Konzertstuck, Op. 12: Cello, Solo with Piano, Book

This work sits at the intersection of what cellists want to play and what audiences want to hear. Dohnanyi's three-movement structure unfolds with the architectural clarity of Brahms but with its own harmonic sophistication and demands that a soloist master both singing lyricism and genuine virtuosity. The Starker Performance Editions bring the wisdom of one of the greatest cello minds of the 20th century directly into your students' hands.

Lyrical grandeur suffused with late-Romantic warmth, yet with harmonic turns that keep the ear engaged. The dialogue between cello and piano feels intimate despite the virtuosic passage work, and the long arching phrases invite the soloist to shape narrative rather than merely execute.

Advanced high school cellists and college-level performers ready for a 25-minute vehicle that demands both interpretive maturity and secure technique. This is ideal for the student preparing for music school auditions or for strong community ensembles seeking ambitious, satisfying repertoire that sits between chamber music and full concerto.

• Approach the outer sections with the kind of legit orchestral sound a Brahms concerto demands; the bow control and dynamic subtlety you develop here transfer immediately to solo recital repertoire.
• Use the three-movement arc to tell a dramatic arc rather than treating each section as a standalone showpiece; Dohnanyi expects continuity of character across the whole 25 minutes.
• Lock in with your pianist early on the harmonic language of the accompaniment, which is more chromatic and resourceful than a first reading might suggest.
• Pay attention to the editorial markings from Starker and Colon; they clarify bow distribution and fingering choices that solve real problems in the right-hand technique without sacrificing musicality.

Position this as a centerpiece in a cello recital or as part of a concert pairing contemporary and late-Romantic solo works. Its 25-minute span makes it substantial enough to carry an entire half of a program, or it can anchor a smaller chamber series where instrumental confidence and interpretive depth matter more than crowd-pleasing novelty.

• Sustained legit tone production across three contrasting movements
• Large-scale formal thinking and structural coherence
• Chromatic harmony reading and harmonic context awareness
• Virtuosic passage work including bow control at varied tempos
• Collaborative listening and rhythmic coordination with piano
• Stylistic navigation of late-Romantic harmonic language