First Steps in Violoncello Playing, Op. 101
- Instrumentation
- Cello
- Publisher
- Public Domain
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About this piece
Fifty short studies in first position, also known as 'Die ersten Schritte des jungen Violoncellspielers' and '50 Etüden für den Anfang', by Sebastian Lee (1805–1887), the Hamburg cellist who was a soloist at the Paris Opéra and whose Op. 30 method was adopted by the Paris Conservatoire. Each study has a second cello part for the teacher printed beneath it, so the book works as fifty easy duets; the second part is a little harder but still playable by a pupil. The edition free on IMSLP is Ludwig Lebell's revision (Stainer & Bell, 1920), which marks the part of the bow for every study and explains the signs at the back. Modern editions are published by Schott (ED 21701), Stainer & Bell and Leduc. Studies 1 and 2 open at Beginner level; the book as a whole is Late Beginner.
Technical overview
First position throughout, with backward and forward extensions from No. 10 (the editor names Nos. 14, 15, 21, 27, 31, 33 and 49 as needing none); keys up to three sharps and three flats in 4/4, 3/4, 2/4 and 6/8 (from No. 16); every study marks the part of the bow (whole bow, heel, middle, point) and moves from détaché and two-note slurs to molto legato, marcato, martelé (Nos. 36 and 42) and slurred staccato, ending with triplets (from No. 37) and sixteenths (from No. 39); bow retakes in Nos. 10, 19, 34, 44 and 47; dynamics from pp to f with hairpins from No. 3; a second cello part under every study.
Technical focus
- A String Notes
- D String Notes
- G String Notes
- C String Notes
- Detaché
- Legato
- 2 Note Slurs
- 3 Note Slurs
- 4 Note Slurs
- Bow Retakes
- Dynamics
- Hairpin Dynamics
- Martelé
- Ensemble Skills