3 Pièces pour violoncelle et piano

About this piece

Hedwige Chrétien's three lyrical pieces for cello and piano, 'Sérénité', 'Chant du soir' and 'Chant mystique', were published as a set by Evette & Schaeffer in Paris (plates E.S. 1589–1591). The cover is dated 'Copyright 1922', the music pages 'Copyright 1923', and the Bibliothèque nationale de France copy carries a 1924 legal-deposit stamp. The set is dedicated 'À ma fille', identified on IMSLP as Cécile Gennaro. 'Sérénité' is an Andantino in F major in 6/4 marked 'Misterioso'. Its cello line stays in tenor clef and climbs high on the A and D strings, with French string indications ('1re Corde', '2e Corde'), marked glissando shifts, an 'a piacere' passage and a short 'Récit'. The other two pieces are an Andante con moto in D ('Chant du soir') and an Andante religioso in E-flat ('Chant mystique'). I found no commercial recording of the cello set. The BnF copy, digitised on Gallica, is mirrored on IMSLP as separate scores and cello parts for each piece.

Technical overview

Three short slow pieces: 1. Sérénité (Andantino, F major), 2. Chant du soir (Andante con moto, D major), 3. Chant mystique (Andante religioso, E-flat major). In Sérénité the cello part is in tenor clef throughout, with sustained high playing on the A and D strings, fingered and glissando shifts, portato and tenuto bowings, and frequent tempo flexibility (a piacere, Cédez, Rit., Molto rit., Rall.).

Technical focus

• Legato
• Shifting
• Dynamics
• Hairpin Dynamics
• Rubato
• 2 Note Slurs
• 3 Note Slurs
• Tenor Clef
• Treble Clef
• Double Stops
• Mute usage
• Portato
• Tempo Changes
• Accidentals