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Cello Repertoire Initiative

Runemusic

by Ann Silsbee

Instrumentation
Cello
Composed
1979
Duration
12'
Publisher
American Composers Alliance (ACA-SILS-015)
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About this piece

Runemusic is a 12-minute single-movement piece for unaccompanied cello from 1979, dedicated to the artist John Himmelfarb. In her preface Silsbee says it is modelled on stories of deciphering a lost language from carved signs. The cellist states short musical 'runes' and then works them into a speech-like meditation. The writing is spare and uses quarter-tones, left-hand pizzicato, col legno battuto, a shift from normal bowing to sul ponticello and back, vibrato that widens into distortion, and 'cello sprechstimme' glissandi.

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.

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