Inspiration Cello! Book 1

About this piece

Inspiration Cello! Book 1 is the beginner volume of Joanna Borrett's three books of cello duets (beginner, intermediate and advanced), published by United Music Publishers. It contains four teacher–pupil duets: Coming Home, Lindy Hop Rock, Magic… and Smugglers' Return. The publisher describes them as 'four brand new teacher/pupil duets which range from Grades 1-3'. It says they use 'beginner versions of col legno, pizz, left hand pizz, snap pizz, tremolo bowing, harmonics and open string double stopping to enhance the fun side of cello playing'. It adds that 'Coming Home' 'also doubles as an enjoyable exercise that encourages pupils to use the whole bow'. Lindy Hop Rock (a swing number) and Smugglers' Return (a heavy 6/8 Vivace e pesante) are set for the ABRSM cello exams from 2024, at Grades 2 and 3. Magic… is a lilting 3/4 dance. The teacher's part carries most of the harmony and range, so the pupil can stay in first position. UMP publishes demonstration recordings of all four duets, and the full score is viewable on the British Music Collection.

Technical overview

Four duets, about 4½ minutes in all: Coming Home (4/4, relaxed), Lindy Hop Rock (swing), Magic… (3/4) and Smugglers' Return (6/8). The pupil part stays in first position and uses long whole-bow notes, slurs of 2–4 notes, dotted and swung rhythms, pizzicato and left-hand pizzicato, natural harmonics (Lindy Hop Rock, Magic), open-string double stops, tremolo and col legno (Smugglers' Return). The teacher's part goes higher and adds chords, harmonics and fingered passages.

Technical focus

• Ensemble Skills
• Pizzicato
• Harmonics
• Double Stops
• Bow Retakes
• Legato
• 2 Note Slurs
• 3 Note Slurs
• 4 Note Slurs
• Dotted Rhythms
• Rhythm
• Dynamics
• Hairpin Dynamics
• String Crossings
• C String Notes
• G String Notes
• D String Notes
• A String Notes