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Homage to Canisy, Op. 129

by Elena Firsova

Instrumentation
Cello, Piano
Composed
2010
Duration
4'
Publisher
Sikorski, Hamburg (Boosey & Hawkes)
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About this piece

Four-minute, one-movement piece for cello and piano, a tribute to the Château de Canisy in Normandy, which hosts a summer music festival where Firsova is a regular guest. Karine Georgian and Alexander Ivashkin gave the premiere in London on 3 June 2010. It opens the Marsyas Trio's 2015 Meridian album of Firsova's chamber music, where a reviewer describes it as rhapsodic and spare in texture.

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.