Skip to content

Variations for Cello and Harp, Op. 10 No. 3

by Florentine Mulsant

Instrumentation
Cello, Harp
Composed
2006
Duration
9'
Publisher
Furore Verlag
More by this composer

Purchase or download

About this piece

A theme and five variations for cello and harp, about nine minutes long. The material dates from 1990 (the set also exists for clarinet with piano or harp and for flute and piano); this cello-and-harp version, revised in 2006, is dedicated to the cellist Stephan Breith, who premiered it with harpist Ruth Alice Marino in Wiesbaden on 12 November 2006. The composer places it in the line of Debussy and French chamber music, with the two instruments in close dialogue and the emphasis on blended colour.

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.