's sonatas Op. 38 were composed as pedagogical pieces for 2 cellos and viola. Jansen of the IMC edition was a pianist, not a cellist. The old IMC edition actually has Romberg's fingerings and bowings for the most part. The new IMC (Solow) edition leaves the poorly written piano part and adds a poor engraving on top of that.</p><p>Romberg<br>Sonatas Op. 38/2-3 (Trio)<br>Grade 4<br>Performance Edition(s): IMC, YL Edition (Romberg)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/652115" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Note: Romberg's sonatas Op. 38 were composed as pedagogical pieces for 2 cellos and viola. Jansen of the IMC edition was a pianist, not a cellist. The old IMC edition actually has Romberg's fingerings and bowings for the most part. The new IMC (Solow) edition leaves the poorly written piano part and adds a poor engraving on top of that.</p><p>Saint-Saens<br>Allegro Appassionato, Op. 43<br>Grade 3-4<br>Performance Edition(s): Carl Fischer (as part of 15 Contest Pieces), Henle (Geringas), IMC (Rose)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Henle, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/656652" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Notes: This work also appears in the Saint-Saens collection published by Faber with Isserlis's markings. It wouldn't be my top choice, but the preface has some good information.</p><p>Saint-Saens <br>Concerto No. 1, Op. 33<br>Grade 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): Carl Fischer (Malkin), Henle (Geringas), IMC (Rose)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle<br>Note: Carl Fischer and IMC are only good for fingerings and bowings.</p><p>Saint-Saens <br>Concerto No. 2, Op. 119<br>Grade 6 <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/645308" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a> (first edition with modern clefs)<br>Note: Read my <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/critical-notes-series-saint-saens-s-cello-concerto-no-2" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="article">article</a> about this edition.</p><p>Saint-Saens<br>Sonata No. 1 for Piano and Cello, Op. 32<br>Grade 4<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Geringas), IMC<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle<br>Note: The Durand edition on IMSLP is a great option.</p><p>Saint-Saens <br>Sonata No. 2 for Piano and Cello, Op. 123<br>Grade 4 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Geringas)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle<br>Note: The Durand edition on IMSLP is a great option.</p><p>Saint-Saens<br>Suite Op. 16b<br>Grade 5<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/644123" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Note: Read my <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-saint-saens-s-suite-op-16b" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="article">article</a> about the YL Edition. Absolutely avoid getting the Schott (Kliegel) edition of this work because it is full of errors and is poorly engraved. The same warning extends to Romance, Op. 67 published by Schott.</p><p>Saint-Saens <br>The Swan <br>Grade 3 <br>Performance Edition(s): Carl Fischer (as part of 15 Contest Pieces), Henle (Geringas), IMC (Rose) <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/656773" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Notes: This work also appears in the Saint-Saens collection published by Faber with Isserlis's markings. It wouldn't be my top choice, but the preface has some good information.</p><p>Schubert<br>Sonata "Arpeggione" for Cello and Piano, D. 821<br>Grade 6<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Ginzel), IMC (Rose)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Barenreiter, Henle, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/664828" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Note: Henle and YL Edition are the most cello-friendly editions.</p><p>Schumann <br>Adagio and Allegro for Piano and Cello, Op. 70<br>Grade 4 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Hess), IMC (Kurtz), Peters (Grützmacher), <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/914411" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">YL Edition</a><a data-link-type="url"> (urtext piano part)</a><br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle <br>Note: IMC has a pitch error in m. 89, note 1 (needs to be A-flat). IMC has a pitch error in m. 67, note 3 (needs to be D-natural).</p><p>Schumann<br>Concerto, Op. 129<br>Grade 6<br>Performance Edition(s): Breitkopf (Klengel), Breitkopf Urtext (Schiff), Carl Fischer (Feuermann), IMC (Rose)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Breitkopf, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651191" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Note: Only the YL Edition contains a clean cello solo part without markings. Avoid the new Peters "Urtext" edition edited by Josephine Knight. It's carelessly researched, mostly acting on inexperienced impulse. There is no scholarship behind this edition.</p><p>Schumann <br>Fantasiestücke for Piano and Cello, Op. 73 <br>Grade 4 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Ginzel), Peters (Grützmacher) <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle </p><p>Schumann <br>Fünf Stücke im Volkston, Op. 102 <br>Grade 4-5 <br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Geringas), IMC (Davidoff/Davydov, Pohle reprint), Peters (Grutzmacher) <br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle <br>Note: The IMC (Davidoff) edition uses the old treble clef instead of the tenor clef. Some cello won't mind the treble clef; I personally prefer it. Grutzmacher's edition is very good and is available on IMSLP.</p><p>Servais<br>6 Caprices, Op. 11 (2nd cello ad lib.)<br>Grade 6<br>Performance Edition(s): Gérard Billaudot (Tournus, with new piano part), IMC (Becker), Schott (Becker), Ricordi (Filippini)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/648100" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>First Edition: Schott (Servais, 1852)</p><p>Servais <br>Souvenir de Spa<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Stutch)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/767962" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>First Edition: Schott, Richault</p><p>Ševčík<br>40 Variations, Op. 3 (Bowing Technique)<br>Grades 3 and 4<br>Performance Edition(s): Bosworth (arr. Feuillard)<br>Note: Whether you buy it or download it from IMSLP, the music is the same. There are the same note mistakes in both. For example, Variation 17, m. 15, note 1 needs to be a B-natural, not B-flat. Many teachers will have this kind of thing marked in their music if they taught these etudes for any length of time.</p><p>Shostakovich<br>Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 40<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): DSCH (Rostropovich?) IMC (Rose), Peters (Rostropovich)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/shostakovich-cello-sonata-op-40-urtext-edition/22001658" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Note: Read my <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-shostakovich-s-cello-sonata" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="article">article</a> about the questionable authenticity of the DSCH edition.</p><p>Shostakovich<br>Concerto No. 1, Op. 107<br>Grade 6<br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Rostropovich)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): DSCH<br>Note: Avoid getting the Sikorski edition because of poor engraving and glossy paper.</p><p>Shostakovich <br>Concerto No. 2, Op. 126<br>Grade 6<br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Rostropovich)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): DSCH<br>Note: Avoid getting the Sikorski edition because of poor engraving and glossy paper.</p><p>Squire<br>Danse Rustique, Op. 20/5<br>Grade 2<br>Performance Edition(s): Carl Fischer</p><p>Squire<br>Bourree, Op. 24<br>Grade 3<br>Performance Edition(s): Carl Fischer<br>Note: Stylistically, this piece is a gavotte, not a bourree. This piece is also in the 15 Contest Pieces collection.</p><p>Squire<br>Tarantella, Op. 23<br>Grade 3<br>Performance Edition(s): Carl Fischer</p><p>Strauss<br>Don Quixote, Op. 35<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Rose), Masters Music (Colon), Peters<br>Note: There is a real need for a critical edition for this work. You might use Masters Music (Colon) for fingerings and bowings, but the engraving is of very poor quality. The Vaught edition is also of poor quality.</p><p>Strauss<br>Sonata for Cello and Piano, Op. 6<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): Henle (Moser), IMC (Rose)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): Henle, Schott (complete edition sonata volume for €270.00)<br>First Edition: Aibl (reprinted by Universal)<br>Note: Get the IMC (best deal), or download the Aibl from IMSLP. I don't think Henle is worth 2x the price of IMC. There is nothing controversial about this work. Be careful not to buy the Schott "1st Version."</p><p>Stravinsky<br>Suite Italienne for Cello and Piano<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): Boosey (Piatigorsky)<br>Note: Read my article about the <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-stravinsky-s-suite-italienne" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="reliability">reliability</a> of the Boosey edition.<br><br>Tchaikovsky<br>Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): IMC (Fitzenhagen-Rose), Simrock (Fitzenhagen-Geringas), YL Edition - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/717869" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Original">Original</a> and <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/759749" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Standard">Standard</a><br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): YL Edition - <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/717869" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Original">Original</a> and <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/759749" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Standard">Standard</a><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/717869" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition,">,</a> Peters (Wallfisch, spurious), Schott (spurious)<br>Note: Read my article about the <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/critical-notes-series-tchaikovsky-s-variations-on-a-rococo-theme" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition.">YL Edition.</a> Peters and Schott are both based mostly on the Kubatsky revision and not the manuscripts. IMC also has many mistakes. The autograph manuscript is available on IMSLP; compare it for yourself.</p><p>Tchaikovsky<br>Pezzo Capriccioso, Op. 62<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): IMC<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/674259" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Note: Don't get the Schott (Gendron) Edition. It's a different piece.</p><p>Telemann (arr. Leonovich)<br>12 Fantasias for Viola da gamba<br>Grades 4 and 5 <br>Performance Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/643962" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Note: You may read about this transcription and purchase it at my website store.</p><p>Vivaldi<br>9 Sonatas for Cello and Basso Continuo<br>Grade 3 <br>Performance Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/819552" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Artistic Score Engraving">Artistic Score Engraving</a> (Leonovich), IMC (Rose), Schirmer (Graudan)<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/819552" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Artistic Score Engraving">Artistic Score Engraving</a>, Wiener Urtext<br>Note: I cannot recommend the Barenreiter edition because it contains multiple errors in the bass realization. The IMC bass realization is modern-sounding and impractical.</p><p>Vivaldi<br>26 Concertos<br>Note: See the <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/7018181/critical-notes-series-vivaldi-s-cello-concertos" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><u>article</u></a> specifically dedicated to the concertos, breaking down the level of each work.</p><p>Walton<br>Concerto<br>Grade 6 <br>Performance Edition(s): Oxford (Piatigorsky)<br>Note: This edition has been recently updated to include an alternative ending.</p><p>Weber<br>Grand Potpourri, Op. 20<br>Grade 5<br>Performance Edition(s): YL Edition<br>Urtext/Critical Edition(s): <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/644113" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="YL Edition">YL Edition</a><br>Note: Read my <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/critical-notes-series-weber-s-grand-potpourri" data-link-type="url" contents="article">article</a> about the YL Edition. You may purchase a copy at my website store. Absolutely avoid getting the Kunzelmann (Beyer) edition of this work because it is full of errors and is poorly engraved.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/65070452021-02-11T09:50:10-05:002023-09-25T08:02:16-04:00Critical Notes Series: Prokofiev's Sinfonia Concertante<p>Prokofiev's Sinfonia Concertante is undoubtedly one of the most important concertos in the cello repertoire from the last 70 years. However, the currently available edition is far from perfect. Between the solo part and the orchestral score, there are dozens of textual variants and obvious misprints. I would like to compare some of the more conspicuous differences between the composer's autograph (MS) and the other printed sources, which are currently published by Boosey. It is important to note that Prokofiev did not see this work to publication. Anything done beyond the autograph, which is immaculate, was done by Rostropovich and the Soviet state publishers. One general note is that Prokofiev's autograph does not reset the rehearsal numbers in every movement, but has continuous numbering throughout the piece, consistent with his other works/publications.</p><p><strong>Movement 1</strong></p><p>m. 40: note 1, lower voice is an open C string in the MS. Other sources have an A-flat.<br>mm. 42 and 43: note 3 and 4, the MS has tenuto marks instead of slurs<br>m. 50: "Andante primo" tempo marking missing in the solo part and piano score, which is contained in the MS and the orch. score.<br>m. 58: note 4, lower voice is an eighth-note in the MS and orch. score.<br>m. 60: note G in the middle voice extends under notes 1-2 in the solo part and piano score; under notes 1-3 in the MS and orch. score.<br>m. 69: notes 14-16 are G-F-E in the solo part and piano score. Rostropovich plays E-D-Bb, as it appears in the MS and orch. score.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/e8e2acff270ffa0b8d1af7788a11b5ee5febfc11/original/mvt-1-m-69.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /></p><p>mm. 73-74: all sources have too many beats; dotted rhythm is twice the value.<br>m. 76: all instruments except for the solo have a <i>cresc. </i>in the MS and orch. score<i>.</i> I suggest a <i>cresc. </i>for the soloist as well.<br>m. 91: note 7, printed sources has a Gb in the lower voice. MS has a G-natural.<br>m. 101: <i>espress. </i>and <i>piena voce </i>are contained in the MS and orch. score. The solo part has a <i><strong>f</strong></i> instead.<br>m. 130, beat 2: lower voice is an E# in the solo part and piano score. The MS and orch. score have an E-natural.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/f253871e1bae63f40fbdd371f54273793bd21e69/original/mvt-1-m-129.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br>m. 142: notes 5 and 11 have a staccato marking in the solo part and piano score. The orch. score does not have a staccato on those notes.<br>m. 155 (Reh. 17): notes 5-7 and 9-12 have 2 different readings: top staff is according to the MS and updated cello part; bottom staff is according to the first edition solo part.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/1b947f6778cc1af33ec6f73db263cc5885cb2d56/original/mvt-1-m-155.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /></p><p>m. 197: solo part and piano score missing "Più mosso" tempo text, which is contained in the MS and the orch. score.<br>m. 223: solo part and piano score missing "Andante primo" tempo text, which is contained in the MS and the orch. score.<br>m. 223: notes 14-16 are A-G-F# in the solo part and piano score. Rostropovich plays F#-E-C, as printed in the orch. score.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/323b29a7d2b50643b5701bfcd455e751c3ed3aca/original/mvt-1-m-223.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br>m. 232: the MS does not contain tenuto marks or the slur.<br>m. 233: the MS does not contain a hairpin.</p><p><strong>Movement 2</strong></p><p>m. 11: the MS does not contain slurs.<br>m. 26: notes 1-2 are not slurred in the MS.<br>m. 45: note 1, the MS contains a staccato mark.<br>mm. 199-200: the MS has a different reading from the printed sources.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/86b922e4b860c0358c216175917aee79487d0c6a/original/mvt-2-m-198.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br>m. 208: notes 8-9 have tenuto marks in the MS and orch. score.<br>m. 210: orch. score makes a numbering mistake that effects the rest of the bar numbers in this movement.<br>m. 241-2: solo part and piano score fuse these two bars together without a time signature change; the MS and orch. score correctly has a barline.<br>m. 245: note 1, the MS has a <i><strong>f</strong></i> dynamic, which is missing from the other sources.<br>m. 255: notes 1-8, the MS continues the slurring pattern from the previous bar. Notes 3-4 do not have staccato marks.<br>m. 260: in the analogous passage of the Cello Concerto, Op. 58, this bar is an exact repeat of the previous bar.<br>m. 262: <i><strong>mf</strong></i> <i>dim.</i> <i><strong>p</strong></i> dynamics in the MS and orch. score.<br>m. 269: notes 9-16, <i>cresc.</i> hairpin in the MS and orch. score. <br>m. 270: note 1, <i><strong>f</strong></i> in the MS and orch. score.<br>m. 310: notes 1-2 are slurred in the solo part, without a tenuto mark on note 1. <br>m. 326: notes 3-4 are E#-F# in the MS and orch. score; F#-G in the solo part and piano score. Rostropovich plays F#-G.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/62790aae8961d068bd8d47c3a5bb35dd288aa0ca/original/mvt-2-m-324.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br>mm. 337-345: the MS slurring is per quarter, not per half as in the printed sources.<br>m. 389: solo part has a "Poco più mosso." Not contained in any other source.<br>m. 427: the MS, solo part and piano score have a whole-note; orch. score has a half-note.<br>m. 429: "Poco più largo" tempo text in only found in the solo part.<br>m. 497: note 1 is missing # in the solo part. Notes 1-2 have a tremolo in the MS, but slurred in the printed sources.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/e6c577397d58aa5e1e8273df8513a555975edd03/original/mvt-2-m-496.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br>m. 503: solo part and piano score missing an accent mark.<br>m. 509: the orch. score has m. 500 printed.</p><p><strong>Movement 3</strong></p><p>m. 1: metronome marking missing from the MS and orch. score. <br>m. 19: the MS and orch. score do not contain the "Vivace" tempo marking.<br>m. 41: > missing from the orch. score. <br>mm. 46-49 are crossed out in red pencil in the MS. These bars are printed in the other sources.<br>m. 54: staccato marks are missing from the solo part and piano score.<br>m. 61: dim. missing from the solo part and piano score. <br>m. 81 and 84: note 1, the MS and orch. score. do not contain an accent mark. <br>m. 103: staccato mark missing from the solo part.<br>m. 108: <i><strong>f</strong></i> missing from orch. score. <br>m. 113: note 4, the MS contains a D#. The printed sources most likely have a misprint of the C-natural, as it does not follow the pattern of the passages around it.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/77562ae853bbd1836d4f4743676d0520241d01b3/original/mvt-3-m-113.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br>m. 120: arco marking missing in the MS and orch. score. <br>m. 126: the following is the reading in the MS and orch. score.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/ccaa78d04253a8265d5ba80102f4b0e25ed5f506/original/mvt-3-m-126.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br>m. 139: > missing in the orch. score. <br>m. 155: notes 2-3 missing staccato marks in the orch. score.<br>m. 182: note 4 missing tenuto mark in the solo part.<br>m. 215: orch. score has the note 1 rhythm dot on the lower voice; solo part has it on the upper voice.<br>m. 223: orch. score has a dotted-quarter in the upper voice and a slur on notes 1-3 in the lower voice. <br>m. 242: orch. score missing rehearsal number 20. <br>m. 250: notes 2-3 have staccato marks in the orch. score. <br>m. 264: the MS and orch. score have the following chord.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/1346037a48d6afac715d0f7f1c26e3c94a1b8532/original/mvt-3-m-264.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br>m. 271: orch. score missing staccato marks.<br>m. 274: notes 2-3 missing staccato marks in the orch. score. <br>m. 275: missing staccato marks in the orch. score. <br>m. 276: notes 1-3 missing staccato marks and <i>simile</i> in the orch. score. <br>m. 284: orch. score has a quarter-note, solo part has an eighth-note, piano score has an eighth-note without an eighth rest.<br>m. 322: solo part and piano score missing fermata on beat 4.<br>mm. 329-330: solo part and piano score missing tenuto marks on notes 1 and 3.<br>m. 334: the MS does not have slurs. <br>m. 336: The MS and orch. score have a dim. but do not have a rit. The solo part is missing dim. but has a rit. <br>m. 342: note 1 is a quarter-note misprint in solo part.<br>m. 343: notes 1-2 missing tenuto marks in the orch. score.<br>m. 356: note 17 have an > in the MS and orch. score, tenuto in the piano score, and nothing in the solo part.<br>m. 368: solo part has tenutos on all notes; the MS and orch. score has notes 2-4 slurred without tenutos.<br>m. 369: notes 4-5 have tenuto marks without a slur in the orch. score. The MS has tenutos on notes 3-5 without a slur.<br>m. 369: solo part missing <i><strong>f</strong></i><br>m. 371: the MS and orch. score has a <i><strong>f</strong></i>;<i><strong> </strong></i>solo part has a <i><strong>ff</strong>.</i><br>m. 380: lower voice is spelled enharmonically in the MS and orch. score.<br>mm. 398-401: the MS reading is in the top staff; the other sources are in the bottom staff.<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/97c11e8cc1ba29a6bd17f7fd8987c91b396260d3/original/mvt-3-m-398.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br>m. 398: <i><strong>ff</strong></i> missing in solo part and piano score. <br>m. 401: note 2 missing > in orch. score.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/65445282021-02-09T19:00:00-05:002021-06-29T07:53:30-04:00Critical Notes Series: Saint-Saens's Cello Concerto No. 2<p>Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) wrote five major works for the cello: a suite with piano (rev. orchestra), two sonatas, and two concertos. Cello Concerto No. 2, Cello Sonata No. 2, and the revision of the early Suite, Op. 16, coming from the composer’s late period, are all fruits of his relationship with the Dutch virtuoso cellist Joseph Hollman (1852-1927). </p>
