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Cello Repertoire Initiative

Lullaby

by Hilary Tann

Instrumentation
Cello
Duration
1'45''
Publisher
ABRSM (in Spectrum for Cello, ed. William Bruce)
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About this piece

A short lyrical piece for unaccompanied cello, under two minutes long, published in Spectrum for Cello, ABRSM's 2004 anthology of 16 contemporary pieces compiled by William Bruce that spans Grades 1 to 8. ABRSM set it for Grade 3 cello, and it appears on ABRSM's own Cello Exam Pieces 2010-2015 Grade 3 recording. A MusicWeb International review of the anthology notes that it is one of only two unaccompanied pieces in the book and introduces simple harmonics and pizzicato in its closing bars.

Technical overview

No technical overview is available yet.

Level rubric

Early Intermediate

Left Hand

  • Regular shifting among 1st–4th positions.
  • Frequent shifts with target notes & prepared approaches.
  • Introduce ornamentation (grace notes, slow trills, turns).
  • Begin basic double stops (often with one open note).
  • Combine extensions with shifting.
  • Consistent vibrato on sustained notes with speed variations.

Right Hand

  • Bow arm gains finesse and speed.
  • Introduce controlled spiccato.
  • Sautillé appears in rapid passages.
  • Expand legato into longer, sustained lines.
  • Practice advanced articulations (martelé, refined string crossings).
  • Add complex strokes for double stops/chords.

Bow Strokes

  • Use context‑appropriate strokes: legato, spiccato, martelé.
  • Subtle bow changes during string crossings.

Rhythm & Musicality

  • Increased challenges: sixteenths, dotted rhythms, syncopation, contrasting subdivisions.
  • Emphasize expression with crescendos/decrescendos & vibrato.
  • Balance technical precision with emotional delivery.

Levels are approximate guides, not strict requirements.

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