Concerto for Cello No. 87 in A, GT 1.A28 (Leyden): String Orchestra, Solo Strings with Ensemble, Harpsichord Part

This concerto stands alone as Tartini's only known work for cello, making it a genuine rarity in the standard repertoire. The solo part sits in a deliberately intimate range of the instrument, giving the cellist room to shape a conversational, almost lyrical voice against the ensemble's energetic backdrop rather than compete with it. Programs seeking to feature a gifted cellist in an 18th-century concerto framework without reaching for Bach or the standard classical repertoire will find a genuine alternative here.

The overall energy propels forward with Baroque vitality, yet the solo cello moves through the texture with a kind of understated eloquence, almost as if in quiet conversation with the ensemble. The writing sits in that sweet spot where the instrument can sing without strain, allowing the cellist's tone and phrasing to carry the music's expression.

This work suits advanced youth orchestras and college ensembles with a strong principal cellist who can voice a solo line with subtlety and control. It appeals to conductors curating programs around Italian Baroque and early Classical string music, particularly those seeking to program beyond the most familiar concerto repertoire.

• Balance the solo cello to sing clearly without forcing; Tartini's writing sits comfortably in the middle register, which can recede if the accompaniment is too full. Rehearse with the ensemble listening for where the solo line naturally emerges.
• Shape the cello line with phrase direction and weight rather than volume. The solo part's discretion invites interpretive nuance in articulation and vibrato timing.
• Give the harpsichord continuo independence in texture; it anchors the harmony and should breathe as part of the accompaniment, not simply fill beneath the strings.
• Attend to the string section's rhythmic precision in tutti passages. Tartini's energetic outer movements gain momentum from ensemble clarity, which sets off the cellist's more restrained solo entries.

Program this as a featured concerto within a Baroque or early Classical concert, perhaps pairing it with other Italian instrumental works or string repertoire from Tartini's era. It works particularly well when you want to spotlight a cellist's musicianship without the weight of a Romantic concerto, or as part of a concert exploring regional Italian musical traditions.

• Balancing solo voice against ensemble texture in Baroque concerto style
• Shaping melodic lines in the middle register of the cello with tonal control and phrase direction
• Reading figured bass notation (for harpsichordist)
• Responding to continuo-based harmonic language and the ensemble's rhythmic framework
• Performing with stylistic awareness of Italian Baroque instrumental writing