Skip to content

Cello Sonata No. 1 "Paradise Found"

by Bruce Wolosoff

Instrumentation
Cello, Piano
Composed
2020
Duration
22'37''
Publisher
Bruce Wolosoff Music (ASCAP), distributed by Subito Music
More by this composer

Purchase or download

About this piece

A four-movement sonata for cello and piano, written in 2020 during the first COVID lockdown as a reminder of the beauty that remained in the world. The first movement sets a soaring cello melody over a swirling piano texture. The second is a folk-like A-B-A movement and the third is a set of reflective sections, and the work ends with a rondo in the style of a rustic dance. Sara Sant'Ambrogio and the composer recorded it as the title work of the album Paradise Found (Avie, 2022), which reached the Billboard classical top ten.

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.