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Cello Repertoire Initiative

Baroque Suite for Unaccompanied Cello

by Dorothy Rudd Moore

Instrumentation
Cello
Composed
1965
Duration
15'
Publisher
American Composers Edition (BMI)
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About this piece

Dorothy Rudd Moore's Baroque Suite for solo cello is an early composition that combines baroque techniques with lyrical expressiveness. Written as a personal gift, it captures Moore's artistic sensitivity and exploration of the cello's expressive range.

Technical overview

Tenor clef, baroque bowing patterns, double stops. The technical demands are very similar to Bach's 4th cello suite. Please visit here for a preview of the sheet music: composers.com

Technical focus

  • Articulation
  • Tenor Clef
  • Baroque Style

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.

Music

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