<p>The première of the Second Cello Concerto was given by Hollman in Berlin on 4 February 1903, followed by another performance in Paris on 5 and 12 February 1905 with the Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire de Paris under the direction of Georges-Eugène Marty (1860-1908). </p>
<p><a contents="Our edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/645308" target="_blank">Our edition</a> of the Concerto is the first publication to remove the grand staff from the solo cello part and offer it on a conventional, single staff with standard clefs. </p>
<p>Perhaps it was the grand staff that presented an obstacle for most cellists, deterring them from learning this beautiful work and thus allowing it to be overshadowed by the first concerto in the genre. Or maybe it was the composer’s own claim that “the work’s level of difficulty is far too great for it to have the same amount of success as my First Cello Concerto” </p>
<p>Since the work’s conception in 1902, it has gained some following by prominent cellists, especially of the late 20th and early 21st Centuries, notwithstanding the unconventional engraving by Durand. </p>
<p>The Second Cello Concerto is a tour de force, in the vein of concertos by Dvořák and Prokofiev. It is a cyclic work in two large movements, a composition style Saint-Saëns employed in several of his works, most notably the First Violin Sonata, the Fourth Piano Concerto and the “Organ Symphony.” As in the abovementioned works, the Concerto movements are further divided into two parts, consisting of a four-movement layout of Allegro – Andante (Adagio) – Scherzo – Finale. The tonal scheme of the Concerto is identical to that of the First Violin Sonata: D minor – E-flat major – G minor – D major. </p>
<p>The concerto opens with a fiery bolero rhythm, which permeates part I of the first movement. An organ-like woodwind transition leads into the more serene part II, based on the ascending line from the opening theme of the work. Both parts of the first movement have elements of sonata and ternary forms. The movement closes with an ascending scale in harmonics by the soloist (as in the First Concerto) and a peaceful horn call, whose melodic content is reminiscent of Richard Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegel. The beauty of the Andante portion of this movement is only rivaled by the Adagio from the “Organ Symphony.” </p>
<p>The frantic opening of the second movement gives way to a relentless perpetual motion by the soloist. The woodwinds punctuate the solo line with a new version of the opening bolero figure. This Scherzo unfolds in sonata form, which is abruptly halted by a free cadenza based again on the bolero motive. A trumpet fanfare announces a complete restatement of the two themes of the opening bolero, now in the major mode, and settling in the joyous Finale, based on an inverted Andante theme. The Finale, part II of the second movement, is similar in nature to the brief A-major coda found at the end of the First Cello Concerto. </p>
<p>The solo part is based on the holograph manuscript (in the hand of Saint-Saëns), the orchestra score published in Paris by Durand & Fils, January 1903 (Plate D. & F. 6190), and the solo part published by Durand in December 1902 (Plate D. & F. 6188). The piano reduction is by the composer as published by Durand in December 1902 (Plate D. & F. 6188). Textual variants are noted in the footnotes. </p>
<p>Special thank you to Michele Galvagno, Nora Karakousoglou, and Fanny Nemeth-Weiss for offering their expertise.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/65422752021-02-08T11:05:49-05:002023-09-25T08:02:50-04:00Critical Notes Series: Herbert's Cello Concerto No. 1 (first edition)<p>Today, Victor Herbert is best remembered for his operettas, but he was an accomplished cellist, a student of the infamous Cossmann, and a composer of some lovely cello works. As much as it is difficult to believe, Herbert's Cello Concerto No. 1 has not been published until now. Composed in 1884, while Herbert resided in Stuttgart, the first cello concerto has been circulated in the manuscript form via paid reprinting companies such as Kalmus and Luck's Music Library but never properly engraved or published. Today marks a momentous occasion when this masterpiece is published for the first time in 2021 by YL Edition in a beautifully engraved, newly created piano reduction and cello part. We call it the "first edition," dedicated to the memory of Lynn Harrell, who was the first cellist to record this concerto. You may purchase your copy at this link: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/660776" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Cello Concerto No. 1 (first edition)">Cello Concerto No. 1 (first edition)</a></p><p>We are happy to bring to the world the "first edition," dedicated to the memory of Lynn Harrell, who was the first cellist to record this concerto. We would like to thank the Victor Herbert Foundation, Alyce Mott, and the Library of Congress for giving us permission to use these invaluable sources. </p><p>Our edition is based on 3 copies of the manuscript cello solo part in Herbert's hand, and the holograph orchestra score, housed at the Library of Congress. All of the sources can be sparse at times with regard to slurring, dynamics, and articulations. As a cellist, Herbert was probably changing bowings/slurring for each performance, as most string players do. The cadenza of 49 bars was left incomplete. Herbert wrote a partial cadenza in one of the solo part manuscripts, as well as the orchestra score. The editor has composed the rest of the cadenza in Herbert's style, using and developing thematic material from the movement.</p><p>Lynn Harrell and Mark Kosower composed their own cadenzas for their recordings.</p><p><strong>Movement I</strong></p><p>Much of Herbert's first concerto is joyful, sometimes nostalgic. It has none of the angst of the second concerto (1894), which inspired Dvorak to write his B minor concerto later that year. Herbert begins his first concerto with a woodwind fanfare in D major, a march reminiscent of Wagner. Especially sweet is the diminished harmony in m. 3, with its accented passing note C#. Marked "Allegro con spirito," originally "Allegro maestoso," the movement promises to be a fun sonata form, but Herbert does the unexpected, presenting the opening movement in ternary form (ABA). Each section is self-contained in its respective key, D major - F major - D major. Herbert makes the long-term modulations during the tuttis between the sections. The opening tutti is not quite a sonata-form exposition. The first 16 bars would constitute the "first theme," but mm. 17-26 set up the soloist with a dominant pedal. However, mm. 17-26 are important because they contain the musical cell that Herbert develops at length in the F major B section. The B section is the only part of the piece that is orchestrated with a harp. A trombone choir A major sets up the soloist to improvise a cadenza, which then brings the return of the A theme and short closing tutti.</p><p><strong>Movement II</strong></p><p>The Andante movement is a nostalgic piece that could have easily been composed by Grieg, with Herbert's use of orchestration, harmonies, and melodic gestures. But Herbert brings a twist on this slow movement, marking the middle section, "Scherzo vivace." A slow movement with a fast middle section is not new to Herbert. Beethoven was doing this as early as his Op.18, No. 2 string quartet (1799). Lalo's cello concerto (1876) contains a fast, scherzo-like section in the slow movement, which comes back verbatim two times in the ABAB form. The earliest cello concerto to call the middle section of the slow movement "Scherzo" is Julius Klengel's Cello Concerto No. 2, composed a year before Herbert's concerto, in 1883. Klengel was an eminent cellist, composer, and pedagogue. Undoubtedly, Herbert knew Klengel's playing and work. The tutti at m. 139 almost has a Mahlerian sound in its orchestration and harmonies, particularly reminiscent of his lighter scherzos. This is just an observation and it is unlikely that Herbert and Mahler crossed paths in 1884 or before. Herbert's Scherzo transitions back to the Andante via two very high harmonics on the A string, A and B. The movement ends on a high A harmonic.</p><p><strong>Movement III</strong></p><p>The finale is a humorous polka (not a polonaise, as one author calls it). The rondo theme, in this sonata-rondo movement, gives a nod to other light opera composers such as Offenbach and Bizet, but with an earthy tone, something akin to Grieg. After the second tutti, Herbert brings in what could be the second theme, in G minor, but this movement is too light to stay there. This theme, complete as it is, is just an overly dramatic passing shadow towards Herbert's musical quip in B-flat major (later in D major). This jestful section has laughing bassoons and French horns, flirtatious upper winds, incomplete phrases, jerky harmonic movement, and a nod to Klengel's Concerto No. 2 finale. The coda of Herbert's finale is a whirlwind of parallel diminished harmonies with a perpetual motion solo cello, reminiscent of one of David Popper's codas.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/65244302021-01-21T18:14:31-05:002023-09-25T08:04:43-04:00Critical Notes Series: Weber's Grand Potpourri<p>Often, when looking for the first "real" concerto to give to our students, we go to the list that includes Haydn C, Saint-Saëns 1, Lalo, and Boccherini-Grützmacher. I would like to present to you Carl Maria von Weber's Grand Potpourri, Op. 20. Weber wrote this piece while he was the artistic director at Hofkapelle Stuttgart. The inscription on the title page reads: "Grand Potpourri pour le Violoncelle composé et dédié à son ami Graff Professeur de Violoncelle au service de S.M. le roi de Würtemberg par Charles Marie B. de Weber Op. 20 1808 in Stuttgard komponirt."</p><p>The Grand Potpourri is in D major and consists of 4 movements, which are performed without pause. This concerto is very tuneful but also has several virtuosic passages, primarily octaves and upper positions (centered on harmonics). The first movement is a majestic introduction. The second movement is an Andante with variations. Feuermann recorded this movement with piano in an arrangement by Grützmacher. The transition into the third movement is a place for an improvised cadenza. The third movement is a searching Adagio with a Fandango middle section. The Fandango section is quite acrobatic for the soloist but always idiomatic. The finale is Therese's aria from Franz Danzi's Das Quasi-mann.</p><p>There are a few recordings of the Grand Potpourri, such as by Raphael Wallfisch, Natalia Gutman, Thomas Blees, Anner Bylsma, Martin Ostertag, and a couple of others. This work has not shared the popularity of Weber's clarinet concertos, but it's very much in the operatic style of the clarinet pieces.</p><p>The number of editions of this work is also very slim. The Eulenberg edition (Schott) publishes the orchestra score, edited by Franz Beyer. The companion piano reduction is published by Kunzelmann. Although the Beyer edition claims to be scholarly, it has dozens of wrong notes, rhythms, articulations, clefs, accidentals, and dynamics. It is based on the first edition set of parts and does not take into account the manuscript. A highly edited Simrock edition also exists. There used to be a Grützmacher edition, which Feuermann used for his recording, but thankfully it's now out of print.</p><p>YL Edition felt the need to make a faithful edition according to the manuscript. We hope that our edition will make this work more popular among students and professionals alike. You may purchase your copy of the Grand Potpourri <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/644113" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="here">here</a>.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/65121082021-01-02T13:43:26-05:002023-09-25T08:05:05-04:00Critical Notes Series: Barber's Cello Concerto<p>Undoubtedly, Barber's concerto is one of the greatest of the 20th century. In my Critical Notes Series, I typically look at misprints and textual variants. But the solo part of Barber's concerto was proofread with a great amount of accuracy. The basic differences are enharmonic spellings, beaming, and a couple of slur placements. However, I would like to discuss the technical aspect of a few spots in the solo part. </p><p>The first passage I would like to address is poorly notated in the solo part. The passage below is from the first movement, 3rd-9th bars of #18 (pardon my well-loved part).</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/34dc06ad04a416a6f942fbd4ffaaa4fa3b73cfd5/original/barber-concerto-schirmer-harmonic-section.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_inline border_" /></p><p>The harmonic signs over the F#'s look confusing to me, especially right next to very clearly notated harmonics. Just as a side note, in the holograph manuscript, 6-7 after #18 are penciled in, and the harmonic symbols (0) above the F#'s are penciled in. Here is what Barber has in the orchestra score:</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/6c59e7701ed020fd694855072420fab4cf658f21/original/barber-concerto-schirmer-harmonic-section-score-1.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_inline border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/a92357750e5af8169ea269f060b67a9c1bf8bc83/original/barber-concerto-schirmer-harmonic-section-score-2.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_inline border_" /></p><p>In the orchestra score, the concert pitch is notated for all of the harmonic notes. That's helpful! Here is what it looks like when the harmonics are notated properly for cello:</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/eb448336127095eb6054742397ab93ebede5d63b/original/barber-concerto-schirmer-harmonic-section-with-proper-notation.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_inline border_" /></p><p>This is definitely playable. Why not notate it like this? The cello is in the background anyway. Here is a simpler version if you don't want to stretch the lower F#:</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/b1f60be84b4a32969586ebb4d6744157fbe6a8c6/original/barber-concerto-schirmer-harmonic-section-up-an-octave.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_inline border_" /></p><p>You will notice that some of the notes were shifted up an octave. This is the solution that I preferred the last time I played this piece. You can always play this passage without harmonics but flautando as printed in the orchestra score. At least you'll know that you are playing the intended pitches. What is your favorite solution?</p><p>Another awkward spot is the pizz. glissando at 2 bars before #12 in the first movement (bass clef).</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/799537aed9da5dc40aefb1df4312aab9520216c8/original/barber-concerto-schirmer-pizz-gliss.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_inline border_" /></p><p>How do you keep the tied note going for 3 beats? You can play the E with your 2nd finger; it will get you halfway there. Yo-Yo Ma plays the long note arco. That's how I've played it in the past. Here is Nelsova's solution (restriking the top 2 notes before sliding up):</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/e375da488da33394c16214cf140bdb4b7ef09a64/original/barber-concerto-nelsova-pizz-gliss.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.png" class="size_s justify_inline border_" /></p><p>There are also a few passages where both Nelsova and Garbousova cut out the lower voice of double-stop passages, for example in the first movement before #27 and the finale at #34, among others. Here is Nelsova's simplification of the first movement passage at #29:</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/4270782f2fb680b929a899ea3b1698e67d144113/original/barber-concerto-nelsova-28.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_inline border_" /></p><p>Another odd spot is in the first movement, 3rd-4th bars of #25. This harmony is a D quintal harmony: D-A-E-B. The cellos and basses move from the D pedal (bars 3-4) to a C pedal (bars 5-6). The solo cello doubles this motion:</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/4e11226c53c907774904d17fa1c386f2d95fa7a4/original/barber-concerto-schirmer-25.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_inline border_" /></p><p>The G sounds wrong to me, but I know that many cellists since the Nelsova recording have played the printed D as a G. Let's not copy Nelsova's other bloopers...</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/7d635d40817cf28dc59a0989f9d5dec30aafc30f/original/barber-concerto-nelsova-19-wrong-note.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_inline border_" /></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/65054442020-12-22T10:37:23-05:002021-05-16T18:50:24-04:00Critical Notes Series: Haydn's Divertimento arr. by Piatigorsky<p>Undoubtedly, Joseph Haydn's Divertimento is a staple of the cello repertoire. Besides the 2 cello concertos, Haydn didn't leave us with any sonatas, so a fancy arrangement for cello and piano is always welcome. The story of Piatigorsky's arrangement is not as simple as one might think.</p>
<p>In the 1920s, the French cellist Pierre Ruyssen was trailblazing pedagogical cello arrangements much like his colleague Louis Feuillard. One of the arrangements for cello and piano was a set of two divertimentos (Deux Divertissements pour baryton) by Haydn. The second of these divertimentos is in D major and in four movements. The movements are as follows:</p>
<p>Adagio (first movement from Baryton Trio Hob. XI:113)<br>Allegro di molto (second movement from Baryton Trio Hob. XI:113)<br>Menuet. Allegretto (third movement from Baryton Trio Hob. XI:95, "menuetto" in the MS)<br>Finale. Vivace (third movement from Baryton Trio Hob.XI:81)</p>
<p>Ruyssen's transcription sticks very closely to the distribution of the voices: the cello takes the baryton part, the piano right hand takes the viola part, and the piano left-hand takes the cello part. Ruyssen is not fanciful with ornamentation and does not introduce too many changes.</p>
<p>In comes Piatigorsky, probably studying the Ruyssen arrangement as a student, or hearing another student perform the arrangement. He obviously saw the potential of Ruyssen's work to become a virtuoso cello piece. Piatigorsky took Ruyssen's arrangement as the skeleton for his own 1944 "transcription," rearranging the order of the movements, dropping the finale, and heavily ornamenting both cello and piano parts. The new order of the movements is as follows:</p>
<p>Adagio (first movement from Baryton Trio Hob. XI:113) <br>Menuet (third movement from Baryton Trio Hob. XI:95, "menuetto" in the MS) <br>Allegro di molto (second movement from Baryton Trio Hob. XI:113)</p>
<p>Reordering movements was common in the 20th century; we see this in the reordering of Boccherini's famous A-major cello sonata, where cellists commonly play the Adagio movement first (Boccherini had the Allegro movement first) and drop the finale.</p>
<p>It is highly unlikely that Piatigorsky ever saw Haydn's original trios. He was obviously working from the Ruyssen arrangement. His choices of movements and spelling of "Menuet," are 2 of many markers to demonstrate this. The new melody in the Trio section of the Menuet closely resembles the rhythm of the Trio in Haydn's Symphony No. 85. </p>
<p>Piatigorsky reharmonized the Divertimento in places, so it sounds more like a Kreisler "in the style of" piece than Haydn's original. For example, Piatigorsky goes to a 3rd inversion dominant harmony in m. 2 of the Adagio. Haydn would have resolved it to a 1st inversion tonic harmony in m. 3, but Piatigorsky's ornamentation of the cello melody does not allow for that resolution. But enough about music theory for today.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/65044962020-12-21T11:01:57-05:002021-06-29T07:58:54-04:00Critical Notes Series: Saint-Saëns's Suite Op 16b<p>Suite Op.16 was originally composed in 1862 for cello and piano by the young Saint-Saëns, full of life and passion. In 1919, he orchestrated 3 of the movements from the 1862 Suite and replaced the third (Scherzo) and fifth (Finale) movements with a Gavotte and Tarantella (Tarentelle), respectively. The 1919 version is still full of youthful passion but is now brilliantly orchestrated by the mature Saint-Saëns, sometimes called Saint-Saëns's third cello concerto. The present edition is the first of its kind to be available for sale, including the original Gavotte (in G minor, where the English horn replaces the oboe) and the Romance Op. 67 for horn/cello. The primary source for our critical edition is the manuscript of the orchestral score in Saint-Saens's hand, graciously provided by the Martha Blakeney Hodges Collection at University of North Carolina at Greensboro, National Library of France (BnF), and Stiftelsen Musikkulturens Främjande (The Nydahl Collection). The secondary sources were the Hamelle orchestra score (published in 1919) and the cello solo/piano reduction (also published by Hamelle).</p>
<p>YL Edition <a contents="orchestra score" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/644124" target="_blank">orchestra score</a>, orchestra parts for the <a contents="Suite" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/675012" target="_blank">Suite</a> and the <a contents="Romance" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/675013" target="_blank">Romance</a>, and <a contents="piano reduction with a solo part" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/644123" target="_blank">piano reduction with a solo part</a>. Below are the critical notes for our edition.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>I. Prelude</strong></p>
<p>m. 9: the published solo part erroneously follows the 1862 version: note 6 is a B-natural, notes 10 and 12 are a C#. The MS and the Hamelle score have a B-flat and C#, respectively. Our edition follows the MS.<br>m.10: the published solo part erroneously follows the 1862 version: note 6 is a D#. The MS and the Hamelle score have a D-natural. Our edition follows the MS.<br>m. 13, beat 3: the published version of the solo part has a <strong>pp</strong>. The MS does not have a dynamic indication. Our edition follows the MS.<br>m. 19, beat 3: the published version of the solo part has a<em> poco cresc</em>. The MS has a <em>cresc.</em> Our edition follows the MS.<br>m. 20: the published solo part erroneously follows the 1862 version: notes 2, 4 and 6 are F-natural. The MS and the Hamelle score have a F#. Our edition follows the MS.<br>mm. 25-26: the published version of the solo part has hairpins, beats 1-2 <em>cresc.</em> and beats 3-4 <em>dim. </em>he MS does not have a dynamic indication. Our edition follows the MS.<br>m. 43: the published solo part erroneously follows the 1862 version: note 15 is a B-flat. The MS and the Hamelle score have an A. Our edition follows the MS.<br>m. 44: LH of the published piano reduction has a whole-note G in the lower voice. This was adjusted to have the bass part of the orchestral version: half-note D and half-note G, respectively.</p>
