Skip to content

Wizard's Potion: 16 Spooky Pieces to Play and Sing (Cello)

by Caroline Lumsden

Instrumentation
Cello, Piano
Composed
2003
Publisher
Edition Peters

Purchase or download

About this piece

Wizard's Potion is a book of 16 short pieces 'to play and sing' for cello and piano by Caroline Lumsden, with jazz piano accompaniments by Ben Attwood. Edition Peters published it in 2003 as the companion to Witches' Brew. The cover marks it 'for Cello grades 1 and 2', and the book comes with a CD of performances and accompaniments, with the piano part sold separately. Retailers describe each book as containing teaching points, rhythm training, practice suggestions and lyrics. Pieces from it are set by ABRSM (Melted Mouse & Roasted Rat in Choc'late Sauce, Grade 2), Trinity (Dizzy Lizzy Lightweight or Flash of Light'ning, Grade 1) and the RCM (Dizzy Lizzy Lightweight, Preparatory; Spitter Spatter and Text a Message, Grade 1).

Technical overview

Short Grade 1-2 pieces with spoken or sung lyrics and jazz-style piano accompaniments. No score pages were available, so the technical content was not checked.

Level rubric

Beginner

Left Hand

  • 1st position on all strings with fingers 1–4.
  • Understand whole/half steps
  • No shifting; notes stay in 1st position.
  • Focus on accurate finger placement.

Right Hand

  • Consistent détaché for simple melodies.
  • Extend bow (mid‑bow) on a straight path.
  • Introduce short (2–3 note) slurs.
  • Begin basic string crossings; occasional open‑string double stops.

Bow Strokes

  • Détaché and on‑string staccato.
  • Introduce simple legato (short slurs) and bow retakes.

Rhythm & Musicality

  • Simple rhythms with basic subdivisions.
  • Short phrases; limited dynamic contrasts; echo dynamics.
  • Develop a singing, accurate tone.

Levels are approximate guides, not strict requirements.