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Cello Repertoire Initiative

Mystery Sonata

by Paul Brantley

Instrumentation
Cello, Piano
Composed
2023
Duration
23'
Publisher
Bill Holab Music
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About this piece

A three-movement sonata for cello and piano, about 23 minutes long, commissioned by cellist Laura Metcalf for her GatherNYC concert series and completed during Brantley's 2023 MacDowell residency. The movements are titled "…if there are any heavens…" (after an E. E. Cummings poem), Scene with Intermedia, and Ricorso. Metcalf and pianist Steve Beck performed it at Columbia University on 22 October 2024 in a concert devoted to Brantley's music.

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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