<p><strong>II. Serenade</strong></p>
<p>m. 54, LH, voice 1: the Hamelle piano reduction erroneously placed the # on D instead of F, following the 1862 publication. Our edition has fixed this error.<br>m. 133: the published version of the solo part has a <strong>pp</strong> <em>sotto voce</em>. The MS does not have a <em>sotto voce</em> indication. Our edition follows the MS.<br>mm. 144-148: RH of the published piano reduction has 1862 edition sixteenth-note arpeggios. Our edition was adjusted to have the violin part of the orchestral version.<br>m. 153: the published version of the solo part has a G harmonic dotted-quarter note, after the 1862 version. The MS does not have a harmonic, but an eighth-note G tied over from the previous measures. Our edition follows the MS.</p>
<p><strong>III. Gavotte</strong></p>
<p>m. 24, beat 2: Hamelle orchestra score has a <strong>mf</strong>. The MS does not have a dynamic indication. Our edition follows the MS.<br>m. 101: the violin II erroneously has a D on beat 2 in all orchestral sources. this should be a C#, as per the piano reduction MS and the G minor version of the Gavotte.<br>m. 102: the published version of the solo part has a <em>dim.</em> The MS does not have a dynamic indication. Our edition follows the MS.</p>
<p><strong>IV. Romance</strong></p>
<p>m. 19, RH, note 3, lower voice: the MS and Hamelle edition of the piano reduction have a C#. This note is a B in all other sources. This error was fixed in our edition.<br>m. 30, violin I and RH of piano reduction, note 8: the # (sharp) is missing on the D in all sources of the Suite. However, it is present in the French horn version of the Romance (Op. 67). A D# makes the most sense. Our edition adds a #.<br>mm. 34-35, LH, note 1, upper voice: the MS and Hamelle edition of the piano reduction are missing a natural sign on the D.<br>m. 52: the woodwinds do not have a note to play in m. 52 in the MS. The notes were added in the proof of the Hamelle orchestra score.<br>m. 57: the MS of the piano reduction introduced an ambiguity into the solo cello part. The MS and Hamelle edition of the orchestra score have notes 1-2 as eighth-notes. The MS of the piano reduction has note 2 as a sixteenth note, likely an accidental extension of the beam. The Hamelle edition of the solo part added a dot on note 1. Our edition follows the MS of the orchestra score.<br>m. 60, LH, beat 4, upper voice: # missing from the A in piano reduction sources. This error was fixed.<br>m. 62, LH, note 5, upper voice: natural missing from the A in piano reduction sources. This error was fixed.<br>m. 63, LH, note 5, voice 2: # missing from the F in piano reduction sources. This error was fixed.<br>mm. 72-73: hairpin and <strong>pp</strong> in the solo part is only found in the Hamelle solo part. The MS does not have a dynamic indication. Our edition follows the printed solo part.</p>
<p><strong>V. Tarentelle</strong></p>
<p>m. 45: all sources erroneously have a written D for both horns. We fixed this error to match the unison concert E of the orchestra.<br>m. 58: LH, note 1, lower voice: # missing from the D in piano reduction sources. This error was fixed.<br>m. 61: Hamelle score and MS have a <strong>f </strong>in the solo part. The printed solo part has a <strong>ff</strong>. Our edition follows the printed solo part.<br>m. 131, LH, beat 2, upper voice: flat missing from the E in piano reduction sources. This error was fixed.<br>m. 153: the horn voicing is flipped in the Hamelle score. The MS has the correct voicing. Our edition follows the MS.<br>mm. 180-195: the MS of the cello solo and piano reduction have cue notes for the tutti cello part to facilitate in the imitative texture when playing with a piano.<br>m. 195, tutti cello: MS solo cello part has this (cue) note as a D. The MS and Hamelle orchestra score have a B. D makes more sense. Our edition follows the MS solo part.<br>m. 261, violin I: orchestra score MS has an A. The Hamelle score and violin I part MS part have a B. Our edition follows the orchestra score MS.<br>m. 313: all orchestra sources repeat this pattern for one more bar. The phrase makes more sense according to the piano and solo MS. Our edition follows the piano reduction and solo part MS.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Gavotte (first version)</strong></p>
<p>mm. 40-55, LH: we added the accents and phrase marks from the MS orchestra score<br>mm. 48-50, clarinets I and II: the MS orchestra score has these notes written in concert pitch instead of transposed. This error was fixed.</p>
<p><strong>Romance, Op. 67</strong></p>
<p>mm. 38-42, violin I: the MS orchestra has a sixteenth-rest and triplet thirty-second-note pattern. The MS piano reduction RH has all as thirty-second-rests and notes. Our edition follows the MS piano reduction.<br>mm. 44, 46, and 48: LH of the piano reduction was adjusted to have the bass part of the orchestral version.<br>mm. 57-58: the voicing of the piano reduction was adjusted to reflect the orchestral version and not the MS piano reduction.<br>mm. 67-70: the RH of the piano reduction makes more sense with the violin part than doubling the solo cello part, as in the MS piano reduction. Since this is a brief tutti section in the horn version, it can still be played as such from our edition without missing anything.<br>m. 76, LH, beat 1: Added a clarification of how to execute the tremolos in the piano reduction.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64962682020-12-10T17:29:10-05:002020-12-10T17:29:10-05:00Critical Notes Series: Making a Scholarly Edition (Video Seminar)<p>This December, I would like to offer some of my experience in research and edition preparation. Our first session concentrated on how I go about making a cello part from start to finish. You can re-watch the session below. Here is the <a contents="Link" data-link-label="Making a Scholarly Edition Examples" data-link-type="file" href="/files/1095447/Making%20a%20Scholarly%20Edition%20Examples">link</a> to supplemental material to help follow in the discussion.</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="CnIA4Fc-s50" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/CnIA4Fc-s50/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CnIA4Fc-s50?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="480" width="720" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64941132020-12-08T09:05:52-05:002022-06-29T17:04:51-04:00Critical Notes Series: Rachmaninov's Cello Sonata<p>Rachmaninov's Cello Sonata has been a mainstay in the repertoire for over a century. For the first time, an <a contents="edition" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/644120" target="_blank">edition</a> is available that is based on the composer's autograph as well as the first edition published by Gutheil in 1902. While the current urtext edition only includes the cello part, it aims to bring focus on the composer's intentions.</p>
<p>The composer's autograph copy is now housed at the Russian National Museum of Music (formerly the Glinka Museum). We would like to thank the Russian National Museum of Music for providing a copy of the autograph for our use. The first-edition cello part was likely engraved from Anatoly Brandukov's copy. Whether this copy contained approved changes is in question; however, that copy is not extant. The first-edition cello part favors louder dynamics.</p>
<p>Below, we would like to offer a list of <strong>cello-part</strong> alternate readings between the autograph, first-edition piano score and cello part sources. </p>
<p>N.B. When two sets of slurs are printed in the urtext edition, the slur above the staff is according to the manuscript and below the staff is according to the first edition.</p>
<p><strong>Movement I</strong></p>
<p>m.33: first edition cello part has a<strong> f</strong> on note 5, piano score has an <strong>mf</strong><br>mm. 77 and 110: first edition has gliss. between notes 1 and 2<br>m. 158: autograph cello part has a tenuto mark<br>m. 183: note 4 missing a slur; note 5 missing tenuto in the autograph <br>m. 208-210: lower octave G missing in the autograph<br>m. 212: first edition cello part has a double bar; piano score does not<br>m. 276: first edition cello part missing the tenuto mark on note 3<br>m. 279: first edition cello part has an accent on beat 1</p>
<p><strong>Movement II</strong></p>
<p>mm. 5, 11, 61, 63: the last note of the bar does not have a slur in the autograph (likewise in the parallel places on the return)<br>m. 14: note 5 missing > in first edition<br>m. 16: first edition cello part has a <strong>ff</strong>; piano score has a <strong>f</strong><br>m. 18: note 2 missing a slur in first edition piano score<br>m. 19: beat 2 missing a <strong>p </strong>by analogy<br>m. 101: first edition cello part has a <strong>ff</strong>; piano score has a <strong>f</strong><br>m. 161: beat 2 missing a <strong>p </strong>by analogy<br>m. 231: note 8 does not have a "sul G" marking in the autograph<br>m. 232: note 5 does not have a harmonic mark in the autograph</p>
<p><strong>Movement III</strong></p>
<p>mm. 9 and 11: first edition cello part has 2 staccatos on notes 2-3; the piano score has tenutos (congruous to mm. 49 and 51)<br>m. 11: autograph and first edition cello part have notes 4-7 slurred; piano score has notes 4-6 slurred<br>m. 16: first edition cello part has a<strong> f</strong>; piano score has a <strong>ff</strong><br>m. 16: note 3 does not have a harmonic mark in the autograph<br>m. 40: notes 9 and 10 are slurred in the first edition<br>m. 49: note 1 has a down-bow in the first edition<br>m. 62: first edition piano score missing down-bow<br>m. 63: first edition cello part has notes 1-3 and 4-7 under 2 slurs; piano score has notes 2-3, 4-5, 6-7 under 3 slurs<br>m. 67: first edition cello part missing <em>rit.</em></p>
<p><strong>Movement IV</strong></p>
<p>mm. 35 and 43: autograph and first edition cello part has a <strong>ff</strong>; piano score has a <strong>mf</strong><br>mm. 76 and 258: time signature is 6/4 in the autograph, which makes more sense with meter relationship<br>m. 126: first edition cello part says "sul G," which is impossible; it must be "sul C."<br>mm. 244-249: nota bene: this passage is marked to be done on the D string in all three sources<br>mm. 298: first edition cello part has a <strong>f</strong>; piano score has a <strong>ff</strong></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64935582020-12-07T14:47:49-05:002020-12-07T14:47:49-05:00Critical Notes Series: Stravinsky's Suite Italienne<p>Most of the music written in the last 100 years is monopolized by the original publishers. I'll venture to say that most of this music was killed by the original publisher because it was pulled out of print. We may never know it. Copyright rants aside, I would like to talk about a work that is singularly controlled by Boosey: Stravinsky's Suite Italienne for cello and piano (1932). This work exists in many different incarnations: Pulcinella, the ballet (1920); Pulcinella Suite for orchestra (1920, rev. 1947); Suite Italienne for violin and piano (1925, rev. 1934 in collaboration with Dushkin); and Suite Italienne for cello and piano (1932 in collaboration with Piatigorsky).</p>
<p>The cello and piano version of the Suite is largely based on the 1925 violin and piano version. Other than a few re-voicings, Stravinsky replaced the Gavotte and Scherzino with the Aria. As with all publications, the Suite comes with its share of misprints, things that were overlooked by the proofreaders. Unfortunately, this work is not worthwhile for Boosey to correct, so they will continue reprinting the misprints until this work comes into public domain and someone else corrects the mistakes.</p>
<p>I would like to provide a list of errata in the cello part below, so your next performance will be more informed.</p>
<p><strong>1. Introduzione</strong></p>
<p>m. 6: staccato mark needs to be on note 4, not note 3 <br>m. 11: lower-voice slur needs to be on notes 2-3, not on notes 3-4<br>m. 27: slur missing from notes 1-2 in the piano part<br>m. 32 cello part is missing the trill on beat 3 <br>mm. 38-40: cello part slurs notes 1-3 and 4-9 together; piano score slurs notes 1-6 and 7-9 as in the previous passage </p>
<p><strong>2. Serenata</strong></p>
<p>m. 18: trills missing from notes 1, 3, 5. Trills are present in all other versions.<br>m. 23-26: the harmonic diamond is in the wrong place. The C must be a solid notehead with a diamond a 5th above.</p>
<p><strong>3. Aria</strong></p>
<p>m. 32: both cello part and score have an odd double time signature. It should just be cut time.<br>m. 39: cello part missing slur over the 3 notes<br>m. 69: cello part has a dim. hairpin across mm. 68-69 <br>m. 92: piano score missing accent on note 2<br>m. 107: cello part has a <strong>sff </strong>on note 4; piano score has a <strong>sf</strong><br>m. 107: cello part has an extra beat; notes 4-5 need to be eighths<br>m. 130: cello part has a <em>dim</em>. hairpin on notes 2-3 and the <strong>p</strong> is on note 2 of m. 131; piano score doesn't have a <em>dim. </em>has a subito <strong>p </strong>in m. 131<br>m. 164: cello part has a <strong>sf</strong> on note 1; piano score has a <strong>ff</strong> on note 1 <br>m. 176: <em>attacca</em> missing in the piano score</p>
<p><strong>4. Tarantella</strong></p>
<p>nota bene: m. 19, note 3 is a tritone; m. 20, note 4 is a tritone<br>m. 70: piano score missing staccato markings on all notes<br>m. 90: piano score has a double bar before the last measure</p>
<p><strong>5a. Minuetto</strong></p>
<p>m. 35: lower-voice note 1 fingering should be 2, not thumb<br>m. 46: upper-voice note 1 fingering should be 3, not thumb<br>m. 61: piano score is missing the accents on notes 2-5</p>
<p><strong>5b. Finale</strong></p>
<p>m. 23: piano score missing <em>dolce </em><br>m. 29: piano score missing <strong>f</strong> <em>sub.</em> <br>m. 69: piano score missing slur on notes 2-3<br>m. 79: cello part has an E as note 2; piano score has a G (correct)<br>m. 95: the fingering on the lower-voice note 1 must be thumb, not 1<br>m. 111: piano score missing <strong>f </strong>on beat 1</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64864912020-11-26T20:04:36-05:002023-11-03T08:00:51-04:00Considering Schnittke's Suite in Old Style<p>Many cellists have adopted Schnittke's Suite in Old Style as their own, although it was originally composed for violin and piano (or harpsichord). I would argue that it sounds better with harpsichord. Since this work has made it into the violin canon, it's really easy to think that Schnittke was somehow innovative in using a harpsichord in 1972. After all, he continued using the harpsichord in his later works like the Concerto Grossos and the Hymns. But the harpsichord was in the air of Soviet music and Schinttke was just catching a well-established wave.</p><p>Growing up in the final seven years of the Soviet Ukraine, the "golden age" of Soviet cartoons was a part of my steady diet. And why not? These cartoons had great stories, beautiful illustrations, and amazing music, written by the best composers of the Soviet era. I didn't grow up in a musical household. Unlike my kids, who can recognize Bach, Beethoven, Tcherepnin, and Jemnitz from the first four notes, names like Shostakovich, Weinberg, Gladkov, and Boris Tchaikovsky were meaningless to me.</p><p>Why am I talking about cartoons? Because four mega-hit cartoons that used harpsichord preceded Schinttke's Suite all in the 1969-1972 timeframe. Three of the cartoons were about Winnie the Pooh, with a brilliant score by Mieczysław Weinberg; and a cartoon about the Bremen Town Musicians, a 25-minute musical by Gennady Gladkov (recently died on 16 October 2023). The use of the harpsichord was very much neo-baroque in these cartoons, like in Schnittke's Suite. Another prominent piece that used a harpsichord was Boris Tchaikovsky's Partita (1966) for cello and chamber ensemble (composed for Rostropovich).</p><p>I would highly recommend that my readers listen to these cartoon soundtracks and the Tchaikovsky Partita. All of them are available on YouTube.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64750202020-11-14T09:09:36-05:002020-11-14T09:11:32-05:00Introducing Arsentiy Kharitonov's Reminiscenza for Solo Cello<p>This work was written about 3 years ago by Arsentiy Kharitonov, a pianist-composer from St. Petersburg, Russia. Currently residing in Texas, Kharitonov composed this solo cello tone poem for Cicely Parnas. The entire work germinates from the first three measures of the piece. The majority of Reminiscenza (Italian: reminiscence) is built on undulating eighth notes and triplets, punctuated by a three-note motive. The opening material is presented in its most recognizable form right in the beginning, in the middle before the first recitative, and near the end where the music is marked “pazzo” (Italian: insane). Generally, the piece is structured around the quickening of the pace and then starting over again. The last “colossal” moment comes to a halt, and as if in a fog, we catch the final glimpse of the “idee fixe.” We run to catch it, only to wake up to reality.</p>
<p> <iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="HB5EfUs-1Eo" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/HB5EfUs-1Eo/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HB5EfUs-1Eo?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64753332020-11-11T18:43:03-05:002021-06-29T08:01:57-04:00Critical Notes Series: C.P.E. Bach Cello Concerto in A major <p><a contents="C.P.E. Bach's A major Cello Concerto" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/664830">C.P.E. Bach's A major Cello Concerto</a> has enjoyed longstanding popularity. Bach himself has a version of this work for solo cello, solo flute, or solo keyboard. In the last 100 years, it has been rearranged for cello and orchestra by Ferdinand Pollain, transposing much of the concerto up an octave, as well as Gaspar Cassadó in F major, with an addition of a solo flute in the slow movement. </p>
<p>Currently, there are 2 "critical editions" editions of this concerto: Eulenburg/Schott and cpebach.org. Both of these claim to be based on the manuscript that is located at the Brussels Conservatory, however, the cpebach.org edition is almost exclusively based on the 1960s Eulenburg. Both editions have inadequate page turns. They call the slow movement "Largo con sordini, mesto," which is not what the manuscript says. The MS reads, "Largo mesto," and "con sordini" is only for some instruments, not all. </p>
<p>This editor decided to use the manuscript found in the Alströmer Collection. The only real difference is found in the solo cello arpeggios on the last page, with a couple of different accompaniment notes. This editor's goal was to create a faithful edition with adequate page turns in all parts, as well as cue notes, which both Eulenburg/Schott and cpebach.org lack. This editor corrected the mistake in the Largo movement tempo marking to follow Alströmer's "Largo maesto."</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64748432020-11-11T09:28:37-05:002020-11-11T09:28:37-05:00Introducing Don Jaffé's Cello Sonata "Shoah" [Holocaust]<p>Born in Riga, Latvia, Don Jaffé moved around quite a bit due to the war and anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe. His family was forced to flee to Siberia in 1941. After returning to his native town at age 14, Jaffé received his first cello lessons at the Music School for gifted children, which he completed after four years instead of the usual ten. In 1971, his family moved to Israel because of increasing anti-Semitic sentiment and reprisals in the USSR. He participated in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. In 1974, he moved to Germany, where "[his] cultural roots lay." Jaffé was the principal cellist with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra in 1974, and in 1975 he became a member of the Bremen Philharmonic State Orchestra. He also taught at the Hochschule für Künste Bremen. Before retiring in 1997, he began his work in composition. His works are influenced by the Jewish and his personal histories and "often thematically dedicated to the victims of the Shoah [The Holocaust]." Jaffé recalls in his works the persecution of the Jewish people with the words: "It is my mission to create musical memorials." His second cello sonata is one such monument to the Holocaust. But he also states: "The generation of the grandchildren cannot do anything for the deeds of the ancestors."</p>
<p><strong>Movement 1</strong></p>
<p>The sonata begins in G minor. The first movement is full of tempo changes and abrupt dynamic contrasts, showing unrest that the Jewish people felt as the beginning of the Holocaust. The themes presented in the first movement appear in the second and third, so this sonata has a cyclic aspect. Each episode of the first movement is punctuated by a grand pause [G.P.], with the exception of the final "tempo primo," thus, we can take the movement to be in five sections. One interesting feature in this movement is the "glissando virtuoso," made up of harmonics (like in the second movement of Shostakovich's Cello Sonata). This glissando is a powerful feature because it seems to come out of nowhere, sometimes in single notes and sometimes in double stops. The movement ends in three iterations of these glissandos, growing ever softer, before the last open C string finishes the movement. Along the way, we also hear slithering lines in fourths and noble, yet urgent shofars. I have included my performance of the first movement below.</p>
<p><strong>Movement 2</strong></p>
<p>The second movement is in three parts. In the first part, the composer asks the music to be "funesto" (gloomy/dismal), ending with a solemn brass band music. The second part is the reiteration of the "slithering" line of fourths from the first movement, ending with more solemn music and contemplative harmonics. The third part is played with a mute and non vibrato. Much of it over an open C pedal, the music is hopeless.</p>
<p><strong>Movement 3</strong></p>
