What pieces are you learning (or teaching) for grade 6 cello? I'm thinking of learning Danse Rustique. I like Sicilienne (von paradis) but I don't think I'd be able to play it well enough for grade 6.

Thanks.

I could have sworn I posted a reply to this topic............ anyway!

I did Danse Rustique when looking at grade 6 and I think it's definately a good one - it has contrasting sections and used a variety of techniques. It was at about this level (grd 6) that I began to feel the pieces on the syllabus were something to get your teeth into - lengthy, varied and technically challenging - hoorah!
I also looked at Siciliene & Air de Diable (if that's the one you mean!) and found the sicilienne great, it's quite easy to get it flowing and with relatively few position changes. In the Air there were a few technical passages I struggled with but hey, can't have it all eh! The tenor clef is managable aswell Actually I played the sicilienne for my marines audition, it went well

At the moment I'm working on a great piece called Appasionata by Saint Saens (amongst other things) and I love it - it also has contrasting sections and a variety of techniques, what's more it's exciting and dramatic! Maybe you could look at this one sometime?

Another good one is Tarantella, I can't remember if it's grade 6 or 7 though......

Alice

Thanks Alice! I'll have a look at Appasionata. Have you done grade 6 yet?

I haven't actually done it but I worked through it because waiting around to actually have done grades 6 & 7 would be slowing progress, as it's my last year at school I'm trying not to get stuck waiting!

Good for you? What other pieces did you play?

If that's Allegro Appasionato by Saint-Seans I thinks it's a bit above Grade 6. Fun Piece though

I'll try to rack my brains (I can't remember the grades though!)

* Tarantella
* Matelotte
* Danse Rustique
* Sicilienne/Air de Diable
* Serenade (poulenc)
* Elegy (that was Grd. 6)

Also looked at:

* The Swan
* Sonata (which is a duet) but I can't remember who by......
* Faure's Sicilienne

I think that's it over the past 6 months or so, I'll let you know if I think of any more

Thanks for that Alice, I'll try some of them. You have been busy!

The Allegro Appassionata is definitely above grade 6 - but it's a great piece... I have a feeling it might have been set for grade 8 at some point, but I'm not sure...

I took my exam in February this year and I did Bach Menuet 1 and 2 from Suite no.1 in G, the Danse Rustique and Carl Davis' Elegy. In terms of marks, the Danse was my best piece but the mark isn't very good at all

Thanks everyone for your input here! I think I'll do Matelotte, Danse Rustique and possibly Vigil. I really like Rondo, but Matelotte is easier and NOT in the tenor clef! Haven't seen Elegy yet. I don't find the pieces that difficult - it's the tenor clef I find impossible! I can read it ok when I'm correcting theory exercises invoving tenor clef - I just can't seem to relate it to notes on the cello and when it reaches leger lines, I get it confused with the alto clef! !

Sounds good - the Elegy was by far the easiest piece in my opinion. Very little position work, generally pretty simple Good luck anyway

Thanks! How much of it is in the tenor clef though? Position changes I can handle!

That must be a bit of a nightmare, the clef changes - I often wish the viola would stick to alto clef as I can cope with leger lines but clef changes throw me and I have to concentrate hard! I guess it depends what you're used to - a professional cellist I know can read fluently in any clef you throw at her, but she hates leger lines.

I don't mind changes from alto -> treble clef, my brain and fingers refuse to co-ordinate when they see a tenor clef.

Well if it's any consolation you're one up on me

Noodle - I don't recall any tenor clef in Elegy - could be wrong...... pretty sure it's all bass though

Wooo! That's great news. Thanks Alice!

Thanks Alice. The music arrived at the weekend - and not a sign of the tenor clef . I also ordered a book to help me try to learn the tenor clef - hope it works!!

Sounds great - have fun!!

Sounds like you are getting ready for the Grade 6 exam already!

No tenor clef at all, you were correct! This is a strange sounding piece! Andy-piano-flute and I were looking at it the other night!


Yes, but it might take a bit longer than I thought it would now I've got a new cello to get used to!

You got your new cello? Yay

Yes, I don't think my sightreading of it did it any favours! But our duets were good fun

I think it's meant to sound like that! Duets were great until I was confronted with a high E!

Tarantella is grade 7 and is good fun but on the same list is the most beautiful piece by chopin its the largo from a sonata and well worth playing


Allegro appassionata is grade 7 I think. isn't Elegy grade 8?! or is it a different one. not faure?

playing around with the gr 7 repertoire....

trying out:

list A
1.4th movement of the viola da gamba sonata by bach playable...
2.leornado leo's larghetto not much shape of the music yet.....trying... trying.....
3.vivaldi's sonata in Bflat

list B
1.largo, 3rd movement of chopin's cello sonata in G min- beutiful piece, but only sounds nice when jacqueline dupre is playing it on my cd
2. Vocalise rachmaninoff again....another beautiful piece which only sounds nice on my cd
3. squires's tarentella fun piece

list C
1 mary cohen's the mandolin player and ride like the wind playable
2 david matthews' tango flageoletto