Forgotten Cello Music

Now for the fourth installment from The Violoncello and Its History , by Joseph Wasielewski.  If you were wondering how Germany stacked up against Italy at the beginning of the cello's rise to prominence, here is your episode. 

Continuation... This episode picks up from the previous one, Ep. 45, The Introduction to the 18th C. from The Violoncello and Its History , by Joseph Wasielewski. (Although dated as far as writing style is concerned, it is an incredible source for anyone interesting in expanding their knowledge about cello history and getting to know more cello music. It is a well-written book and I recommend it t...

This short segment is simply the intro to the 18th Century of the cello. It gives an overview of the the position of the cello at that time and some interesting perspective to what many in the Gamba world thought about their positions and whether the cello would usurp their role in music. 

This is the official first chapter in The Violoncello and Its History . It begins with the Introduction entitled: The History of the viola da gamba . This is a bit confusing when reading headings and titles out of context in a podcast player. So, I am sure to repeatedly insert the title of the book. Hopefully, anyone searching for Cello History will not mistakenly take this as the introduction to...

So, to be honest (I didn't mention this in this introductory episode to my new plan) I had already recorded four chapters of The Violoncello and Its History some time ago. I did it thinking that I will be able to utilize clips from it. A secondary purpose has always been in the back of my mind.  That is, I would like to upload the entire book someday. That day has come. However, it won't be t...

Georg Goltermann wrote two Grand Duos, opp.15 and 25. This episode features Op.15 in D minor. All three movements are presented and talked about. This is a long talk about why I feel that Goltermann's music is worth your time. The melody is well constructed, the harmony is more interesting. It speaks to me on a deeper level.  Goltermann's influence on my affinity to Forgotten Cello Music when...

Goltermann had a higher capacity for elevated composition than we think. Based on the one or two student works we learn one would never suspect that he was worth performing on the concert stage. But his two Grand Duos,  op. 15 in D minor featured here, are evidence that he had a mastery over composition and could write great music.  Please listen on Spotify as it is the only platform tha...

Joseph Wasielewski wrote an historically important and informative book all about the cello and its history. Already over 100 years has passed since its publication. Yet, it still remains one of the few books written in a comprehensive manner. This episode features the concluding pages, summing up the state of cello playing and composition at the close of the 18th Century, not only in France but i...

6 Sonatas for the intermediate level. Cello Treatise

Johann Schetky was a well-known and celebrated Cellist in his day, i.e. the 1700's. When he moved to Edinburgh, Scotland he was already a sought after musician and found employment in the North because of his acquaintance with J.C. Bach. He apparently liked the Capitol of Scotland enough to fall in love and settle there permanently.  Whether you are into details about individuals or history i...

This is Episode 37 and is again based on the great historical work by Joseph Wasielewski, The Violoncello and Its History .  It come from the Chapter titled The Art of Violoncello Playing in the 18th Century . This is the second section in that chapter: Germany. The Cello was gaining in popularity quickly in Germany. It soon found its place in the Orchestra and then as a solid solo instrument...

Looking back over the year. I actually played lots of music. There were many great discoveries as well.  Georg Goltermann, J. Klengel, J. Hollman, Cervetto. Thank you for listening. I hope you enjoy my presentations. Happy New Year Everyone! PayPal.me/travelingcello

Broderip and Wilkinson wrote a cello treatise in the late 1700's. They put many traditional tunes in there. A little searching and I dug up at least some of the sources for those tunes. I'd be honored for you to join me while I look into and play those tunes.  But it is Xmas season as well. So, I'll include some Xmas Carols. Think of it as busking out on the street, or the on the square of th...

This is episode 34. Beethoven wrote a little Minuet. It has been learned by children the world over and is played quite a lot. (Maybe not as much as Für Elise however.) Recently, a student surprised me with a performance of this  little dittie. I responded by arranging it for two cellos and subsequently recording it. After which the inspiration hit me. Playing only the solo and bass line of t...

The Broderip & Wilkinson Cello Treatise, c. 1783, has lots of musical examples and some exercises by Giacobbe Basevi Cervetto (Sr.). In this episode I talk quite at length about some of the scales and arpeggios along with 10 Easy Lessons for First Practice by Mr. Cervetto.  To start the episode off, "Shifting". This is a curious topic in the treatise because it is dealt with in such broad...

Broderips & Wilkinson's Complete Treatise for the Violoncello Historically speaking, this maybe not that significant. Certainly not ground-breaking, but it does seem to quite an early example in the history of the cello. It is interesting from the perspective of seeing and hearing how people approached the cello and learning it. We also have some pretty neat musical selections to boot.  T...

Excerpts from Introduction "The Violoncello and Its History".

Cello in the Late 1600's was just beginning to find its place and garner more support, that is, more performers of the instrument. It seems to have really started taking off with Domenico Gabrielli, whose nic-name was...well, just listen to find out. All throughout the 1700's the dedication to expanding the literature was ever more apparent. Numberless cellists played and composed for their instru...

This is a bit of an introduction to the 18th Century. The cello had gained its foothold and indeed became the preferred instrument to the viola da gamba. Bucket loads of music was being written all throughout the 1700's. This episode takes the "intro" of the 18th century section and uses it to paint the stage for what things more or less looked like in that era.  Enjoy some music from James H...

The Violoncello and Its History by Joseph Wasielewski The introduction to this nearly 300 page book spans 40+ pages while setting the stage for the cello. In it, Wasielewski talks mostly about the instrument which arguably, the cello is loosely modeled after, that is, the Viola da Gamba. Although, not every piece I feature in this episode is forgotten ( Marias' "Folia", Dowland's "Pavan", Corelli'...

Sometimes an episode with mostly music that features a complete work is the thing called for. Today, like last week's episode is that.  Bernhard ROMBERG wrote a great many compositions for cello. His Op. 43 contains three duets from two cellos. Listen to the whole work and tell me some thoughts. Is it good, nice music? Did I play it too slow? What other compositions should I work on? To liste...

A SPECIAL performance (with brief introduction to the music): Friedrich Kummer Cello Duet No.1 in C major --all three movements Here is some music that might already be known in the cellist's world. Regardless of its status it still only gets played by students and then only occasionally. It falls in the category of "Forgotten Cello Music" to my mind. Moreover, it is a pleasant piece of music that...

Upon further exploration, I have found, discovered is probably too generous since someone has uploaded the scores to IMSLP, a number of women composers who have written a few pieces for cello. This Louise Farrenc wrote a charming sonata in B flat major in the mid 1800's. Listen in and share your own thoughts about women composers and neglected music in general.

Three quotes. My thoughts about the advice given, how it has been interpreted, and the negative impact those strict beliefs have had on the expansion of our musical experience. In this journey along the path of "Forgotten Cello Music" I want to get into some things that have had a lasting, bad impression on me since at least undergrad. I hope that it doesn't come across as a diatribe but rather my...

Two more women cellists. One, Elsa Ruegger, who managed to achieve wide recognition and a post in a conservatory.