<p>The finale is also in three parts. The first part is restless, always moving forward. The second part starts with harmonics, reminding one of the shofar, at times sounding like a song for freedom. This section goes on to quote the "hopeless" part of the second movement. Finally, the music regains momentum and perseveres to the end, finishing on a joyful C major chord.</p>5:29Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64530492020-10-10T10:19:51-04:002023-09-25T08:06:51-04:00Teacher's Change of Perspective<p>Tomorrow will mark 25 years since I started playing cello. It has been a tough but very rewarding road. Thinking about the subject I wanted to share with my readers on this occasion, I settled on my continued learning and discovery as a teacher. In the past 10 years, I have taught everyone from total beginners to very advanced students, whom I am happy to call colleagues. </p><p>Teachers have the difficult task of packaging the information they have in a way that will be easily digested by the students. Working with a student one-on-one makes the teacher aware of each student's needs. Curriculum aside, I would like to share my change of perspective and evolving teaching style. </p><p>As far as I can remember, my teachers have taught me to look at them from the front, the way you would view a soloist in a concert hall. The expectation is that you copy the teacher. There were a few instances when the teacher would come up to me and physically adjust something on me, or my cello or bow, but mostly it was hands-off. When I was 19 years old, one of my teachers set out to teach me how to use a mirror. I had heard from my previous teachers that I needed to use a mirror, metronome, and tuner, but none of them had taught me to use them. What this teacher set out to do was revolutionary to me. I was seeing myself in a new way, the way I had been seeing my teacher for the past 8 years! It was strange. The straight bow angle I had been trying to achieve suddenly looked crooked. He told me the obvious, that the angle that I see from the player's vantage point and the angle that I see in the mirror are radically different. He said that I needed to fix my angle by looking in the mirror, but also to see what the correct angle looks like from my vantage point so I could fix it without the mirror. I spent my grad and postgrad school years in front of a mirror. Once I graduated, I started using a camera. I put that camera every which way, in front, behind, under the bridge, on the sides, from the top in front, from the top from the back. I was hungry to learn to play better and to look better doing it. </p><p>When I started teaching, I made it a point to teach my students to use a metronome, tuner, mirror, and phone camera. So far, I feel like I have been successful. During one of my recent lessons, I thought that it would be helpful for my student to look over my shoulder to see how my bow and hands looked from the player's vantage point, even for a few seconds. Maybe I had done this before, but this time something clicked in my head as a teacher. This is the vantage point that cellists have with them all the time, including my favorite cellists, and my students' favorite cellists. Why not offer this vantage point to my students more often? Time will tell whether this new teaching technique is a "game-changer." But for now, I am seeing positive results in my students. Now I wish that Alban Gerhardt and Johannes Moser would clip their cameras to their A-string pegs so I could see more of what they see!</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64519602020-10-08T20:33:29-04:002020-10-08T20:51:31-04:00Happy Birthday, Saint-Saëns!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/9af17f3ca93628efee1e7de8304a127eb5550475/original/saint-saens-suite-op16-for-cello-and-piano-romance-page-1.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" />This October marks the 185th anniversary of the birth of Camille Saint-Saëns. This is not as big as next year's 100th anniversary of his death. As musicians all over the world celebrate his 185th birthday, many will post performances of his Swan from the Carnival of the Animals. Cellists will post Allegro appassionato and Cello Concerto No. 1. Other instrumentalists will listen to his Organ Symphony, Piano Concerto No. 2, Violin Concerto No. 3, Intro and Rondo capriccioso, and other hallmark works. But which piece mattered the most to Saint-Saëns himself? Which piece followed him from the very beginning of his musical career to its very end?</p>
<p>I would argue that Saint-Saëns's dearest musical offspring was his Romance in E major. This work began its life in 1862 as the fourth movement of Suite Op. 16 for cello and piano. Some scholars note this Suite as the first work to be recognizable as Saint-Saëns. In the Suite, the Romance follows the restless E-flat-major Scherzo. In contrast to the previous movement, the Romance is a serene and contemplative work; it begins with 2 E-major harmonies. The opening 2 measures are the seed for the entire movement. As you can see in the musical example to the left, the piano part almost begs to be orchestrated for a larger ensemble. Perhaps Saint-Saëns was already thinking about orchestral color at the time of its composition.</p>
<p>In 1866, Saint-Saëns orchestrated the Romance for horn and orchestra (3 flutes, 2 bassoons, and strings). He used the original version for cello and piano as the basis of the arrangement. The first cello melody was changed to an opening "tutti" of flutes and violins. There are but a few additional bars in the middle of the work that deviate from the original. There are also a couple of spots where Saint-Saëns simplifies the bass part, or adds a more interesting accompaniment. The version for horn and orchestra was never published during Saint-Saëns's lifetime. Here is a glimpse into his 1866 orchestration, which will be published with my revised critical edition of the Suite in the next few months:</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/5845bbafa2f82ae4c9e1124acc88d8adf70880e9/original/saint-saens-romance-op-67-0096.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/31c3c2d23f0c4da35783902860a44915e359fa16/original/saint-saens-romance-op-67-0097.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/f881d2a9e3e5945e2dfff3b8808ed1f959a8b54b/original/saint-sa-ns-romance-op-67-page-1-hamelle.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" />Perhaps it was Saint-Saëns's encounter with hornist Henri Chaussier that his interest was renewed in the Romance. There is a correspondence that discusses the work in 1882. Whatever the circumstance, Saint-Saëns published a version of the Romance for horn and piano with Hamelle under Op. 67 in 1885, with an optional cello part to replace the horn if needed. This cello part was different than the original cello part from Op. 16. The horn and piano arrangement followed the horn and orchestra version almost exactly. The only differences were in the piano part being more similar to the Op. 16 in voicing and some figuration.</p>
<p>In my humble opinion, the version for horn and piano took a step back from the colorful orchestration of the 1866 version for horn and orchestra, but this version has become a mainstay for horn players. </p>
<p>The story of the 1919 revision of the Suite is a complicated one and is best recounted by Saint-Saëns scholar Sabina Teller Ratner in this article: "Saint-Saëns' Last "Concerto"." Notes 48, no. 1 (1991): 20-25. But in short, cellist Joseph Hollman, the dedicatee of Saint-Saens's Cello Concerto No. 2, had been asking Saint-Saëns for a suite for cello and orchestra. Saint-Saëns decided to orchestrate his Suite, Op. 16. The Scherzo and Finale movements were giving him trouble, so he replaced them with a Gavotte and Tarantella, respectively. The original Romance movement was truncated by about 20 measures, which, at the slow tempo, is about 1:30 to 2:00 shorter. The entire Suite is scored for a chamber orchestra. Each movement has strings, but the Prelude and Romance has a pair of woodwinds, the Serenade, a flute and clarinet, the Gavotte a flute, oboe and pair of clarinets, and the Tarantella pair of woodwinds, horns, trumpets, and timpani.</p>
<p>So while you may celebrate Saint-Saëns's birthday with The Swan, Cello Concerto No. 1, or Organ Symphony, consider the piece that followed him for the duration of his career.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/856e1a24926e99f584c67aeef841191797939fa2/original/ms-20821-page-05.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_none border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/3ce99d52ee2452558daf2744c4d5e1d8ebc94b3c/original/saint-saens-suite-op-16-score-and-parts-w-orig-gavotte-appendix-0031.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_none border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/1b313f3fd80f06037e853024f4930b36ed377995/original/saint-saens-suite-op-16-score-and-parts-w-orig-gavotte-appendix-0032.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_none border_" /></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64459862020-09-30T09:48:23-04:002023-03-20T12:47:55-04:00Critical Notes Series: Haydn's Violin and Cello Concertos (Part 1)<p>Next month, my orchestra is playing Haydn's G-major Violin Concerto. As with every piece I play or conduct, I also research it. Many good articles have come out in the last decade talking about Haydn's concertos. It is not my intention to compete with the brilliant scholars, authors of those articles. I would like to present a small series of blogs looking at the sources for the Haydn string concertos.</p><p>The first source I would like to look at is The Breitkopf Thematic Catalogue 1762-1787. This catalog is much like what we see major publishers put out quarterly or annually with regards to their recent publications. The Breitkopf Catalogue contains around 15,000 incipits (the opening music of a manuscript). I laid out Haydn's string concerto musical examples below in chronological order, top to bottom.</p><p>Ex. 1. Violin Concertos Hob. VIIa:1 and VIIa:4* (1769: Supplemento IV)<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/356cc99f3df4a65fd0c6332313c313f82b31840b/original/haydn-viia1-and-4-2.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>Ex. 2. Violin Concerto Hob. VIIa:3 (1771: Supplemento VI)<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/b749178e3dcc71180b1e6ebc2621c464f87e58de/original/haydn-viia3-3.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p>Ex. 3. Cello Concerto Hob. VIIb:4 (1772: Supplemento VII)<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/5b88b17aa8acea2f81bd6f1fe140de72762a0d31/original/haydn-viib4-2.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p>Ex. 3. Cello Concerto Hob. VIIb:g1 (1773: Supplemento VIII)<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/7640e181dac17bcfa2af71a2774b1ddd23b069e7/original/haydn-viib6-2.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p><p>Having seen these incipits, you might be asking yourself the following series of questions. Where are Haydn's 2 cello concertos that we know today? Why is Haydn's name spelled with an "e?" Why are 3 of the 5 examples miscatalogued? Those are fair questions to ask when you are looking at a source that is deemed credible by scholars. For me, this source is very interesting. It comes from Haydn's own time. Why did not Haydn refute the information in this catalog if the information was not true? Perhaps Haydn scholars can answer this question better than I can. Perhaps Haydn did not care; maybe he thought it was an honor to have his name on someone else's work. Our views on intellectual property are much different than the views held in the 1400s-1850s. We see much misattribution and plagiarism in that time frame. Eccles and Berteau come to mind.</p><p>But how do we learn from a list of works that have been falsified? One thing is true: Breitkopf had these manuscripts in his possession, and the names on those manuscripts were most likely the ones listed in the catalog, whether true or not. Why do we not see Haydn's now-famous cello concertos (C and D) in the catalog? The simple answer is that the manuscripts did not come to Breitkopf's office in those years.</p><p>Looking at each excerpt individually, we will find that only one is cataloged correctly, the Violin Concerto Hob. VIIa1. It is very doubtful that Violin Concerto Hob. VIIa:4* is by Haydn, as it does not appear in Haydn's personal catalog; a likely candidate is Leopold Hofmann. A manuscript with Hofmann's name exists in an archive in Berlin. Hofmann's style is identical to VIIa:4*. The next excerpt you see is one of Haydn's Violin Concerto Hob. VIIa:3, but it's listed as a cello concerto with 2 horns and strings; this is a mistake. The following excerpt is of the concerto we commonly call Haydn's "Little D major," Hob. VIIb:4. But we know now that this work is by Giovanni Battista Costanzi. The final excerpt is of a cello concerto that is believed to be lost. Hoboken catalogs it as VIIb:g1. To my eye, this incipit looks more like baroque Italian music and not 1773 Austrian music.</p><p>I hope that you enjoyed this first part of my Haydn Concerto series. If you would like me to cover anything specific in the next few blogs, I would love to hear your suggestions.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64386272020-09-22T10:37:01-04:002020-09-22T20:17:13-04:00Intermediate Bach for the Cello by C. Krane (the real contents)<p>Here is part 3 to my Suzuki Cello School list. This compilation is called Intermediate Bach for the Cello by Charles Krane. Up until now, these pieces have not been identified by the publisher. Please read <a contents="part 1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/critical-notes-series-suzuki-cello-method-proper-composer-title-attribution" target="_blank">part 1</a> and <a contents="part 2" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/bach-for-the-cello-by-c-krane-where-do-they-come-from" target="_blank">part 2</a> in this series. I would like to thank Stacey Krim and the UNCG Martha Blakeney Hodges Collection for helping me in my research.</p>
<p>Gigue - Mer hahn en neue Oberkeet, BWV 212, No. 14</p>
<p>Chorale - Die bittre Leidenszeit beginnet abermal, BWV 450</p>
<p>Bourree - from Suite No. 3, BWV 1068</p>
<p>Sarabande - Beschränkt ihr Weisen dieser Welt, BWV 443</p>
<p>Forlane - from Suite No. 1, BWV 1066</p>
<p>Allegro moderato - Finale from Gamba Sonata No. 1, BWV 1027. This number is also used in the Suzuki Method.</p>
<p>Siciliano - from C.P.E. Bach's Flute Sonata, H. 545, formerly attributed to J.S. Bach (BWV 1031)</p>
<p>Minuet - Christian Petzold's Minuet in G, formerly attributed to J.S. Bach.</p>
<p>Pastorale - Not found. Very similar to Cotillions (Anonymous) and Quartet/Divertimento (František Xaver Dušek)</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64383312020-09-19T21:54:05-04:002020-09-20T07:51:30-04:00Bach for the 'Cello by C. Krane (where do they come from?)<p>This list serves as Part 2 to my Suzuki Cello School list. As someone who loves to research, I don't understand why editors do not state their sources. As you will see below, on the left are the names that Charles Krane gave to the pieces, and on the right are the real names. Most of these are vocal works. Krane does not even hit close to the mark of what these piece need to be. Sarabande, Minuet, Air, GIGUE? Not even close, Mr. Krane. I hope that this list will be informative to anyone who teaches out of this collection. I have yet to find the "Chorale." You can be sure that it is not a chorale.</p>
<p>March in G - Vereinigte Zwietracht der wechselnden Saiten BWV 207, No. 10. This number was used by the <a contents="Suzuki Cello Method" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/critical-notes-series-suzuki-cello-method-proper-composer-title-attribution" target="_blank">Suzuki Cello Method</a> with the title "March in G."</p>
<p>Sarabande - O du Liebe meiner Liebe, BWV 491</p>
<p>Arioso - Gott, wie groß ist deine Güte, BWV 462</p>
<p>Minuet in C [G] - BWV 841. This number was used by the <a contents="Suzuki Cello Method" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/critical-notes-series-suzuki-cello-method-proper-composer-title-attribution">Suzuki Cello Method</a> with the title "Minuet in C."</p>
<p>Air - Meines Lebens letzte Zeit, BWV 488</p>
<p>Minuet in E minor - So oft ich meine Tobackspfeife, BWV 515</p>
<p>Andante - Dich bet ich an, mein höchster Gott, BWV 449</p>
<p>Gigue - Mer hahn en neue Oberkeet, BWV 212, No. 16</p>
<p>Chorale - Not Found</p>
<p>March in D - Mer hahn en neue Oberkeet, BWV 212, No. 2</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64381052020-09-19T11:27:22-04:002023-08-16T08:40:10-04:00Critical Notes Series: Suzuki Cello Method (proper attributions in one place)<p>What is more popular than the Suzuki Method? This rhetorical question is meant to make you think about the influence of the Suzuki Method on generations of musicians for the last half-century. The issue of composer and title attribution is as old as music itself. Three things can happen when we do not know the composer or title of a music work: 1. attribute it to "anonymous;" 2. attribute it to the likely composer; 3. call it a folk song. All three options are around us every day, whether we say, "that sounds like a piece from the Classical period," or, "that song is so 1980s." As a method of great influence, I believe that the Suzuki Method, now published by Alfred, owes its consumers the latest in musical scholarship, especially since the scholarship is easier than ever to obtain. </p><p>I would like to compile a comprehensive (by no means exhaustive) list of works where the Suzuki Cello Method, and by extension violin and viola methods, err in composer and title attribution. I hope that my list will be helpful to the next generations of teachers and students using the Suzuki Cello Method.</p><p><strong>Book 1</strong></p><p>No. 1 - Let us start with the most controversial. Fair, Suzuki himself wrote variations on "Twinkle," as did Mozart, Dohnanyi, and many others. But the melody itself is "Ah! vous dirai-je, maman," a song published anonymously in the 1760s, not "Twinkle." The song is a gavotte, starting on the second big beat, as most gavottes do. To many, this may be a small thing, but right off the bat, the Suzuki Method presents a piece with wrong phrasing. It would have been better to write the piece in 2/4 like Mozart if Suzuki did not want to deal with starting a piece on an upbeat.</p><p>No. 2 - It's a song called "Les Bossus." In the first picture, you will see Deleplanque's tre<span></span>atment of the song in variations. This publication is from around 1780. The second picture comes from Verrimst<span>'s 1876 publication </span>Rondes et chansons populaires illustrées<span>. </span></p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/e73d21cfdd06debaf8001727b782ff9791f443d8/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><p> </p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/4afeb942e5d92f0ebbbb8827b248868327520a49/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><p>No. 6 - O Come, Little Children (Ihr Kinderlein, kommet) is by Johann Schulz</p><p>No. 14 - Purcell's Rigadoon should have a catalog number Z. 653</p><p>No. 17 - This minuet from the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook is not by J.S Bach, but anonymous. There is no shame in letting a piece remain with an anonymous composer.</p><p><strong>Book 2</strong></p><p>No. 2 - Mozart's "May Time" is K. 596, not K. 96</p><p>No. 3 - This is Minuet No. 3 from BWV 822, not Minuet No. 1. Bach's number on this Minuet (No. 3) is following the sequence of the Minuets in the Suite. Minuet No. 1 in the Suite is a completely different piece.</p><p>No. 4 - "Bach's" famous Minuet is G is another one of those controversial pieces. It is not by J.S. Bach but by Christian Petzold. There is no shame in saying "Petzold's Minuet in G;" it is a true statement, and should be spread far and wide.</p><p>No. 5 - The Chorus from Handel's Judas Maccabeus is correct, but needs the full title, "Chorus: See, the conqu'ring hero comes!," which is No. 35 in the oratorio. The catalog number is HWV 63. It is noteworthy that Beethoven wrote 12 brilliant variations on this melody, something cellists can look forward to when studying from Suzuki Book 2.</p><p>No. 8 - The "March in G" is the finale (No. 10) of J.S. Bach's cantata chorus “Kortte lebe, Kortte bluhe” from BMW 207, “Vereinigte Zwietracht der wechselnden Saiten.” This number originated in the collection <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/home/blog/bach-for-the-cello-by-c-krane-where-do-they-come-from" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents=" "Bach for the 'Cello" by Charles Krane.">"Bach for the 'Cello" by Charles Krane.</a> </p><p>No. 9 - The Theme from Witches' Dance by Paganini is partly true. The theme is Paganini's set of variations (Op. 8) called "Le Streghe" (The Witches). The melody was written by Franz Xaver Süssmayr (the composer who was the first to complete Mozart's Requiem, K. 626). This melody comes from Süssmayr's ballet <i>Il noce di Benevento</i> (lit. The Nut of Benevento), commonly known as "Witches of Benevento."</p><p>No. 11 - Gossec's Gavotte from the opera Rosine first appeared in a Willy Burmester collection in the first decade of the 1900s. Here is the manuscript in Gossec's hand to the first violin part of the opera.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/ff07e36b510a2d366a9263902d80a04b9bf3feee/original/gossec-rosine-gavotte.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" alt="" /></p><p><strong>Book 3</strong></p><p>No. 2 - This is another "famous" Gavotte, this time by (not) Lully. It has been known for decades that this "Gavotte" is the Rondeau (No. 24) by Marin Marais from his<i> Pièces de viole, Livre 1</i>. The misattribution can be traced back to Moffat and Burmester.</p><p>No. 7 - This piece by Petzold, not by J.S. Bach. See <strong>Book 2, No. 4</strong> above.</p><p><strong>Book 4</strong></p><p>No. 1 - Piano part by Carl Schroeder. The Rondo movement is missing 3 bars compared to Breval's manuscript. You may purchase the Urtext edition of the original Breval Sonata <a class="no-pjax" href="https://artisticscoreng.gumroad.com/l/BSRji" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="here">here</a>.</p><p>No. 4 - Who did the transcription of the Tchaikovsky piece? It looks in part like David Popper's, but not quite all of it. You may purchase a fun arrangement for 4 cellos <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.ovationpress.com/p-789-chanson-triste-for-cello-quartet.aspx" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="here">here</a>.</p><p><strong>Book 5</strong></p><p>Nos 1-4 - Who realized the figured bass for Vivaldi? It would be more useful to use the RV40 number instead of the Op. 14 number.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/376668/6a2bfd62c154a50c5ead5700a48facc5ddbc7e47/original/image.png/!!/meta%3AeyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ%3D%3D.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p>No. 7 - This Goltermann movement is not a Rondo. There is no source or 20th-century edition of the Concerto that calls it a “Rondo.” This movement is actually in “sonatina” form, a sonata form without development. Other famous pieces in this form are Rossini's Overtures to The Barber of Seville and La Gazza Ladra, Mozart's Overture to the Marriage of Figaro, and Tchaikovsky's first movement from the String Serenade, Op. 48.