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Cello Repertoire Initiative

If Thou Art Sleeping (from Southern Love Songs, Op. 12 No. 4)

by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor · arranged by Samuel Araya

Instrumentation
Cello, Piano
Publisher
Samuel Araya (self-published on IMSLP, 2021)
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About this piece

Samuel Araya's cello-and-piano arrangement of 'If thou art sleeping, Maiden', the fourth of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's five Southern Love Songs, Op. 12, published by Augener in London in 1896. The song sets words by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and is marked 'Portuguese' in the set, whose songs each take a different national flavour.

Technical overview

No technical overview is available yet.

Level rubric

Late Intermediate

Left Hand

  • Master positions up to 7th.
  • Use 5th–7th positions for high notes; early thumb position basics.
  • Learn treble clef for 4th, 5th, 6th positions.
  • Practice complex shifting with guide‑finger techniques.
  • Manage upper extensions; play double stops (thirds, fourths, sixths) with consistency.
  • Use continuous, selectively applied vibrato.

Right Hand

  • Develop advanced bow strokes: deliberate ricochet & controlled up‑bow staccato.
  • Execute quick string crossings & precise chord articulations.
  • Achieve wide dynamic range while maintaining tone.
  • Seamless transitions between spiccato and legato.
  • Execute multiple stops/chord rolls rapidly.

Rhythm & Musicality

  • Increased complexity: fast passages, intricate syncopation.
  • Detailed phrasing & structure; shape long phrases with rubato.
  • Combine expressive dynamics, vibrato & precise bowing techniques.
  • Further refine ensemble sensitivity & leadership.

Levels are approximate guides, not strict requirements.

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