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Cello Repertoire Initiative

Synopsis #6: Why Did You Lie to Me?

by Lisa Bielawa

Instrumentation
Cello
Composed
2007
Duration
6'
Publisher
Composer (self-published)
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About this piece

A six-minute piece for unaccompanied cello, the sixth of fifteen 'Synopses' Bielawa wrote between 2006 and 2009 for individual players of the Boston Modern Orchestra Project during her residency; this one is for the orchestra's cellist Rafael Popper-Keizer. In her note she says the set was conceived as virtuoso solo pieces in the spirit of Berio's Sequenzas, and that each has a six-word subtitle in homage to Hemingway's six-word story. The music is lyrical and full of 'yearning' (her word), and parts of it were reworked in her larger BMOP pieces Chance Encounter, the Double Violin Concerto and In medias res.

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.

Music

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