</p><p><strong>Book 6</strong></p><p>Breval's "Concerto No. 2" is in fact Sonata Op. 28, No. 1, Rondo. Breval/Feuillard "concertos" and "concertinos" have nothing to do with Breval's original concertos. Concertos composed by Breval are brilliant works, similar to concertos by Haydn, Boccherini, Danzi, and Reicha. Feuillard's arrangements date back to the 1930s. You may purchase the Urtext edition of the original Breval Sonata <a class="no-pjax" href="https://artisticscoreng.gumroad.com/l/sfbAnv" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="here">here</a>.</p><p><strong>Book 7</strong></p><p>No. 1 - Many of the pieces in Eccles's collection <i>Premier livre de sonates a violon seul et la basse</i> have been identified as plagiarism. The "allegro" or more accurately, the "Courante" presented in the Suzuki Cello School is by Francesco Bonporti, from his Invention Op. 10, No. 4. It is very questionable that the "Grave" is by Eccles. It would also be useful to know whose cello transcription is in the Suzuki Method.</p><p>No. 4 - As far as musical hoaxes go, the "von Paradis" Sicilienne is at the top with the "Albinoni" Adagio and the "Frescobaldi" Toccata. This piece is in fact by Samuel Dushkin, not von Paradis. This piece is directly based on Kreisler's arrangement of Weber's Larghetto from Violin Sonata, Op. 10, No. 1.</p><p><strong>Book 8</strong> </p><p>The misattribution of the famous "Sammartini" Cello Sonata can be traced back to Moffat and Burmester. The version of the sonata used in the Suzuki Method is actually by Martin Berteau. Mvt. III is also found in a set of 12 Cello Sonatas Op. 1 (Sonata No. 8) by Giuseppe dall'Abaco. The thematic idea is based on dall'Abaco's Sonata No. 8, mvt. I. Did Berteau plagiarize? Maybe. Or maybe dall'Abaco plagiarized from Berteau. Sammartini has nothing to do with this piece.</p><p><strong>Book 10</strong></p><p>The famous "Boccherini" Concerto in B-flat major comes from Grützmacher's Hohe Schule des Violoncellspiels (Nr.6). This work is a re-orchestrated medley of several concertos by Boccherini. <br>Mvt. I - Concertos G. 482, 477 and 478<br>Mvt. II - Concerto G. 480<br>Mvt. III - Concertos G. 482 and 477</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64071502020-08-11T11:52:55-04:002023-09-25T08:07:13-04:00Critical Notes Series: Prokofiev's Cello Sonata, Op. 119<p>Review: Prokofiev Cello Sonata Op. 119 (Hans Sikorski 2001 revised edition) </p><p>Prokofiev's Cello Sonata, Op. 119 is a masterpiece cellists are lucky to have in our repertoire. It comes from Prokofiev's collaboration with cellist Mstislav Rostropovich. Other cello works of this period include the Sinfonia Concertante, Op. 125, the unfinished Solo Sonata, op. 133, and the unfinished Concertino, Op. 132. The tried and true editions of the Op. 119 Sonata are Peters and IMC. IMC is basically a reprint (photocopy) of the Peters. Both editions include a cello part edited by Rostropovich. This somber, witty, majestic work can be faithfully rendered using one of these 2 editions.</p><p>In 2001, Sikorski decided to release a newly engraved "revised" edition. In many cases, revised editions are welcomed, especially when the composer initiates the revision. But in this case, Prokofiev had been dead for almost a half-century. This piece had been codified in standard and composer-approved form since the 1950s. The new edition, poorly engraved, and printed on glossy paper, was at best an unnecessary marketing ploy.</p><p>Although there are two corrections in mm. 100 and 102 of the first movement with regards to expressive text and rhythm in the piano (see below), the additional errors outweigh the two corrections. There are 2 spots that look like plausible alternative readings, but I wouldn't spend twice as much money for new music for 2 notes, especially since you will not find these notes in any recording by Rostropovich. Typography suffers greatly, especially in the finale where the ossia appears in the same size as the main text. There is a place with a wrong key signature in the RH of the piano, as well as out-of-place key signatures in a couple of spots. I would not recommend this edition to anyone who is serious about studying this piece.</p><p>Below is a list of things that are present in the Sikorski edition that are not present in the IMC, Peters, and Leeds Music.</p><p><strong>CELLO PART </strong></p><p><strong>Movement 1</strong></p><p>m.27 - sul G (mistake); the Russian edition has this, too - should be sul C <br>m.58 - > on note 1 – In Russian edition, too <br>m.100 - "con espressione drammatica" (corrected adjective) <br>m.199, note 4 - C (mistake) - should be A <br>m.208 - chords 3 and 4, top note G (mistake), needs to be F#<br>m.215 - etc. harmonic sign used for thumb (odd notation) </p><p><strong>Movement 2</strong> </p><p>m.28 - different slurring (mistake?) <br>m.80, note 1 - eighth note (Peters Edition) 2 sixteenths (Sikorski and Russian edition)<br>m.110 - <i><strong>mf</strong></i> removed </p><p><strong>Movement 3</strong></p><p>m.29 - tremolo (mistake) – not played by Rostropovich <br>m.63 - accidental added on a tie (not needed) <br>m.80 - courtesy <i><strong>p</strong></i> added <br>m.84, note 2 - D# (mistake) - should be an E <br>m.156, note 10 - D (mistake) - should be B-flat<br>m.161, note 8 - F (mistake), needs to be an E-flat<br>m.214 - beats 3 and 4 slurred (mistake?) </p><p><strong>PIANO PART </strong></p><p><strong>Movement 1</strong></p><p>mm.23-24 - slur (mistake)<br>mm.59-61 all slurred together (badly placed slur) <br>mm.101-102 - rhythm fixed (previously wrong in the Russian edition and Peters/IMC) <br>m.134 - “poco rit.” on first beat - In Russian edition on third beat </p><p><strong>Movement 2</strong></p><p>m.4 - RH flat accidental missing on both E’s<br>m. 28, beat 3 - F natural (mistake) - should be F# <br>m. 31 - LH lower voice must be a D, not an F<br>m.69 - RH wrong key signature! </p><p><strong>Movement 3</strong></p><p>m.29 - VLC and RH key signature misplaced <br>mm. 60-61 - RH has E-flat and F-flat (mistake), needs to be E-double flat and F-natural (thanks Carlos Avila for the tip)<br>m.94, beat 4 - RH B (mistake, see parallel passage in mm.96 and 98) - should be a C <br>m.138, beat 1 - RH low D (mistake) - should be C's in octaves <br>m.192, beat 3 - A-flat (mistake, see parallel passage in m.193) - should be B-flat <br>m.194, beat 3 - A-flat octave lower <br>m.200 - the ossia is HUGE and it's on top, making the main text difficult to read <br>m.206 - RH of ossia, note 2 no E octave (mistake) <br>m.206 - ossia not lined up with the main text</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/64068272020-08-10T21:45:39-04:002023-09-25T07:55:55-04:00Critical Notes Series: Shostakovich's Cello Sonata<p>Shostakovich's Cello Sonata, Op. 40 turned 86 years old this year. This work is a staple of most professionals' and advanced students' repertoires. This position is well-deserved. The cello sonata very much reflects the style of Shostakovich's Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5, even sharing several themes and motives. Shostakovich uses classical/romantic-era forms for the movements: the sonata-arch form, ABA, ABA/developing variations hybrid, and rondo, respectively. Many of us grew up playing this sonata from the IMC/Peters editions. These days it's popular to use the DSCH edition in some circles.</p><p>DSCH is the new kid on the block, and promotes itself as the "Urtext edition." But how true is that? Did you know that there are actually 3 "types" of editions of this work? The first edition (Triton, 1935) grew out of the composer's manuscript. This is the edition Shostakovich recorded with Daniil Shafran. This edition led to the Leeds Music publication by Gregor Piatigorsky. The second edition (1960) is the one that Shostakovich settled on, recording it with Mstislav Rostropovich. This is the same edition that is used by Rostropovich's students in all the recordings we know and love. The second edition was the basis of the IMC, Peters, and Sikorski editions. Undoubtedly, this edition influenced us all, growing up in the 1970s-2000s, and continues to influence us. </p><p>These days "Urtext" is all the rage. We have major publishers fighting for the title of best "Urtext." But is "Urtext best? "At one time, when replying to a letter from Dobrokhotov asking, ‘How should I approach performing the Sonata, what should I take as the basis—the notation of the author’s manuscript or the numerous additions found in the work’s editions?’, Shostakovich wrote: ‘Life during these years has moved on, there are many interpretations, but I think it can be played by precisely following the notation of my manuscript. For the manuscript appeared at the time the Sonata was composed when its music rang very clearly in my inner ear. I think this is the only place to find the truth…’" (<a class="no-pjax" href="http://www.shostakovich.ru/en/opus/40" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="from an artilcle on shostakovich.ru">from an article on shostakovich.ru</a>). That seems to settle the debate. Look back at the manuscript!</p><p>The DSCH edition of the Cello Sonata came on the scene in 1996. This edition was based on the complete works edition (1982), which was in turn based on the 1971 edition edited by Victor Kubatsky, the dedicatee of the work. Although Shostakovich did OK Kubatky's changes for publication, this was the first Russian edition to carry Kubatsky's name on it. The short version of the story is that Shostakovich <strong>did not</strong> initiate the production of this edition. This edition (1971) has existed all during the time of Gutman, Geringas, Georgian, and other major recording artists who recorded this piece (many of them Rostropovich students). Yet all of them recorded the second edition, the one that Rostropovich played, and Shostakovich preferred.</p><p>I would like to urge my readers not to throw out their IMC, Peters, and old Sikorski editions for the DSCH. Of course, by all means, consult the DSCH, to see what changes Kubatsky made 37 years after the work's conception. But please hear Shostakovich's voice in that the truth will be found in his own manuscript.</p><p>If you have the IMC, Peters, or the old SIkorski editions, I would like to offer you some alternative readings of passages based on the first edition below.</p><p><strong>Movement 1:</strong></p><p>m. 1 - tempo: Moderato q=116 in MS and first edition; Allegro non troppo q=138 in second edition<br>m. 31, beat 3 - piano has a <i><strong>p </strong></i>in MS and first edition<br>m. 54 - tempo: q=100<br>mm. 68-70 - cello plays G-Bb-C#-F# with the piano left hand; G is missing from the piano in the MS and first edition<br>m. 103, beat 2 - dim. hairpin missing on the cello line of the piano score in the second edition<br>mm. 123-125 - cello plays the pizz. notes staccato with the bow in the MS.<br>m. 145 - piano has a dim. after <i><strong>f </strong></i>in the MS and first edition<br>m. 158 - piano has a dim. in the MS and first edition<br>m. 161 - poco rit. in the MS and first edition<br>m. 164 - a tempo in the MS and first edition<br>m. 170 - rit. in the MS and first edition<br>m. 172 - a tempo in the MS and first edition<br>mm. 184-186 - cello plays F#-A-D with the piano left hand; F# is missing from the piano in the MS and first edition</p><p><strong>Movement 2:</strong></p><p>m. 1 - tempo: Moderato con moto q=152 in MS and first edition; Allegro q=176 in second edition<br>m. 80 - piano plays <i><strong>ppp </strong></i>in MS and first edition<br>mm. 123-140 - cello is marked sul ponticello in the MS<br> </p><p><strong>Movement 3:</strong></p><p>The MS has this entire movement played con sord. for the cello.<br>mm. 98-101 - cello plays those notes as artificial harmonics on the G string</p><p><strong>Movement 4:</strong></p><p>m. 1 - tempo: Allegretto q=152 in MS and first edition; Allegro q=176 in second edition<br>m. 97 - accel. in MS and first edition (very obvious in the Shafran recording)<br>m. 103 - Più mosso q=160 in MS and first edition<br>m. 151 - rit. poco a poco in MS and first edition<br>mm. 153-154 - cello is staccato on one bow, as in mm. 151-152<br>m. 172 - cello has an 8th note B with a staccato mark in the MS<br>m. 181 - q=184 in MS and first edition<br>mm. 223-227 - cello The does not have the lower octave in MS<br>m. 223, beat 2 - cello has a <i><strong>ff</strong></i><strong> </strong>in the MS (add treble clef in IMC cello part before beat 2)<br>m. 227, beat 2 - cello has a <i><strong>fff</strong></i> in the MS<br>m. 256 - senza rit. in MS and first edition<br>m. 278, beat 2 - cresc<i>.</i> missing on the cello line of the piano score in the second edition</p><p>Here is a list of a few peculiarities in 1971/1982/DSCH I would like my readers to be aware of. I will use the DSCH bar numbering for the first movement (it's different from the other editions). </p><p><strong>Movement 1</strong> </p><p>m. 39 - slur on beat 1<br>m. 64, beats 2 and 3 - half note instead of 2 quarters<br>m. 102-103 - all downs <br>m. 121 - 5th note F instead of G <br>m. 167 - split and accented A <br>m. 225 - faster tempo - Shafran and Rostropovich do pick up the tempo to a quarter note in the 90s</p><p><strong>Movement 2</strong></p><p>m. 72/194 - no octave on 2nd note <br>m. 73/195 - octave on 1st note (why?) <br>mm. 76-87/112-118 - 2 bows per bar instead of 1 <br>mm. 102-103 - downward arpeggio with a resolution instead of m. 100 repeated<br>mm. 205 - arco on second beat instead of pizz. </p><p><strong>Movement 4</strong></p><p>mm. 65-68 detache <br>m. 222 2 quarters instead of 4 8ths <br>mm. 223-235 - no trills <br>m. 331 - arco instead of pizz.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/63802222020-07-09T20:30:17-04:002020-07-10T11:48:10-04:00Critical Notes Series: New Studio Album Announcement<p>On July 20, I will be releasing my first studio album called <em>Classical Sonatas for Two Cellos, Volume 1</em>. The album includes 7 sonatas by Jean-Baptiste Bréval and 1 sonata by Bernhard Romberg. I'm dedicating this album to my students, who meticulously study these works. My hope is that this studio album will be enjoyed by all who hear this beautiful music, not just cello students. You may pre-order the album at this link: <a contents="https://yuriyleonovich.com/album/1639423/classical-sonatas-for-two-cellos-volume-1" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/album/1639423/classical-sonatas-for-two-cellos-volume-1">https://yuriyleonovich.com/album/1639423/classical-sonatas-for-two-cellos-volume-1</a> Once it is released, the album will be available on Spotify, Amazon Music, iTunes, and other popular streaming services.</p>
<p>The release of this album coincides with the project I am currently working on with long-time friend Michele Galvagno (owner of <a contents="Artistic Score Engraving" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://artisticscoreengraving.wordpress.com" target="_blank">Artistic Score Engraving</a>). This project includes the publication of Bréval's 18 sonatas for 2 cellos (Opp. 12, 28, and 40) in a critical edition with a fingered and bowed cello 1 part. As an extension of this project, I recorded a studio album where Bréval's 6 Cello Sonatas, Op. 40, Romberg's Cello Sonata, Op. 43, No. 1 are world premiere recordings in their original form. The edition of Bréval's Op. 40 may be purchased <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://gum.co/BSRji" target="_blank">here</a> and Op. 28 <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://gum.co/sfbAnv" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p><em>Bré</em><em>val: Six Sonatas, Op. 40</em></p>
<p>This set of six sonatas is subtitled "non difficiles pour le violoncelle, avec Accompagnement d’une Basse." As we can see, these sonatas are meant for students. The "bass" accompaniment is meant for a second cello, perhaps the teacher. In his own <em>Traité du violoncelle,</em> Bréval states that the bass and the cello are one and the same. All of Bréval's sonatas on this album are in 2 movements. The first movements are all marked "Allegro" and are composed in sonata form. The second movements of these sonatas vary from five-part rondos (Op. 40, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 6), to sonata form (No. 5), to theme and variations (No. 4). Bréval called the rondos of Nos. 1 and 3 "Rondo grazioso," perhaps because of their pastoral nature in 6/8 time, other rondos being in 2/4 time.</p>
<p>Although <em>Sonata No. 1</em> is world-famous, being included in the Suzuki Method and arranged countless times for cello and piano, and other instrumentations, it was originally composed for 2 cellos. Undoubtedly, it sounds the best in this form. This work begins with a 2-bar introduction, consisting of 3 chords (a cadential figure). The introduction is not repeated with the exposition section. In the Rondo grazioso, both Schroeder and Feuillard did a bit of recomposition, which included removing one bar from each of the rondo statements, making a sixteen-bar phrase into fifteen bars.</p>
<p><em>Sonata No. 2</em> begins with a first movement that is far less adventurous than the <em>Sonata No. 1</em>; but where it lacks in interest in the first it more than makes up with a fiery Rondo. Unfortunately, this Rondo is gelded by Feuillard when he placed it as a slow movement of the so-called <em>Concertino No. 2</em>.</p>
<p><em>Sonata No. 3</em> opening movement may be taken at a faster tempo because it lacks triplets, which other sonatas in this opus have. The fourth section of the Rondo grazioso is in G minor with a Hungarian/Turkish flavor, as was popular to have in music of the Classical Era, i.e. Haydn's "Gypsy" Rondo and Mozart's A major Violin Concerto finale. The Rondo grazioso is also used by Feuillard as the finale in the so-called <em>Concerto No. 1.</em></p>
<p><em>Sonata No. 4</em> contains an Aria with variations for its finale. Although variation movements usually contained more than two variations on a theme, more commonly four, seven or twelve, having two variations in a student sonata helps the aspiring cellist to become familiar with the form. </p>
<p><em>Sonata No. 5</em> is best known in Feuillard's arrangement as <em>Concertino No. 3</em>, which was popularized by the seven-year-old Yo-Yo Ma in his performance for John F. Kennedy in 1962. The finale is a nostalgic minuet, with an abrupt C major modulation in the development section. </p>
<p><em>Sonata No. 6</em> begins with a martial first movement, so far the most rhythmically interesting opening movement in the set. It was used by Feuillard for his so-called <em>Concerto No. 2,</em> and is best known in that form. The finale is another brisk Rondo, closely related to the one from <em>Sonata No. 2.</em></p>
<p><em>Bréval: Sonata, Op. 28, No. 1</em></p>
<p>Bréval's Six Sonatas, Op. 28 are more advanced than Op. 40. The majority of those sonatas are composed in tenor clef, although the range does not go above the A harmonic. Bréval explores more advanced bow techniques as well. The first sonata is this set is a bright and happy D major. The opening movement begins with a stately fanfare. The Rondo is best known in Feuillard's arrangement under the title <em>Concerto No.2</em> in the Suzuki Method. However, unlike the arrangement, this movement does not use the thumb position.</p>
<p><em>Romberg: Sonata Op. 43, No. 1</em> </p>
<p>Romberg was a great virtuoso of Beethoven's and Paganini's generation. He earned the title of "Paganini of the Cello." His ten cello concertos make it obvious that he deserved this title. Arguably, Romberg's concertos are on par with Beethoven's piano concertos, being far from student concertos. We can thank Schroeder and Gruetzmacher for maiming these great works, making them into "student concertos."</p>
<p>Romberg did write many works dedicated to students. His <em>Three Sonatas, Op. 43</em> have withstood the test of time and are still being taught around the world today. Unfortunately, the 2 editions that are typically used, by Gruetzmacher and by Jansen, are recomposed and highly edited. Like the Bréval sonatas, Romberg's Op. 43 is also for 2 cellos. Since these sonatas are part of my teaching curriculum, I wanted to offer my students a studio recording that they can have at their fingertips. The current album includes the first sonata in the set. I hope to record the other two for Volume 2. I also recently released Urtext editions of Romberg's <a contents="Op. 43" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/romberg-3-sonatas-op-43-for-2-cellos-urtext-edition-digital-sheet-music/21803716?ac=1" target="_blank">Op. 43</a> and <a contents="Op. 38" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/romberg-3-trios-sonatas-op-38-urtext-edition-digital-sheet-music/21813760?ac=1" target="_blank">Op. 38</a>.</p>
<p> </p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/63148862020-05-13T12:13:45-04:002021-06-29T08:06:56-04:00New Publication Newsletter: May 2020<p><strong>New Publication Newsletter: May 2020</strong></p>
<p>We have 6 new editions out this month. As many of us are making more music at home, we hope to bring brightness and a gift of music to our lives.</p>
<p><a contents="Arensky - Romanza, from Symphohy No. 2" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668629">Arensky - Romanza, from Symphony No. 2</a></p>
<p>This Romanza is the centerpiece of Arensky's Second Symphony. In the orchestral score, the cello solo takes the center stage. This arrangement retains as much of the solo as possible, adding the solo horn part to fill out the rest. It's a gem of a piece, suitable for a recital or a special occasion.</p>
<p><a contents="Haydn -&nbsp; First Movement Cadenza to&nbsp;Cello Concerto in D major" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/21766886">Haydn - First Movement Cadenza to Cello Concerto in D major</a></p>
<p>Cellists are always looking for new cadenzas to play in classical concertos. I wrote this cadenza when I was on the audition trail. I hope that this cadenza can serve our cello community. </p>
<p><a contents="Klengel - Serenade and Humoreque, Op. 5" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668630">Klengel - Serenade and Humoresque, Op. 5</a></p>
<p>These two short pieces are best known as works for cello quartet. For the first time, these are available for cello and piano. Serenade and Humoresque are a perfect pair to open a recital or for a special occasion. The Serenade is especially suitable for wedding prelude music or a funeral.</p>
<p><a contents="Pleyel - Sonata for Pianoforte and Violoncello, Ben. 436" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668628">Pleyel - Sonata for Pianoforte and Violoncello, Ben. 436</a></p>
<p>This sonata was originally composed for piano with obbligato violin and cello. Subsequently, Pleyel arranged it for piano and flute. This edition has taken ideas from both Pleyel versions and has produced a historically-informed transcription for piano and cello, in line with the tradition of the 1780s. This happy work is bound to brighten any recital program. Although both piano and cello are more or less equal partners, this work should be billed as "Sonata for Pianoforte and Violoncello," as was the custom of the period.</p>
