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Mermaid Bubblegum

by Wilma Pistorius

Instrumentation
Cello
Composed
2023
Duration
5'
Publisher
Donemus

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About this piece

Mermaid Bubblegum, Op. 37/2, is a solo cello piece by Wilma Pistorius (2023), inspired by a swirling, frothy river in Dumfries, Scotland, and late-afternoon light reflected on spiders' webs beside the water. It is about the tongue-in-cheek mischief and sensuality of mermaids, and the audience becomes part of the soundscape as drops in the river from which the mermaid emerges. The linked video is Timora Rosler's performance at Dat Bolwerck in Zutphen in November 2023.

Technical overview

No technical overview is available yet.

Level rubric

Advanced

Left Hand

  • Unrestricted fingerboard operation.
  • Effortless high‑register passages with thumb position.
  • Execute large leaps, rapid shifts & fast runs with precise intonation.
  • Render double stops with clarity and even vibrato.
  • Crisp, stylistically appropriate ornamentation (trills, turns, mordents).
  • Instinctive micro‑adjustments in intonation for expressiveness.
  • False harmonics in low positions

Right Hand

  • Complete command of all bow strokes at any tempo/dynamic.
  • Comfortable execution of virtuoso passages (sautillé, intricate ricochet).
  • Tone projection from whisper‑quiet to fortissimo.
  • Integrate advanced bow patterns with expressive phrasing.
  • Demonstrate technical precision with a broad dynamic range.

Rhythm & Musicality

  • Interpret large‑scale structures with nuanced pacing and rhythmic freedom.
  • Highly refined phrasing with subtle note grouping & expressive rubato.
  • Convey emotional depth and stylistic authenticity.
  • Incorporate personal interpretive choices while meeting stylistic demands.

Levels are approximate guides, not strict requirements.