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Cello Repertoire Initiative

Sonata in A minor, Op. 5

by Dame Ethel Smyth

Instrumentation
Cello, Piano
Composed
1887
Duration
20'
Publisher
Edition Peters
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About this piece

A Romantic sonata in for cello and piano in three movements. Please read this blog for more interesting information: theclassicalnovice.com

Technical overview

Collaboration with the piano, brief moments in treble clef, 4-note pizzicato chords, heavily syncopated passages, hemiolia passages.

Level rubric

Advanced

Left Hand

  • Unrestricted fingerboard operation.
  • Effortless high‑register passages with thumb position.
  • Execute large leaps, rapid shifts & fast runs with precise intonation.
  • Render double stops with clarity and even vibrato.
  • Crisp, stylistically appropriate ornamentation (trills, turns, mordents).
  • Instinctive micro‑adjustments in intonation for expressiveness.
  • False harmonics in low positions

Right Hand

  • Complete command of all bow strokes at any tempo/dynamic.
  • Comfortable execution of virtuoso passages (sautillé, intricate ricochet).
  • Tone projection from whisper‑quiet to fortissimo.
  • Integrate advanced bow patterns with expressive phrasing.
  • Demonstrate technical precision with a broad dynamic range.

Rhythm & Musicality

  • Interpret large‑scale structures with nuanced pacing and rhythmic freedom.
  • Highly refined phrasing with subtle note grouping & expressive rubato.
  • Convey emotional depth and stylistic authenticity.
  • Incorporate personal interpretive choices while meeting stylistic demands.

Levels are approximate guides, not strict requirements.

Music

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