Cigarillos

About this piece

A short, groove-driven piece for cello and piano, written in Vienna in October 2009. The piano holds a repeating bass riff and offbeat chords throughout, while the cello moves from long held notes high in tenor and treble clef to accented repeated-note and double-stop passages over frequently changing meters (7/8, 5/8, 9/8). Two humorous effects are written into the part: tapping the strings with the wood of the bow while stopping them with the other hand, and knocking on the cello's top with the bow screw. The piece ends with a long repeated-note fade to pppp before a closing chord. The composer offers the score as a free download under a Creative Commons licence.

Technical overview

The cellist sustains long notes and accented repeated-note figures in tenor and treble clef up to the thumb-position range, plays double and triple stops, and keeps time through frequent changes between 4/4, 7/8, 5/8, 6/8 and 9/8. The part also has pizzicato passages, a glissando into harmonics, col legno tapping and knocking on the instrument's top.

Technical focus

• Meter Changes
• Double Stops
• Thumb Position
• Pizzicato
• Articulation
• Harmonics
• Dynamics
• Collaboration with Piano