<p><a contents="Tchaikovsky - Aveu Passionne" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668631">Tchaikovsky - Aveu Passionne</a></p>
<p>Tchaikovsky's Aveu passionne (Passionate Confession) makes a great recital opener. It's best known as a solo piano piece and the slow section of Tchaikovsky's Voyevoda Symphonic Ballad.</p>
<p><a contents="Tchaikovsky - October, from The Seasons, Op. 37b, No. 10" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/668649">Tchaikovsky - October, from The Seasons, Op. 37b, No. 10</a></p>
<p>Tchaikovsky's October is a very well-known extract from the piano cycle, The Seasons, Op. 37b. Nicknamed "Autumn Song," this piece is reflective and melancholy. It makes a great recital opener or music for a funeral. In fact, it was played at the funeral of the famous cellist Mstislav Rostropovich.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/62964502020-04-27T20:38:44-04:002023-09-25T08:08:20-04:00Hommage to Gaspar Cassadó<p>Gaspar Cassadó has been my favorite cellist-composer for half of my life now. His music provides variety and imagination. His arrangements are especially well-crafted. As someone who arranges music almost daily, I look up to Cassadó for inspiration. Although the majority of our repertoire is different, our taste in music is similar. Cassadó is one person I wish I could spend a week with (not just a day) talking about music.</p><p>Most of us play the music we love. Likewise, we arrange music we love, at least the music we arrange for ourselves to play. When I look at Cassadó's list of arrangements, I see some of my all-time favorite works: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/664830" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="C.P.E. Bach's A-major Cello Concerto">C.P.E. Bach's A-major Cello Concerto</a>, Tchaikovsky's 18 Piano Pieces, Chopin's "Aeolian Harp" Etude, Saint-Saëns's Bourree for Left Hand, Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony slow movement, Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier. Some of Cassadó's works are not readily available, like the ones that only exist in manuscript form. Because I love the works in his catalog so much, I started making my own arrangements of these pieces as an homage to my favorite cellist-composer. I have never seen his arrangements of the Saint-Saens Bourree or Tchaikovsky's Fifth, but I know how I would like to interpret them. Last year, I made an arrangement of the Saint-Saëns for cello solo (available <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651203" data-link-type="url" contents="here">here</a>). I'm currently working on an arrangement of <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/690591" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Tchaikovsky's Fifth slow movement">Tchaikovsky's Fifth slow movement</a> for cello and piano. As for <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/682924" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="Der Rosenkavalier">Der Rosenkavalier</a>, that's a future project.</p><p>Something I've found interesting is Cassadó's choice of F major for his arrangements of C.P.E. Bach's Concerto, Chopin's "Aeolian Harp" Etude, Mozart's Piano Four-hands Sonata, Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3, and, of course, J.S. Bach's Fourth Suite. Cassadó definitely changed the keys of other works he arranged (something I'm reluctant to do), but it's curious why he chose F major for these five works. C.P.E. Bach works perfectly in the original key of A major. Other arrangers like Ferdinand Pollain and Lynn Harrell have transposed parts of the concerto up an octave, but I'm partial to the original key and octave. Chopin is not super idiomatic in F major (original key is A-flat). I think I would prefer the "Aeolian Harp" in G or even C major. Mozart works really well in F major (original key B-flat). I admire the authentic approach that Cassadó took in this four-hand sonata.</p><p>Of the five pieces transposed into F major, we can hear Cassadó's own recording of Bach's E-flat Suite. No doubt, it's much brighter than the original E-flat major. Upon listening to Cassadó's recording, we note that he avails himself of the open A string every chance he gets. Perhaps this is a reaction to the E-flat Suite being such a monster to play, hardly ever using open strings in the original key. Bach's Suites Nos. 1-5 only go up to the written G in the fourth position. By transposing the E-flat Suite to F, a handful of A harmonics become available to Cassadó. But he plays each one solidly with vibrato. As a gift to my readers, I would like to include here my own version of Bach's E-flat Suite transposed to F, as an hommage to Cassadó. This edition is largely based on my <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651209" data-link-type="url" contents="Bach Suites Edition">Bach Suites Edition</a>. I entered just a handful of notes that Cassadó plays on his recording. The slurring in my edition is still according to Kellner's manuscript, as are dynamics. Thank you for supporting my work.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/937619dea39100af81250e7ee12c721a39dc6173/original/bach-cello-suite-no-4-in-f-major-after-cassado-violoncello-page-01.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/397e9e526d4bc4446206263773b771514bf728fc/original/bach-cello-suite-no-4-in-f-major-after-cassado-violoncello-page-02.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/2172aa3d9e7505d97344d5ce1e294c6633014349/original/bach-cello-suite-no-4-in-f-major-after-cassado-violoncello-page-03.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/19ca20b2e11e6994628c61174042e665e4c82a5f/original/bach-cello-suite-no-4-in-f-major-after-cassado-violoncello-page-04.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/b4c6f2276f8356a17e0c6dac4eaced4eac5cbb3c/original/bach-cello-suite-no-4-in-f-major-after-cassado-violoncello-page-05.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/167d95e9110df8d8f5766e740a8d3416f61fddcb/original/bach-cello-suite-no-4-in-f-major-after-cassado-violoncello-page-06.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/11462a3b8ff8ce246663b82d206ef392dd889451/original/bach-cello-suite-no-4-in-f-major-after-cassado-violoncello-page-07.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/4bc5b13becf07cab51f078acd5c571ba3855ce66/original/bach-cello-suite-no-4-in-f-major-after-cassado-violoncello-page-08.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/5b882fb2d16e1c2811946f7a4224a518cb1ee51a/original/bach-cello-suite-no-4-in-f-major-after-cassado-violoncello-page-09.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/4d36f26995ebcdc6e4593469d346cbcd480696ad/original/bach-cello-suite-no-4-in-f-major-after-cassado-violoncello-page-10.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/6e4b02ee013ce748cb06b7dfbfd4ae2d9d1450db/original/bach-cello-suite-no-4-in-f-major-after-cassado-violoncello-page-11.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/62897602020-04-21T20:45:25-04:002021-06-29T08:12:56-04:00Critical Notes Series: Klengel's Concertino No. 1, Op. 7<p>For this Installment of "Critical Notes Series," I would like to introduce my newest, long-awaited orchestration of Klengel's Concertino No. 1 for cello and orchestra. Klengel never orchestrated this work, leaving it for cello and piano, as with the other two concertinos. For some, Concertino No. 1 is the first concerto in their repertoire. In my pedagogical curriculum, Concertino No. 1 follows either Romberg's Sonata Op. 43, No. 2 or Goltermann's Concerto No. 4. This Concertino shares many traits with Romberg and Goltermann's works. With Romberg, it shares the brilliant C major arpeggio opening (both in tonic and dominant), a 3-part exposition, a pastoral, F-major slow movement, and a quirky rondo with similar melodic outlines. With Goltermann, the Concertino shares similar accompaniment figures and the early romantic flair of Beethoven.</p>
<p>Before I knew that there was a popular demand for this piece to be orchestrated, I wanted to play it with a string quartet. Here is the first page of my first attempt to orchestrate it 20 years ago as a teenager.<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/e235c33da2d0c16e3591005416ece04d97959731/original/klengel-1.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>At the time, I was just learning how to use Finale 97. This orchestration might have had a bass part, too, but I don't have all the parts anymore. I've revisited some of my projects from high school. Some of these include the rewriting of my Rusalka Fantasie and reusing themes from my old compositions. The Klengel Concertino has been on my mind to redo for the last 15 years or so. Since I began teaching it as part of my core curriculum, I got a greater urge to orchestrate it for my students. From time to time, I've seen cellists asking about an orchestration on the Internet Cello Society, which kept reminding me that I have this piece sitting on the back burner. Finally, the spring quarantine of 2020 got me working on this long-neglected project. I've had 20 years to develop ideas about how to approach orchestration. Every time I accompany my students on the piano, I hear orchestral instruments in my head, so much of this orchestration wrote itself. It took me about a week to enter all of my ideas the way I imagined them.</p>
<p>The outer movements sound very much like Beethoven and Romberg, so I took a late classical/early romantic approach to orchestrate those. The slow movement is dark and introverted, typical of Klengel's slow movements. I decided to leave the flutes, oboes, the first horn, and first violins out of the slow movement orchestration. Here is the first page of the new orchestration.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/1da6d6e35f55e6e4213ba0a52cad22c6ac00dfee/original/klengel-2.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" />The reason why I included this orchestration in my "Critical Notes Series" is because I made many corrections to the cello part, including adding missing accidentals, fixing articulations, hairpins, slurring, etc. These errors are in the Breikopf and International Music Company editions. I used Klengel's original fingerings, but sometimes there were clear errors with regards to the number or placement. Some of the corrections were also reflected in the orchestra parts, as the Breitkopf piano part also had a few mistakes. I used editorial marks such as brackets and dashed slurs and hairpins. </p>
<p>I took some liberties with orchestration, like adding a march rhythm in the timpani in the beginning, but for the most part, I tried to stay as close to Klengel's text as possible. Mine is not the first orchestration of this work, and probably not the last, but I tried to create an authentic-sounding instrumentation that would add power and emotion to this already great student concerto.</p>
<p>My orchestration is now available on Sheet Music Plus for purchase. Please follow these links purchase or see examples: <a contents="Orchestra Score" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651319">Orchestra Score</a> and <a contents="Orchestra/Solo Parts" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/651320" target="_blank">Orchestra/Solo Parts</a>. You may also hear a NotePerformer 3.3 performance of it here on <a contents="YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/EvWaWZOmX9I">YouTube</a> with a scrolling piano part for comparison. I've added and revised a couple of small things after posting the audio on YouTube, but the additions shouldn't be too noticeable.</p>
<p>I hope that this new score will become as much of a staple as the work itself.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/62752062020-04-10T12:46:09-04:002023-09-25T08:09:40-04:00Critical Notes Series: Kabalevsky's Cello Concerto No. 2<p>What an amazing work! Hearing just the first and last bars of the piece should inspire the listener to want to hear the entire concerto. The only thing standing in the way of its popularity is the lack of a fast and flashy ending like Prokofiev's Sinfonia and Shostakovich's First. In my opinion, Kabalevsky's Second lacks nothing; it has memorable themes, tightly constructed forms, and plenty of virtuosic passages. It even has a saxophone soloist in the second movement.</p><p>In the last 20 years, Kabalevsky's Second has been gaining traction among cellists. Fortunately for us, this work was recorded with the composer at the podium, and the dedicatee as the soloist. As more cellists are playing the work, I would like to bring up a few common errors and alternate readings of some passages. In reality, there are 5 sources to this work: the first edition orchestral score, the first edition (1966, commonly the Sikorski edition) for cello and piano, a revised edition (1979) for cello and piano, as well as the recording with the composer and dedicatee. There was a new edition recently engraved by Schirmer.</p><p>Below, I list the most common errors and divergences among sources.</p><p><strong>First movement</strong></p><p>2nd bar of reh. 4 - First edition score: notes 2 and 3 are tied. Shafran plays them tied. 1966 and 1979 solo parts have these separate</p><p>2 bars before reh. 6 - Score, 1966 piano reduction (PR), and 1979: notes 2 and 3 are tied. Shafran plays them tied.1966 has these separate.</p><p>2 bars before reh. 12 - Score and 1966: notes 3, 4, and 5 are G#, A, and A, respectively. The 1979 and PR correct these to A, A#, and A#, respectively, to keep the pattern.</p><p>3 bars before reh. 13 - Score, PR, and 1966: dotted-half tied to an eighth note. 1979: one double-dotted half (same rhythm)</p><p>1 bar before reh. 17, beat 2 - Score: double stop with an added C natural on the bottom. Other sources do not have this note. Shafran does not play it.</p><p>1 bar before reh. 17, beat 3 - Score: double stop with an added Cb on the bottom. Other sources do not have this note. Shafran does not play it.</p><p>1 bar before reh. 18 - 1966: note 5(Gb) is missing. Fixed in 1979, and present in all other sources.</p><p>2 bars before reh. 23 - Score: notes 2 and 3 are tied. Shafran plays them tied. 1966 and 1979 have these separate.</p><p>1 bar before reh. 25 - 1966: missing a natural on note 1. Present in all other sources.</p><p><strong>Cadenza I</strong></p><p>m. 2, beat 4 - Score: bottom note is an Eb. Rest of the sources have a G. Shafran plays a G.</p><p>m. 3, beat 4 - Score: middle note is an Eb. Rest of the sources have a G. Shafran plays a G.</p><p>m. 4, beat 4 - 1979: middle note is an F. Rest of the sources have an Ab. Shafran plays an F.</p><p>m. 12 - 1979: "acceler. e poco a poco cresc." Score: in m. 14. 1966: in m. 13</p><p>m. 17, beat 3 and pickup to m. 18, bottom voice - Score and PR: Eb/G. 1966: E nat./Ab. 1979: E nat./G. Shafran plays E flat/G.</p><p>m. 27, beat 2: Score and piano reduction: middle note is a G natural. 1966 and 1979: Gb. Shafran plays G natural.</p><p>bars 3-4 before reh. 26 - Shafran plays the pizz. passage as arco.</p><p><strong>Second movement</strong></p><p>1 bar before reh. 32 - Score, PR, and 1966: notes 1 and 2 are slurred. 1979: notes 2 and 3 have a 16th note tremolo on each. Shafran plays 16th-note tremolos on all three notes.</p><p>4th bar of reh. 68 - 1966: note 3 is a G. All other sources have a B. Shafran plays a B.</p><p><strong>Cadenza II</strong></p><p>m. 58 - Shafran plays a double stop with an A a 6th below the F. This is not reflected in any other sources.</p><p>5th bar of reh. 84 - 1979: grace note open C before note 1. Shafran plays this note. The rest of the sources do not have this note.</p><p><strong>Third movement</strong></p><p>3rd bar of reh. 89 (NB these bars are divided with a dotted barline) - 1966: notes 16 and 17 are Gb and Eb, respectively. Other sources have Eb and Bb, respectively.</p><p>3 bars before reh. 94 - 1966: note 3 is an F#. Other sources have a G. Shafran plays a G.</p><p>2nd bar of reh. 94 - 1966: note 8 is a G. Other sources have a F#. Shafran plays a F#.</p><p>3rd bar of reh. 94 - 1966 and 1979: notes 16 and 17 are G and E, respectively. Other sources have E and B, respectively.</p><p>bar 5 of reh. 98 - Shafran plays a mordent on note 3. This is not reflected in other sources.</p><p>bars 1-4 of reh. 100 - Score: the tremolo C with a bass octave. 1966 and PR: bass octave is optional. 1979: bar 1 has no bass octave and bars 2-4 have a bass octave.</p><p>5th bar of reh. 103 - 1979: missing the 4/4 time signature change.</p><p>6th bar of reh. 103 - 1979: missing the 3/4 time signature change.</p><p>5th bar of reh 105 - 1966 and 1979: cresc. hairpin. Shafran plays this hairpin.</p><p>bars 6-7 of reh 105 - 1966 and 1979: dim. hairpin. Shafran plays this hairpin.</p><p>bars 5-7 of reh. 105 - Score and PR: dim. hairpin.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/62751932020-04-07T19:23:08-04:002023-09-25T08:11:17-04:00Critical Notes Series: Bloch's Schelomo<p>I am starting a new series to give insight into common mistakes found in editions, as well as to point out common performance practices of works for cello. Because there is so much information written on the subject concerning works like Bach's 6 Suites, Beethoven's Sonatas, and Dvorak's Concerto, I will concentrate on works that have not received such extensive treatment. </p><p>Last year I published the solo cello part of Bloch's Schelomo: <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/644104" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="without fingerings">without fingerings</a> and <a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/product/644108" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="with fingerings">with fingerings</a>. This edition is fully based on Bloch's autograph, which he corrected in 1920 with vital information never before published in a cello solo part. Some of this information was already present in the orchestral score published by G. Schirmer in 1918, yet, for some reason left out by the copyist from the solo part. Bloch's Schelomo is a staple of most professional cellists and advanced students' repertoire. My hope is that my commentary will help those who are veterans of this work as well as students who are learning this masterpiece for the first time. </p><p>The biggest difference between the autograph (A) and the first edition score (EP) is the language; A uses French extensively, as opposed to Italian in the EP. The opening tempo marking in A is "Assez lent (Très librement, comme une cadence)." The same in EP is "Lento moderato (a bene placito, quasi cadenza)." The solo part (ES) and orchestra parts (OP) only say "Lento moderato," leaving out "(a bene placito, quasi cadenza)." However, the piano reduction (E) has "Lento moderato" and "(Très librement, comme une cadence)," mixing the two languages. These observations are consistent throughout the five sources, i.e. "en mesure/misurato" in m. 2, "Plus animé/Più animato" at reh. 1, "intensément expressif/con somma espressione" at reh. 1, etc. </p><p>Another major difference found between A and the other sources is the presentation of the time signatures. In A, the time signature only lists the numerator (when over 4, i.e. 2 instead of 2/4, 3 instead of 3/4, and so on). This was common practice among French composers of the time. The rest of the sources list both the numerator and denominator. </p><p>The rest of the article will concentrate on the smaller details in the solo part that are missing from ES, which are present in A and other sources. I will be using measure numbers consistent with my edition as well as rehearsal (reh.) numbers. </p><p>m. 24 (3rd measure of reh. 2), note 5 - ES and E missing <> <br>m. 28 (reh. 3), note 1 - ES missing forte dynamic <br>m. 39 (reh. 4) - A has "Langoureux [languid] (non troppo vivo)" penciled in <br>m. 44-45 (1 and 2 measures before reh, 5), note 1 - ES and E missing tenuto mark <br>m. 63 (5th measure of reh. 7) - ES missing a clef change to treble clef <br>m. 69 (3 measures before reh. 9), note 3 - ES and E spell the C# as a Db <br>m. 69 (3 measures before reh. 9), note 4 - ES missing <> <br>m. 69-70 (2 and 3 measures before reh. 9), note 5 - A has a staccato dot <br>m. 70 (1 measure before reh. 9), between notes 10 and 11, ES and E have a breath mark (comma) <br>m. 71 (reh. 9) - ES missing "a tempo" <br>m. 85 (2 before reh. 11), after last note - ES missing breath mark <br>m. 124 (reh. 16) - ES and E has a piano dynamic <br>m. 165 (4th of reh. 21) - ES missing 3/4 time signature change <br>m. 172 (5th of reh. 22), note 1 - ES and E missing mezzo forte dynamic <br>m. 184 (reh. 24), note 1 - ES has a mezzo forte dynamic <br>m. 206 (6th of reh. 27), note 1 - A has <> vs. full hairpins in the other sources <br>m. 211 (reh. 28), note 6 - ES has full hairpins, vs. <> in the other sources <br>m. 225 (1 before reh. 30) - ES has "col [sic] 8va ad lib." and E has "ad lib. coll'8va bassa" <br>m. 266 (5 before reh. 35), note 3 - ES and E have a tenuto mark <br>m. 271 (reh. 35), note 1 - A and E have a double-dotted quarter note, vs. tied quarter and dotted eighth notes in EP and ES (same rhythm) <br>m. 276 (1 before reh. 36), note 6 - the C# with the marking "1/4 tone higher" has been interpreted in various ways by many cellists. In the 1910s there was not a standard way of notating quarter tone. Because of the descending nature of the melody, this editor interprets this mark as C that is raised by a 1/4 tone as the most logical, not a C# that is raised by a 1/4 tone. <br>m. 278 (2nd of reh. 36), note 2 - A and E do not have "poco" above the fermata <br>m. 288 (reh. 38), note 1, - ES missing <> <br>m. 291 (4th of reh. 38), note 6 - A and E have a double-dotted quarter note, vs. tied quarter and dotted eighth notes in EP and ES (same rhythm) <br>m. 302 (3rd after reh. 40), note 2 - ES has a sixteenth note, clear rhythmic error <br>m. 317 (4th of reh. 43), notes 2 and 3 A and EP have two thirty-second notes. E has a sixteenth and an eighth note, respectively. <br>m. 317 (4th of reh. 43), notes 7 and 8 – ES has two thirty-second notes. E has a sixteenth and an eighth note, respectively.<br>m. 330 (2 before reh. 45) - ES missing time signature change to 4/4 <br>m. 333 (2nd of reh. 45) - ES needs to have a single measure rest, not a 2-measure multi-measure rest <br>m. 344 (3rd of reh. 47) - A does not have a "mezzo [sic] voce/à demi-voix" <br>m. 352 (3rd of reh. 48), note 2 - ES and E have a piano dynamic</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/60285702019-12-18T09:20:13-05:002023-09-25T08:11:42-04:00Listening to Your Own Playing<p>For over a decade, I've been listening to my own practicing and recording sessions. I've covered the mics, recorders, and other gear in previous posts. In this post, I would like to cover the output source, specifically the headphones.</p><p>My search for the perfect practice headphones started when I wanted to isolate what I was hearing from the mic with minimal noise from the cello. At first, I tried on-ear noise-isolating headphones. Those were a joke; they just distorted the sound. Then someone recommended in-ear monitors, Shure SE215. I was blown away by the quality. This was not your average pair of earbuds. The volume and precision were amazing. Just what I needed. They come with a variety of foam and silicone tips for comfort and isolation needs. Most of all, nothing was sitting on top of my head.</p><p>In a live (miked) setting, in-ear monitors are ideal. You can set the level/panning of the mics to exactly what you need without cutting out a lot of the sound like musician's ear plugs do. I would highly recommend in-ear monitors over the on-ear headphones. My Shure pair served me for about 7 years, unlike average earbuds that break a lot quicker.</p><p>Shure SE215 has 1 driver. After I retired my Shure, I bought Westone UM20, with 2 drivers (bass and treble). The sound on those was a lot smoother than the SE215. UM20 has very good detail, not obscured by the boominess of the bass. I also own Westone UM50 (5 drivers). The 5 drivers work like a multiband EQ. To me, even though the sound is thicker and broader, the UM50 obscures the details and doesn't make as good of practice monitors. UM50 is great for general listening. </p><p>All 3 of the above in-ear monitors are great. It just depends on what you are looking for in sound. If you have a harsh and bright mic, UM50 with smooth that out. If you have bassy or flat mics, SE215 and UM20 are perfect for that setup. Of course, if you are on a small budget or have never tried out in-ear monitors, get the SE215.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/59242762019-10-12T10:28:56-04:002022-11-20T16:57:46-05:00Introducing Sándor Jemnitz's Solo Cello Sonata<p>When talking about Hungarian cello music, Zoltán Kodály and György Ligeti come up immediately, and rightfully so. These two composers built monumental and lasting careers, even postmortem. Sándor (Alexander) Jemnitz (1890-1963) was a famous composer and critic of Kodály's generation. Jemnitz has left a substantial body of musical and literary works, some of which have stood the test of time. A student of Arnold Schoenberg and Max Reger, Jemnitz was the perfect representative to keep their legacies alive. Jemnitz had two obstacles that made him unpopular in Hungary: he openly stood against the folk music movement (which Bartók and Kodály were popularizing with great fervor), and he was an open socialist.</p>
