Solos for Young Cellists CD, Volume 6: Cello CD

A journey across musical centuries, moving from the intimate lyricism of Mendelssohn through the virtuosic elegance of Boccherini, the impressionistic delicacy of Fauré, and the spiritual depth of Bloch before arriving at the playful, eclectic energy of the Forsyth suite. The recorded accompaniments create a sense of genuine collaboration rather than solitary practice.

Cellists working at late elementary through early intermediate levels who are ready to explore standard repertoire and gain exposure to 20th-century compositional voices. Teachers building well-rounded solo lists that blend Baroque and Romantic foundations with contemporary works.

• Use the piano track on the second half of the CD to establish secure tempo and intonation before performing live with an accompanist; this bridges the gap between solo preparation and ensemble readiness.
• Study how David Dunford shapes phrase endings in the Mendelssohn and Fauré pieces; his interpretations model the lyrical, singing tone that defines these Romantic works.
• For the Boccherini sonata movements, reference the recorded version to hear how the keyboard realizations complement the cello line, especially in the Largo where voicing matters greatly.
• Listen through the Forsyth suite multiple times before rehearsing; its stylistic shifts require familiarity with the recorded context to understand the mood of each section.

Draw from this collection for student recitals across an entire season; the variety allows you to pair contrasting works on the same program or scatter them across multiple events. The recorded tracks make these pieces performance-ready for studio recitals where live accompanists may not be available.

• Navigating shifting positions across Romantic and contemporary repertoire
• Sustaining long melodic lines with consistent vibrato and tone color
• Responding to harmonic movement in keyboard accompaniments
• Stylistic awareness across Baroque, Romantic, and 20th-century idioms
• Rhythmic independence in varied meters and time signatures