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Cello Repertoire Initiative

The Ballad of Barnaby

by Juliana Hall

Instrumentation
Cello
Composed
2010
Publisher
Juliana Hall Music (Simsbury, CT; composer's imprint)
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About this piece

The Ballad of Barnaby (2010) is a narrative piece for unaccompanied cello by Juliana Hall, based on W. H. Auden's poem of the same name. Auden wrote the poem for students at a Connecticut school to set to music (it was first printed in 1969); it retells the medieval legend of a tumbler who, unable to pray, honours the Virgin with his acrobatics. The published score (15 pages) includes the poem along with the composer's program and performance notes. Hall later made a version for solo viola.

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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