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Cello Repertoire Initiative

The Buccaneer

by Ailbhe McDonagh

Instrumentation
Cello, Piano
Composed
2016
Duration
1'2''
Publisher
Boosey & Hawkes (in It's a Cello Thing, Book 2)
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About this piece

The Buccaneer is a short piece for cello and piano (about 1:02) by the Irish cellist and composer Ailbhe McDonagh, written in 2016 and published in It's a Cello Thing, Book 2 (Boosey & Hawkes, 2021). McDonagh suggests it for teaching fast left hand movement and bow control. The composer puts it at around Grade 6.

Technical overview

No technical overview is available yet.

Technical focus

  • Bow Control

Level rubric

Early Advanced

Left Hand

  • Fully integrated thumb position; scales/arpeggios on A & D strings.
  • Smooth shifts into/out of thumb position for sustained high notes.
  • Frequent advanced double stops with rapid, coordinated shifts.
  • Accurate ornamentation (trills, turns, grace notes), even in double stops.
  • Expressively adjust intonation for chord balance.
  • Handle fast runs and large leaps precisely.
  • Introduction to false harmonics.

Right Hand

  • Virtuoso bow strokes: controlled up/down‑bow staccato, deliberate ricochet & well‑shaped sautillé.
  • Wide tone palette via precise bow adjustments.
  • Explore advanced effects (col legno, sul ponticello) as needed.
  • Capable of both powerful fortissimo and delicate soft notes.
  • Rapid switching among strokes in cadenzas/virtuosic passages.

Rhythm & Musicality

  • Apply rhythmic freedom & rubato to shape movements and cadenzas.
  • Personal interpretation with nuanced phrasing & subtle dynamics.
  • Mature tone and phrasing for solo and ensemble settings.
  • Demonstrate advanced ensemble leadership with visual cues.

Levels are approximate guides, not strict requirements.

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