<p>Jemnitz was a brilliant composer, easily on the level of Hindemith and Stravinsky. A few decades ago, Jemnitz's son started a push for the revival of his father's music. During this time, the world was reintroduced to the solo sonatas for flute, viola, and double bass and the trio for violin, viola, and guitar. But with his son's death in the early 2010s came the end of the revival.</p>
<p>In March 2019, I came across the solo sonata for cello at the UNCG Martha Blakeney Hodges Collection, in fact, not one version, but three different versions, from 1931 (probably in János Scholz's hand), 1933 (dated 1937 for Luigi Silva), and the 1940 publication (now out of print). All three versions were quite different from each other with regard to melodies and form. This sonata caught my attention, and I decided to learn the 1933 version. Since almost nothing was written in English about Jemnitz, I asked my friend and colleague Dr. Fanny Nemeth Weiss to help me get some more information on Jemnitz's cello sonata. She agreed to do some digging in libraries in Budapest. Thus began a great research project. We found out that the cello sonata started its life as a viola da gamba sonata in 1924, which then was transcribed for cello solo in the late 1920s. The cello sonata was performed several times in the 1930s by Vilmos Palotai of the Hungarian Quartet, and in the 1940s by Ede Banda, the teacher of Miklós Perényi.</p>
<p>To the best of our knowledge, the cello sonata lay dormant for around 70 years. I am reviving this beautiful 3-movement sonata during the 2019-20 concert season. I have already performed it 3 times in October 2019, and plan to bring it to the audiences of SE United States several more times this season.</p>
<p>You may read an in-depth analysis of the work <a contents="here" data-link-label="jemnitz-cello-sonata-analysis-11-20-22.pdf" data-link-type="file" href="/files/1201808/jemnitz-cello-sonata-analysis-11-20-22.pdf">here</a>. NB: This file is not to be reposted.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/a6848b440525790fe7f2b542d118ea4f23305637/original/scholz-4-7-jemnitz-page-01.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Used by permission for the Martha Blakeney Hodges Collection.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/59059862019-09-26T08:39:01-04:002023-01-13T15:56:54-05:00Victoria Yagling: Cello Suite No. 1<p>At one point a major force in the Soviet musical world, cellist-composer Victoria Yagling (1946-2011) is completely forgotten by the general public of the Russian-speaking vestige of the USSR. Yagling came from a family of award-winning artists and academics. Her father Boris was a Jewish prose writer, publicist, screenwriter (film "The Day of the New World," 1940), playwright and war journalist, who died unexpectedly in active duty when Victoria was 2 years old. Her mother Emine-hanum was a hydrogeologist, painter and sculptor (wooden sculptures). Her stepfather Ilya Frenkel was Ukrainian-Jewish a poet, prose writer (the book of memoirs “River of Time," 1984), a war journalist, author of the texts of famous songs “Factories, Stand Up!,” “In Defense of the Peace,” “Let's Have a Smoke,” “Odessa Port” and others. Frenkel replaced Victoria's father, after his untimely death, and had a significant impact on the formation of her personality.</p>
<p>Yagling grew up in the time when musicians were expected to both play an instrument and compose. Her most notable teachers were cellist Rostropovich, and composers Kabalevsky and Khrennikov.</p>
<p>Victoria Yagling has a substantial catalog of compositions, but one work that shines among many is her First Suite for Solo Cello (1982), dedicated to Mikhail Pletnev. This work was selected to be the compulsory piece for the 7th International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1982. The Suite is comprised of four movements, a longer Prelude, and three shorter movements.</p>
<p>The entire Suite stems from a 3-note motive, C-D-C. The slow-moving Prelude blossoms from the depths to the heights of the cello range, very much like the opening of Kabalevsky's Cello Concerto No. 2 and Schnittke's Cello Sonata No. 1. In addition to the 3-note motive, there is the 5-chord motive that punctuates the music. The melodic outline of those chords is G-Bb-A-Eb-C#. The Prelude evaporates in the end. The Prelude and Fugue are to be played without pause.</p>
<p>The second movement is a Fughetta, or a Fugue in 2 Voices, as Yagling calls it in the manuscript. This is a tribute to the greatest Fugue composer, J.S. Bach. The subject is based on the 3-note motive, now presented in fast, 2-note clips. The countersubject is based on the melody from the 5-chord motive. The Fugue begins quietly but grows steadily to the end.</p>
<p>The third movement is a gentle Intermezzo, perhaps inspired by the Intermezzo from Boris Tchaikovsky's Solo Suite, which Yagling recorded. This gentle slow waltz has a Mixolydian flavor in the beginning. Yagling explores the beauty of harmony in this movement. The melody is always accompanied by double-stops or chords. The last quarter of the movement is played pizzicato, finishing on a C-G-D-C harmony, another moment reminiscent of Kabalesky's Cello Concerto No. 2.</p>
<p>The Finale is a tour de force. The 16th note figure, without a doubt, comes from the final part of Khachaturian's Concerto-Rhapsody. Again we see the 3-note motive from the Prelude accented among the perpetual motion of the 16th notes. The last few seconds of the Finale recap the Prelude and the Suite fades away on the C-G-E-C# harmony.</p>
<p>I will be performing this Suite several times in the Southeastern United States this season. I would like to thank the Martha Blackeney Hodges Collection for providing me with a copy of the manuscript, as well as Fennica Gehrman for being active supporters and publishers of Yagling's music.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/f7c83f94aa85614c4e29f75e1b5b14e4a5fdcef9/original/victoria-yagling-1969.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/58907412019-09-13T10:56:26-04:002023-09-25T08:12:09-04:00Does The Preamp Matter?<p>We've done a mic shootout, but what about the preamp? Does the preamp matter? A preamp is a device that brings up the level of the mic signal to a level that will be appropriate for recording. For this test, I used the AEA TRP2 solid state preamp and the on-board preamp of the Zoom F8n. Both signals were recorded into the Zoom F8n. The TRP2 was recorded at line level, to bypass the on-board preamp of the Zoom. The on-board preamp was recorded at mic level. The recordings are 2 separate takes, using the Schoeps CMC 64 mic (MK 4 cardioid capsule). Besides the fade-out, there was absolutely no processing. Follow the link below to listen to the 2 tracks. Use good speakers or headphones. Write your guess down in the comments. I will post the results this weekend. Enjoy the mystery!</p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="http://yuriyleonovich.com/album/1175166/preamp-mystery" target="_blank" data-link-type="url" contents="http://yuriyleonovich.com/album/1175166/preamp-mystery">http://yuriyleonovich.com/album/1175166/preamp-mystery</a></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/325df9e6019116d3047e3104541e162fc1dd4b2b/original/horvat-2nd-gen-tailpiece.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/58698032019-08-25T22:03:24-04:002023-09-25T08:12:51-04:00Introducing Jerzy Fitelberg's Cello Sonata<p>Jerzy Fitelberg (1903-1951) was a Polish-Jewish composer who was naturalized as an American citizen in 1937. His father was the famous conductor Grzegorz Fitelberg. Jerzy wrote his Unaccompanied Cello Sonata in 1945. The Sonata was premiered by Stefan Auber on April 6, 1946, at the Pittsburgh Chapter of the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM). The premiere took place at 8:30 p.m. in the Exhibition Hall at the College of Fine Arts of the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University). Other pieces on the program included one of Hindemith's violin sonatas, performed by Isaac Stern and Alexander Zakin, and piano sonatas by Copland, Thomson (nos. 3 and 4), and Stravinsky, performed by Webster Aitken. Virgil Thomson and Jerzy Fitelberg were present at the performance.</p><p>It is unknown whether the Cello Sonata was intended for Auber or Piatigorsky, but Fitelberg chose Piatigorsky to edit the Sonata for the second publication. The Sonata was first published in manuscript form by the Russian-American Music Publishers in 1945, and subsequently in typeset form by Omega Music Edition in 1948. Fitelberg wrote at least two letters to Piatigorsky in Russian, thanking him for taking on the task of editing the work for publication, asking him to hurry up with the editing process, and pleading with him to play the Sonata himself. There is no evidence of Piatigorsky responding to these letters or performing this work. Both editions of the Sonata are now in the public domain in the US and Canada; in the US because both publishers allowed the 28-year copyright law to lapse without renewal.</p><p>The Sonata was reviewed in Notes magazine by Willian Klenz (former professor at Duke and SUNY Binghamton). Mr. Klenz writes the following about the Sonata: "Fitelberg's Sonata is a large, fervid composition with moments of evocative power, and in sustained performance would be a convincing, forceful work, erring on the side of excessive length and too constant intensity (we have not yet found the substitute for the broken chord and scale formulae which served the Baroque). In a generally coherent texture, there are occasional intrusions of unassimilated bits identified with other styles and embarrassing contradictions between diatonic harmonically derived tunes and an otherwise chromatic procedure."</p><p>Fitelberg's Sonata is about 16 minutes long, although the composer writes "12.5 minutes" at the bottom of the last page. The four-movement work has two slow and two fast movements. The second half of the finale is a reprise of the first movement. The Sonata is tonal, but not functional. It is very idiomatic for the cello. Fitelberg relies on quartal, quintal, octatonic, and whole-tone motives. Interestingly, the work starts with the four open strings played from low to high.</p><p>It is my hope that contemporary cellists take note of this important American cello work and revive the post-WWII American spirit in music. I would like to thank Stacey Krim (and the Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections), the New York Public Library, and Carol Merrill-Mirsky (and the Piatigorsky Archives) for helping me learn more about this beautiful work. I will be re-premiering Fitelberg's Cello Sonata at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Jackson Library Reading Room on October 3 of this year, with subsequent performances in the Southeast US.</p><p>You may listen to the <a class="no-pjax" href="http://yuriyleonovich.com/album/1157581/fitelberg-cello-sonata-1945" data-link-type="url" contents="Recording of Jerzy Fitelberg's Sonata">recording of Jerzy Fitelberg's Sonata</a>, recorded in the War Memorial Chapel at Bob Jones University.</p>4:26Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/58624582019-08-19T09:44:26-04:002019-08-19T09:45:45-04:00Bach Cello Suite No. 4 - High-end Mic Shootout<p>Last week I got to test the hall where I will be playing my Bach marathon in just 32 days. I am trying to see which configuration to use for the recital. I used 3 mics for the test: a factory-matched pair of DPA 4006a and one Schoeps CMC 64. Below are WAV files that I put together using different mic configurations. All of the files are of the same performance of Bach's Bourrees from the 4th Suite. You can vote for your favorite in the comments.</p>
<p><a contents="DPAs hard panned and Schoeps in the center" data-link-label="DPAs panned and Schoeps mixed" data-link-type="file" href="/files/406891/DPAs%20panned%20and%20Schoeps%20mixed">DPAs hard panned and Schoeps in the center</a></p>
<p><a contents="DPAs hard panned" data-link-label="DPAs panned" data-link-type="file" href="/files/406895/DPAs%20panned">DPAs hard panned</a></p>
<p><a contents="DPAs center panned" data-link-label="DPAs center" data-link-type="file" href="/files/406896/DPAs%20center">DPAs center panned</a></p>
<p><a contents="1 DPA mono center panned" data-link-label="1 DPA mono" data-link-type="file" href="/files/406892/1%20DPA%20mono">1 DPA mono center panned</a></p>
<p><a contents="1 Schoeps mono center panned" data-link-label="1 Schoeps mono" data-link-type="file" href="/files/406894/1%20Schoeps%20mono">1 Schoeps mono center panned</a></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/58555022019-08-12T17:28:19-04:002023-09-25T08:13:41-04:00Microphones: An Audible Difference?<p>As a followup to my post about strings, I would like to do a quick mic shootout between my old Zoom H4 handy recorder in MP3 format and a pair of DPA omnidirectional mics. Both recordings were made at the Cleveland Institute of Music Kulas Hall. I suggest using good-quality speakers/headphones to listen. Click on the links below to listen.</p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/files/405907/05-5.mp3" data-link-type="url" contents="Zoom H4">Zoom H4</a></p><p><a class="no-pjax" href="https://yuriyleonovich.com/files/405908/schumann-intermezzo-from-fae-dma4.wav" data-link-type="url" contents="DPA omnis">DPA omnis</a></p><p>If you are looking for a recorder to use for practicing and good-quality archive recordings, Zoom H-series (2n, 4n, 5) is a great choice. I suggest placing the recorder 4-6 feet away, pointing at your F holes if you decide to use it for archive recording purposes. I will provide links to all the products I mention at the bottom of this post.</p><p>If you are on a budget and want to do a step up from the Zoom H-series, I recommend purchasing a decent mic (or pair) and plugging it into the inputs of the Zoom H4n or H5. You will be able to record up to 96khz and 24-bit The results are pretty good. You will be able to get a more honest picture of your playing. If you plan to record at a high sample rate, it would be wise to get an SD card with more storage. When you buy mics, don't forget to get a mic stand, XLR cable (25 feet should do), and a stereo bar if you buy a pair of mics. The ORTF technique for a matched pair of cardioid mics works great on cello. If recording with a pair of omnis on a stereo bar, remember to hard pan (left and right) to avoid phasing issues.</p><p>The next step up is to purchase a good mic pair and a field recorder, either Zoom F-series or Sound Devices MixPre series. If you like to punch in directly into your laptop, Universal Audio Apollo Twin interface is also a great choice. There are lots of great DAWs for punching in and editing. Always check if there is a student/educator discount. Steinberg has a great student/educator discount for Cubase and Nuendo.</p><p>If you are new at recording or just want to make something that sounds better than your compressed and clipped phone/tablet recordings, then the Zoom H-series is perfect. If you are looking to make good-sounding audition recordings, whether for college or orchestra pre-screening, I highly recommend setting yourself up with at least one good small diaphragm condenser mic with a cardioid pattern and recording yourself into something like a Zoom F-series or Sound Devices. Your career depends on a solid pre-screening take.</p><p>Here are links to the products I mentioned in case you are looking to buy.</p><p><strong>Recorders:</strong><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/H2N--zoom-h2n-handy-recorder" data-link-type="url" contents="Zoom H2n">Zoom H2n</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/H4NPro--zoom-h4n-pro-handy-recorder" data-link-type="url" contents="Zoom H4n">Zoom H4n</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/H5--zoom-h5-handy-recorder" data-link-type="url" contents="Zoom H5">Zoom H5</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/F4--zoom-f4-multitrack-field-recorder" data-link-type="url" contents="Zoom F4">Zoom F4</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MixPre-3M--sound-devices-mixpre-3m-audio-recorder" data-link-type="url" contents="Sound Device MixPre 3m">Sound Device MixPre 3m</a></p><p><strong>DAWs:</strong><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://shop.presonus.com/Studio-One" data-link-type="url" contents="Studio One 4">Studio One 4</a> (including a free version)<br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://new.steinberg.net/nuendo/compare-editions/" data-link-type="url" contents="Cubase and Nuendo">Cubase and Nuendo</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.magix.com/us/music/acid/" data-link-type="url" contents="Sony Acid">Sony Acid</a></p><p><strong>Microphones (cardioid pattern):</strong><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundpure.com/p/telefunken-elektroakustik-m60-fet-stereo-cardioid-mic-set/11376" data-link-type="url" contents="Telefunken M60">Telefunken M60</a> <strong>or</strong> <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundpure.com/p/telefunken-m60-fet-cardioid-stereo-set/11321" data-link-type="url" contents="Stereo Set">Stereo Set</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundpure.com/p/neumann-km-184-microphone-black-matte-finish-/566" data-link-type="url" contents="Neumann KM 184">Neumann KM 184</a> <strong>or </strong><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/KM184Pair--neumann-km-184-stereo-set-small-diaphragm-cardioid-microphones-matte-black" data-link-type="url" contents="Stereo Set">Stereo Set</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundpure.com/p/schoeps-cmc-64-set-us-microphone-set-/609" data-link-type="url" contents="Schoeps MK4">Schoeps MK4</a> <strong>or </strong><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/CMC64STSet--schoeps-collette-modular-mic-cardioid-stereo-set" data-link-type="url" contents="Stereo Set">Stereo Set</a></p><p><strong>Microphones (figure 8 pattern):</strong><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundpure.com/p/aea-a840-active-ribbon-microphone/2386" data-link-type="url" contents="AEA R84A">AEA R84A</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundpure.com/p/royer-labs-r-122-ribbon-microphone/122" data-link-type="url" contents="Royer R-122">Royer R-122</a><br><br><strong>Microphones (omnidirectional):</strong><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundpure.com/p/telefunken-elektroakustik-m60-fet-cardioid-condenser-mic/11374" data-link-type="url" contents="Telefunken M61">Telefunken M61</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundpure.com/p/schoeps-universal-omni-s-stereo-kit-cmc6-w-mk2-s-omni-pair-/2870" data-link-type="url" contents="Schoeps MK2s">Schoeps MK2s</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundpure.com/p/dpa-st4006a-stereo-pair-with-4006a-omnis/8878" data-link-type="url" contents="DPA 4006a">DPA 4006a</a></p><p><strong>Headphones:</strong><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UMPro10--westone-um-pro-10-monitor-earphones-clear-previous-generation" data-link-type="url" contents="Westone UM Pro 10">Westone UM Pro 10</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UMPro50v2--westone-um-pro-50-monitor-earphones-clear" data-link-type="url" contents="Westone UM Pro 50">Westone UM Pro 50</a><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/HXMS010--hosa-hxms-010-pro-headphone-adaptor-cable-rean-3.5-mm-trs-to-1-4-in-trs-10-ft" data-link-type="url" contents="3.5mm to 1/4 inch adapter for headphones">3.5mm to 1/4 inch adapter for headphones</a></p><p><strong>Mic Stands:</strong><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.soundpure.com/p/k-m-210-2-microphone-stand/1004" data-link-type="url" contents="K&amp;M 210/2">K&M 210/2</a></p><p><strong>Stereo Bar:</strong><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StereoBar--rode-stereo-bar-microphone-mount" data-link-type="url" contents="Rode">Rode</a></p><p><strong>XLR Cables:</strong><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MCPXLR25--mogami-coreplus-microphone-cable-25-foot-xlr-xlr" data-link-type="url" contents="Mogami CorePlus">Mogami CorePlus</a></p><p><strong>SD Card:</strong><br><a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SDUltra64--sandisk-ultra-microsdxc-card-64gb-class-10-uhs-i" data-link-type="url" contents="64GB">64GB</a></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/58501492019-08-07T10:11:29-04:002022-08-07T08:14:53-04:00IMSLP: A Review<p>What is the favorite website of a classical musician? Of course, it's IMSLP (aka International Music Score Library Project, aka Petrucci Music Library)! This is an INVALUABLE resource for all performers and students, especially the students with no money. If you're looking for a free copy of a piece...IMSLP. </p>
