A cello concert right here

I’ve been here and there and everywhere, totally neglecting my very own blog in the process.

Last night I presented my first cello concert, with an audience of two (my bro Dave and his wife Miriam). Remember, I’ve taken cello lessons only six months, and my plan is to continue for five years. So any progress is wonderful news. Here’s the programme I provided for the concert goers:

“Cold Cello”

A concert in cello

by Joyce L. Griffith, first year cellist

November 7, 2009

Sonatina in G, Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

March in G Major, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Minuet in C Major, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Waltz, Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Joy to the World, George Frederick Handel (1685-1759)

Jingle Bells, James Lord Pierpont (1822-1893)

The cello

The official name of this instrument is “violincello,” so it really should have a mark for ‘cello to show it’s an abbreviation. Nobody follows that convention, however. The plural of “cello” is “celli.”

The cello is the second largest bowed string instrument in the orchestra today. Even bigger is the double bass. The first known cello maker was Andrea Amati in the 1500s. Amazingly, six of his cellos have survived the centuries. Amati’s son, Girolamo II was also a very good cello maker, but his classmate, Antonio Stradivari, passed him in fame.

Celli today are 29 inches tall, compared with 31 or 32 inches until cello makers decided it would be easier to play and not so hard on the left hand with a shorter reach. In the 1700s most cello makers converted to the smaller size.

Antonio Stradivari is most famous for his violins, but he was also well known as a cello maker. Your Stradivari cello, if you have one, is worth millions today.

Celli are an octave lower than violas (an octave and a fifth lower than violins). Their mellow sound which to the orchestra’s bass line. Violins are chosen more often for solos, but cello solos are not unknown. The cello is the second best known instrument of the orchestra, after the violin.

from Griffith Publishing

 

Tags: Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, cello, first year cellist, Handel, Pierpont