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Cello Repertoire Initiative

Mother is a Priceless Jewel (Iya Ni Wura Iyebiye)

by Godwin Sadoh

Instrumentation
Cello
Composed
2001
Duration
2'51''
Publisher
Godwin Sadoh (self-published via Lulu, 2022; PDF, cello solo and duet versions)
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About this piece

Godwin Sadoh's setting of a popular Nigerian folk song in praise of motherhood, which reminds children that their mothers are so precious that they cannot be bought with money. The single theme returns in a series of variations in different registers of the instrument. The composer calls it fun, joyful and playful, and suitable for beginner and intermediate cellists. The edition contains versions for solo cello and for two cellos. Sadoh wrote the piece in 2001, and violinist Rachel Barton Pine has also performed it. The cello solo version was premiered by Erica Lessie at DePaul University in Chicago in September 2022.

Technical overview

No technical overview is available yet.

Level rubric

Early Intermediate

Left Hand

  • Regular shifting among 1st–4th positions.
  • Frequent shifts with target notes & prepared approaches.
  • Introduce ornamentation (grace notes, slow trills, turns).
  • Begin basic double stops (often with one open note).
  • Combine extensions with shifting.
  • Consistent vibrato on sustained notes with speed variations.

Right Hand

  • Bow arm gains finesse and speed.
  • Introduce controlled spiccato.
  • Sautillé appears in rapid passages.
  • Expand legato into longer, sustained lines.
  • Practice advanced articulations (martelé, refined string crossings).
  • Add complex strokes for double stops/chords.

Bow Strokes

  • Use context‑appropriate strokes: legato, spiccato, martelé.
  • Subtle bow changes during string crossings.

Rhythm & Musicality

  • Increased challenges: sixteenths, dotted rhythms, syncopation, contrasting subdivisions.
  • Emphasize expression with crescendos/decrescendos & vibrato.
  • Balance technical precision with emotional delivery.

Levels are approximate guides, not strict requirements.

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