<p>Here are a few things to keep in mind as you are looking for free music.</p>
<p><strong>Copyright:</strong> Yes, the music on IMSLP is in the public domain in some countries, but it might not be in yours. Some music is released under the Creative Commons License; it's good to familiarize yourself with it. How do you know if the music you are looking for is in the public domain? Here is the rule of thumb.</p>
<p>EU copyright is life+70 years. That means that the copyright holds until the 71st calendar year after the composer's death. Richard Strauss died in 1949; his music became PD on January 1, 2020, even the music he wrote in the 1880s. Yes, this is really inconvenient for composers who had long lifespans, but I didn't write that law and am not a fan of it. Most countries in the world are life+70, so check with your country's copyright office to see if you fall under this category.</p>
<p>Canada is life+50 years. In my opinion, this is the most reasonable copyright law. 50 years is 2 generations. Very few composers have great-grandchildren who are still collecting royalties. Life+50 means that the copyright holds until the 51st calendar year after the composer's death. Canada is unique among world countries with this law. Canada also doesn't protect Urtext editions, so technically, Henle and Barenreiter's scholarly editions are in the public domain in Canada.</p>
<p>The USA has the most complicated law in many respects. Currently, if the piece was <strong>published</strong> before January 1, 1927, it's in the public domain regardless of the composer's death. If the piece was published 1927-1963 and not renewed after 28 years, it's in the public domain. The US Copyright Office has catalogs published with copyright registrations and renewals. It's well worth doing some research to see if the piece in question is in PD. I've been surprised to find that some pieces were not renewed. These are in PD in the <strong>US </strong>and might not be in your country. If the piece was published 1927-1963 and was renewed after 28 years, it only becomes PD on the 96th calendar year after its first publication. Any piece published after 1977 is life+70 years, like EU. This is a complicated law. Luckily, for the next 40 years, each year thousands of pieces will become PD from the 1927-1963 group.</p>
<p>OK, enough about the copyright law. </p>
<p><strong>Quality of IMSLP: </strong>The quality of IMSLP can be great and it can be sketchy. It's great because you can find a ton of first editions there. The downside to a first edition is that it might not be the latest edition of the piece that the composer produced, such as in the case of Mahler or Bruckner. Are these editions still usable? Of course, they are! If you are looking for a copy of the Franck Sonata or a Dvorak string quartet, by all means, use the IMSLP copy. There is a very high chance that the editions that call themselves Urtext have copied most of the mistakes into their editions. First editions are often just as good as International, Schirmer, and Carl Fischer. If there are mistakes, ask your teacher, or get a critical report (if available) on the Henle website for free and go through your first edition with a pencil. Urtext companies are not immune from errors. If you are looking for a list of errata for orchestral pieces, the Music Library Association has compiled extensive lists they offer to orchestras who use Kalmus and Luck's parts. Just email them and ask how to obtain a copy for your orchestral work.</p>
<p>The quality can get sketchy if an amateur typesetter posts his/her new typesetting of a piece. A lot of the time these have more mistakes than the first edition or an Urtext edition. These can be a huge mess. Most amateur typesetters will not have experience in proofreading or quality control. In addition to note and rhythm errors, you will find spacing issues and disorganized placement of events. It's up to the performer and conductor to check these out and not just use new, free typesets as a last-minute download. You can get burned by this pretty badly if you don't do a thorough review of one of these new typesets. As a professional typesetter, I can tell you that it takes a lot of effort to produce a quality product with minimal mistakes. Every edition will have mistakes, but some editions, especially the new typeset on IMSLP (and MuseScore, etc.) will have more mistakes than an average musician/conductor will want to deal with.</p>
<p><strong>Not all PD music is on IMSLP:</strong> Just because the work is in PD in your country or worldwide doesn't mean that it has been uploaded to IMSLP. Maybe you should be the one getting the interlibrary loan of that piece you want to see on IMSLP, scan it and post it. There is a huge perk to members who upload and edit pages frequently: <strong>free membership</strong> and <strong>unlimited downloads without waiting</strong>. </p>
<p><strong>You won't find worldwide copyrighted music there:</strong> If you're looking for Shostakovich, Walton, Britten, Corigliano, Copland, basically any composer active in the last 50-80 years, you just need to either buy the score or get it at a library. A lot of libraries and publishers will work with you if you're looking for something that's out of print, just don't expect it to be free most of the time. If it's in print, buy it on Sheet Music Plus, Hal Leonard, Johnson Strings, or Shar, or even do a special order at your local music shop. A lot of small shops are willing to price match big companies like Shar.</p>
<p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>IMSLP is an amazing resource. Use it to its fullest capacity. A word of advice, if you're about to send someone to IMSLP to check if a particular piece is there, check yourself first. It only takes 30 seconds in most cases.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/58256482019-08-03T08:41:54-04:002021-04-21T13:14:19-04:00Balancing Recital Repertoire<p>It's very rare that I repeat the same solo repertoire from year to year. This choice was made to balance out the orchestra and audition rep that I played year in and year out. I've played Scheherazade, Billy the Kid, and Pine of Rome more times than I care to share. Audition rep? I honestly can't stand the sight of Beethoven 5 slow movement, La Mer #9 and Mozart 35 finale mm. 134-181 (honest and unfiltered). This repertoire is valuable for getting you an orchestra job and has some pedagogical merit, but my musical soul needs something fresh to balance that.</p>
<p>Since I don't play as many orchestra gigs anymore, I have more time to learn and perform solo rep. Without the pressure of trying to perfect 17 seconds of La Mer or 27 seconds of Mendelssohn's Scherzo, I can now handle revisiting some of my old friends like the Bach Suites and sonatas that I learned back in college.</p>
<p>For this year I chose 3 concert programs: complete Bach Suites, all-new (to me) 20th century solo works, and sonatas by Franck and Debussy. About 1 hour of this repertoire is new to me, so that has been my main focal point of short-term practicing. The other, more familiar works have been interspersed over a longer period of time.</p>
<p>For example, even though playing all 6 Bach Cello Suites in one recital is an undeniably huge feat, I've been preparing for this performance ever since I started learning the Suites at age 12, for better or worse. Over the years, I've gotten to play one, two, three, and even four Suites at a time for recitals and wedding gigs (yes, those are also performances). When I decided to do the Bach marathon, I had already been playing Bach 2 extensively. Bach 2, along with Bach 5, had been my longtime audition pieces, so I felt like those could sit on the back burner for a year. I started prep work on Bach 1, 3, 4, and 6 last November and got to perform those a few times in recitals. After that, I put those away and pulled out Bach 5 for a performance. Now I am doing a lot of touching up, recording, and playing for my family. Between now and the performance in September, I will need to sit down and play all of them in a row a few times.</p>
<p>The new solo rep feels very foreign. Every year I perform solo rep that has had, in some cases, only one previous performance or performer. In many of the cases, I don't have a good recording or any recording to go by. This year's 20th century rep is brought to you by Martha Blakeney Hodges Collection at University of North Carolina at Greensboro. This rep will be my main focal point after the Bach marathon is finished. In March, I chose 3 works from the Collection: Solo Sonata, Op. 31 by Sandor (Alexander) Jemnitz, Solo Sonata by Jerzy Fitelberg, and Suite No. 1 by Victoria Yagling. To the best of my knowledge, there are no commercially available recordings for any of those pieces. There is a recording from the 1982 Tchaikovsky Competition of Yagling's finale by Antonio Meneses, but that's not commercially available. I'm basically working from scratch. I will write more about these pieces in the future, but my biggest task now is to learn them for several performances.</p>
<p>To help me get the sense of these pieces, I went to the instrument that never fails me, the electronic keyboard; it's always in tune! There are 2 challenges in preparing new solo rep: the first is that it's solo, so all eyes will be on me, other that it's new to me and in many cases it's difficult to relate it to anything else I've played before. The positive side of the coin is that this rep is also new to the audience, and they are coming at it with no preconceived notions. Making sense out of a work that our generation will hear for the first time is just as difficult as finding something new to say with the Bach Suites, which get performed no less than 20,000 times a year around the world. We do have to remember that Bach Suites were, too, forgotten for 100 years until they slowly started to become a staple of cellists pedagogical and performance rep.</p>
<p>There is one more new piece that I am learning this year, the Debussy Sonata. This piece is so familiar to me, from hearing dozens of performances in college, that I feel like I know it inside and out, but I've never actually learned the notes before. I am dedicating some time to practicing it, but not as much as the solo rep. I will do more intense practicing once the Bach marathon is over.</p>
<p>If you have any specific questions on how to practice certain rep, please leave them in the comment below.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/58401342019-07-29T09:37:22-04:002023-09-25T08:15:02-04:00Coming back to my favorite set of strings<p>Over the years I've tried different sets of strings. Thanks to the graciousness of Thomastik, Pirastro, Jargar, and Larsen (in no particular order) I've been able to experience the latest technology of string making firsthand. The strings that really made an impression on me were Pirastro's Perpetual Cadenza C and G, Obligato C, G, and D, and Larsen's Magnacore strong set. Of all the strings I've tested, those brought me the greatest joy.</p><p><strong>Perpetual Cadenza</strong> - Rich, round bass...so easy to play. </p><p><strong>Obligato</strong> - These strings create their own reverb... so rich! I used them for a full year with various A strings (Jargar Classic, Eudoxa, Pro Arte). These are my go-to studio recording strings, especially for chamber music.</p><p><strong>Magnacore</strong> strong - These strings scream, "power." For my cellos, this set worked best in an uncontrollably wet hall. The strong set was especially great for went I needed to tune my C string down to a B for Golijov's Omaramor. </p><p>In looking for the holy grail of strings, tailpieces, endpins, and other toys, I came to an unusual realization: it wasn't the strings, it was the mic! What gave it away was the sound on almost 15 years of recordings. I'm not talking about the sound that I produce on the cello, which does matter a lot. Regardless of the cellos or the strings I've used in the last 15 years, there are 2 mic brands that consistently made me enjoy the sound quality of my recordings: DPA (formerly B&K) and Schoeps. The specific mics I've enjoyed on my cellos were DPA 4006 omnis and Schoeps CMC 64 (CMC 6 body with KM 4 capsule). Phones, Zoom, and other mic brands just don't do it for me; they make me feel insecure about my playing and setup.</p><p>Last year I played the same program within 2 weeks. All performance spaces were very "cello friendly." The mics used for the 3 programs were DPA 4006, Sennheiser MKH40, and some cheap Audio Technica mics. The DPA made me pleasantly surprised that the recital went that well (although the mics were placed way too high and were picking up too much of the room). The Sennheiser and Audio Technica made me question whether I needed a new cello, new strings, or a new career. I must say in defense of the Sennheiser, I've heard it sound brilliantly on piano recordings.</p><p>Since that realization, I started moving back to my old, more affordable setup. After several years of experimentation with strings, tailpieces, and other gadgets, I am settled back on my trusty Spirocore tungsten C and G, and Jargar Classic D and A combo, and a light composite tailpiece. I am settled in knowing that my strings will sound great to me, regardless of the brand, when I hear my cello through my favorite mics with an able audio technician. </p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/db46710f21cc6b6156c91db89fbbd11db8c00eb5/original/img-20190729-093152009.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p> </p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/58256472019-07-24T09:15:53-04:002023-09-25T08:16:06-04:00My Current Practice Setup<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/db569b9a428e4001b90d905e975a6a403aa4b125/original/img-20190724-084101558.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p>I've been practicing with some kind of recorder consistently for the last 10 years. For better or worse, I believe that every student must learn proper self-evaluation. During my student years, I've gone from the low-tech mirror to the high-tech webcam mounted on my bridge and Zoom handy recorders. I've used my trusty Dr. Beat DB 90 as a drone tuner, and Pano Tuner app as a visual guide. I've used electronic keyboards and music notation software (Finale and Sibelius) as pitch-matching guides. I've embraced technology to its fullest as a professional cellist and educator.</p><p>All of my students have access to a video recording device on their phones or their parents' phones, so there is no excuse not to start the self-evaluation process immediately. Besides technique, I teach my students self-evaluation using mirrors (low tech) and audio/video recorders (high tech).</p><p>My current practice setup is in the above picture. I use a Zoom H5 recorder in live monitoring mode with the mics 1-2 inches from the bridge. The gain is set to where I can comfortably hear every single scratch and inconsistency in sound. I listen through the Westone UM50 in-ear monitors (IEMs); I've used Shure and other Westone IEMs before. For the reference pitch, I use Sibelius Ultimate; I've used Finale and other versions of Sibelius before. My laptop is connected to Zoom via one of the inputs, which mixes with my tone in the headphones when I play along. Sibelius is furnished with Note Performer 3.2, usually on a non-vibrato setting of an organ, clarinet, or solo double bass. Of course, some knowledge of notation software is required. When using an electronic keyboard, you can use the same setup, only you will need to record the excerpts of music you are practicing, and you won't have as many saving options. </p><p>I hope that this post will be helpful to people who are looking for new practice techniques. This technique is definitely not for everyone. But if you are an auditory learner, this technique could be a lifesaver and time saver.</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/58267872019-07-17T07:23:37-04:002023-09-25T08:14:29-04:00Bringing Music to the World<p>If someone told the 14-year-old me that I would be the first to make an edition available to the world, I don't know how I would have reacted, probably surprised. I've had my milestones, completing the Tchaikovsky Cello Concerto, arranging the Rite of String for 8 cellos, and arranging the Sibelius Violin Concerto for cello. ...still waiting to hear someone play Stravinsky and Sibelius.</p><p>One of the most life-changing compositions I heard as a teenager was Saint-Saens's Suite, Op. 16 for cello and orchestra. I bought the CD of Maria Kliegel playing the work at my then-favorite music store Harmony House Classical. I actually bought that recording because I wanted to hear someone play Saint-Saens's 2nd concerto, which was written on a grand (piano) staff. But I fell in love with the Suite's Gavotte and Tarantella.</p><p>So as any 14-year-old would do, I took out my Luck Music Library chamber music catalog and proceeded to order the Master's Music edition of the Suite, Op. 16. To my disappointment, I did not find either the Gavotte or the Tarantella in the edition I received. I needed my parents' money back! At the time, there were no recordings of the original version for cello and piano, only with orchestra. I didn't have any way of hearing the Scherzo or the fugal Finale in the original piano version. I was eventually able to locate a copy of the orchestra version in a piano reduction through an inter-library loan.</p><p>Before I created my 100th-anniversary critical edition of the Suite, the orchestra version only existed as a very expensive rental from one of the big publishers. I felt like this PUBLIC DOMAIN masterpiece needed to be available for a MUCH more affordable price. Through some key connections with different libraries, I was able to locate everything I needed to create a critical edition. My take on critical editions is not to claim that "this is the only way the composer would have wanted it," but to prepare a reasonable presentation of the work relying on as many reliable sources as possible. </p><p>As with Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Sibelius, and other editions I've created over the years, I am honored to present a new edition to the world, of a piece that changed my life over 20 years ago and became sort of a musical obsession. This edition contains the original Gavotte in the appendix, for those with a musicological bend. The Gavotte shows how the piece evolved after being on Saint-Saens's back burner for over half a century. The score is available for purchase here: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/21389179<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/8d7e29142cf1e489c7e8bcafea80c9a9e6b120d7/original/saint-saens-suite-op-16-score-and-parts-w-orig-gavotte-appendix-0091.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/5287763fabb5045638b2749e609e3a9b77963d23/original/saint-saens-suite-op-16-score-and-parts-w-orig-gavotte-appendix-0024.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" alt="" /></p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/58249362019-07-15T17:00:50-04:002022-05-30T12:46:29-04:00Uzbek Pilaf<p>What do many musicians do during the summer? If you said summer festivals, you are correct. What do I do? I spend time with my family, prepare cello rep for the next season, do typesetting/recording projects I had been looking forward to all school year, and cook.</p>
<p>Each summer brings new opportunities. This time last summer, my wife and I had a newborn baby girl. I was preparing for my biggest challenge, organizing my first South Carolina Cello Choir, for which I prepared 15 cello ensemble arrangements. And to relax from all of that, I created a critical edition of Romberg's Eighth Cello Concerto. This summer is much lighter. I am preparing to play my first Bach Suite marathon in September and doing research on Alexander Jemnitz and Jerzy Fitelberg. What should I do to relax? Naturally, try new recipes.</p>
<p>If you invite me to your house and give me the remote to your TV, within 2 minutes I will be watching the Food Network. Back in May, I was exploring some recipes on YouTube and decided that I'm hungry for some pilaf. Who makes better pilaf than Uzbeks? Arguably no one, so I typed in "Uzbek pilaf" in the search bar, in Russian, of course, and the first hit was a chef by the name of Stalik Khankishiev. Stalik is kind of like Emeril and the Barefoot Contessa rolled into one, only the Uzbek version. His logo is a smiley face made from his Russian initials "CX." <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/376668/b9bb8c9fe88724cd3509ebb2c3638a3770b0477e/original/stalik-logo.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>Long story short, my entire family went shopping for the proper rice for the pilaf, which finding in Greenville, South Carolina, is pretty much impossible. I had to substitute vadi matta rice for the traditional Uzbek dev-zira rice. The recipe was so good that my kids were asking for seconds. This "Ferganian pilaf" is usually accompanied by a tomato/onion salad. For those of you who love to cook, I am including the recipe below. Bon appétit!</p>
<p>ingredients: </p>
<p>28oz devzira rice (or matta) <br>cottonseed oil (or grapeseed oil) - to coat the bottom of the pan <br>onion (one quarter) <br>5oz onion (chopped) <br>28oz carrots (chopped) <br>28oz beef/lamb (cubed) <br>1 teaspoon salt <br>1 teaspoon cumin <br>2 whole chili peppers <br>1 head of peeled elephant garlic (or regular garlic)</p>
<p>preparation: </p>
<p>pour 140*F salted water over the rice in a bowl (let stand for 1.5 hours) <br>put oil in a hot pot <br>put quarter onion in the oil. pull out once it has lightly browned <br>add chopped onions until browned <br>add meat until browned <br>add carrots and cumin <br>lower heat <br>add boiling water and let simmer for 40 minutes <br>after 40 minutes add whole (peeled) garlic and whole chili peppers <br>add tablespoon of salt <br>gently wash the rice with warm water in a sieve<br>cover the contents of the pot with rice <br>bring to boil and stir <br>once the water evaporates, let simmer <br>cover the rice in the pot with a plate and a paper towel covered with the lid for 40-50 minutes (replace paper towel a few times) </p>
<p>tomato/onion salad: </p>
<p>cut onion into small half rings and wash with cold water in a colander <br>cut chili pepper in half, remove seeds, chop pepper <br>chop cilantro (or parsley) <br>slice 3 tomatoes very thinly <br>add 1 teaspoon salt <br>crack pepper <br>mix</p>Yuriy Leonovichtag:yuriyleonovich.com,2005:Post/58245952019-07-14T20:18:07-04:002020-11-09T19:52:38-05:00New blog<p>Please stay tuned! My new blog will feature topics such as rediscovering forgotten composers, playing music by my friends, creating critical editions, testing out music gear, languages, and even recipes. </p>Yuriy Leonovich