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Cello Sonata

by Gerard von Brucken Fock

Instrumentation
Cello, Piano
Composed
1884
Duration
20'
Publisher
Donemus
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About this piece

Gerard von Brucken Fock (1859–1935), a composer and painter from Zeeland, began his Cello Sonata while studying in Berlin and finished it in Middelburg in 1884. It was performed in public only once, in Paris in 1885 with the composer at the piano, and he revised it in 1931; the autograph of the revision was rediscovered in 2012 and the sonata was first published in 2013, almost 130 years after it was written. Its four movements are Allegro non troppo, Allegretto grazioso, Adagio and Allegro non troppo, ma con spirito. The linked recording is by Larissa Groeneveld and Frank van de Laar.

Technical overview

No technical overview is available yet.

Level rubric

Professional

Left Hand

  • Complete command of the fingerboard.
  • Proficient thumb position across all strings.
  • Execute complex double stops and rapid trills precisely.
  • Fast scales and leaps with precise intonation and speed.
  • Apply expressive techniques (portamenti, micro‑adjusted intonation) tastefully.
  • Easily execute false harmonics.

Right Hand

  • Seamlessly blends martelé, spiccato, sautillé, legato & ricochet.
  • Meticulous bow distribution for sustained lines or rapid passages.
  • Clear pianissimo to controlled fortissimo.
  • Economical, efficient bow movement with smooth transitions.
  • Employ advanced effects (ponticello, bow effects) artistically.

Musicality

  • Focus on a deeply personal, communicative performance.
  • Make interpretive choices reflecting deep understanding of form, style & emotion.
  • Convey nuanced phrasing, wide dynamic range & a unique artistic voice.
  • Craft dramatic cadenzas/solos with rubato, tone & expressive timing.

Levels are approximate guides, not strict requirements.