Cello Music

I've really gotten into it recently but there seems a vast sea of music to navigate. Does anyone have any suggestions and/or links?

My personal favorite

yay! i love this one as well and i'm learning to play it right now :). as far as finding music is concerned i only really search for ones i've heard before or am learing. on that note you might want to check out vocalise by rachmaninov (which i can also play :))

sorry i couldn't offer more help, but go cellos!

Bach's Suiten fuer Cello Solo, in the Julius Berger edition (Orfeo Blau/ wergo labels; there's 2 different versions). This is probably THE single-most excellent interpretation of any piece of music on a string instrument, ever. If you want a sample I could hand you a track or two I suppose. Personally detest the Yo-Yo Ma interpretation, it's too sugary and dramatic for my taste.

If you accept the cello's predecessor (viola da gamba), then I'd suggest anything by Marin Marais, especially the Suite d'un Goût Etranger, interpr. by Jordi Savall.

Also, François Couperin "Le Grand"'s outstanding pièces de violes for the same instrument, in the Pierlot/Hantaï version.

If you like these, I'll have plenty more suggestions for you.

I personally like sugary and dramatic on certain pieces but I'd greatly appreciate if I could get some tracks from you. Actually, any classical music suggestions would be nice, be they cello, piano, full symphony or other.

I'll pm you some links. It is done

As for piano, I'll make some wildly different suggestions and you can see what you like and I'll recommend more in that direction:

G.F. Händel, Suite No.3 in d, HWV428 - V. Air (Lento non troppo)
P.I. Tchaikovsky, Les Saisons op. 37 a- October (Autumn Song) + March (Song of the Lark)
C.P.E. Bach, Sonate En Si Bemol (from Suites p. Violin + Pianoforte) - Largo
J.S. Bach - Wohltemperirtes Clavier Bk I, Prelude No. 22 in B flat minor + Prelude No. 8 in E flat minor (Gulda interpretation)
F. Chopin - Nocturne no. 1, op. 9 in b-flat (Rubinstein interpretation)

I already have quite a bit of chopin and a handful of tchaikovsky but I'm listening to the other stuff and it's great. Thanks for the help :).

In classical music, the Romantic and Classical eras tend to be far and away the most popular(along with Bach and a very few of his Baroque peers, a touch of impressionism, and a few stray pieces), but I think there is a lot to be discovered by expanding one's horizon to include both some of the pre-Bach work and come more contemporary music. Personally, I think we play so much romantic music these days that we as a society actually end up listening to some amount of generic and unoriginal music when we could be exploring other classical genres. I love a number of romantic masterpieces, but I don't want to hear Schuman's symphonies, which quite frankly are pretty dull(His song sets are amazing though). You can't like everything, but there is so much music out there with so much variety that there is a lot to be discovered. Here are a few possibilities:

Early(pre-JS Bach) music
-Henry Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas"(opera)
-Josquin des Prez'z "Missa de Hercule Dux Ferrariae"(vocal mass setting)
-Jacobus Arcadelt's "Il bianco e docle cigno" and other madrigals(madrigals)
-Perotin's "Sederunt Omnes"(vocal mass music)
-Guillaume de Machaut's various motets

Post Romantic music
-Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring", "Petrushka", and "Firebird"(these are all ballet settings and well known pieces)
-Joan Tower's "Night Fields"(string ensemble)
-Penderecki's "Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima"(an insane orchestral piece, but definitely at least worth experiencing once)
-Hindemith's "Mathis der Maler" and "Symphonic Metamorphosis"(sympony)
-Alban Berg's "Wozzeck"(Opera)
-Varese's "Hyperprism"
-Ives's "The Unanswered Question" and "General William Booth Enters into Heaven"(The Unanswered Question is a somewhat mainstream piece, but Ives was a fascinating composer who really did a lot of different stuff. The latter song is very different and one of my favorite voice and piano songs)
-Percy Grainger's "Lincolnshire Posy"(one of the most important wind ensemble works)
-Alan Hovhaness's "Mysterious Mountain"(symphony)

I could go on for a long time, but that's a sampling of a few of the things that are out there outside of the romantic/classical era music we normally hear played by soloists and professional orchestras. Most of those pieces are famous enough that it shouldn't be too hard to find them online, but if you want, I can look for some links for you.

WhiteLion: Absolutely concur. Except for Schubert, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Satie and the one Tchaikovsky opus mentioned above, the 19th century does nothing for me. Likewise, the Classical era is pretty much dead to me, save for the Bach sons (C.P.E. and J.C.).
1520-1780 and then again 1920-today is where it's at for me. However, both the so-called "early music" and true contemporary classical (not soundtrack composition) tend to be a bit complex for an introduction, hence my omission of them.

Also, dear edibleghost didn't mention vocal works as "okay", so I did not recommend any before.

More recommendations:
Late Renaissance: (1540-1620)
Much music of this period is anonymous, and known only under the name of the score publisher. Names were given as they appear in available recordings. The music is characterized by both the pastoral and military coloration of renaissance composition and the budding baroque innovations

- Jacques Moderne: prolific Lyonnaisan publisher; marks the turn from renaissance to baroque; vocal works, lute works, renaissance ensemble works. An excellent recording by Raisin-Dadre intitled, "Friccassées Lyonnaises" exists. Absolute recommendation. Contains my favorite piece of the era, the Passemeze et Gaillarde from MS L4.

- Francesco Spinacino, Franciscus Bossinensis, Bartolomeo Tromboncino: A triangle of italian composers of frottole and chamber music (ricercars, tamburs); middle-late renaissance style. An outstanding recording together with anonymous works under the title "Il libro del Cortigiano" by Doulce-Memoire exists.

- Heinrich Isaac: Prolific flemish renaissance composer. Vocal works, court music. Various recordings extant.

- Stefano Landi: Although italian, and outstanding and shining beacon of early baroque. Passacaglias, Invenzione, Chamber music. An absolutely terrific recording by Pluhar, intitled "Homo fugit velut umbra" exists and is most warmly recommended.

- Varie: There's a little recording, intitled "Meraviglia d'Amore", by Private Musicke. It collects frottole &c. by Sigismondo D'India and others. A very nice introduction to the style of the early baroque/ending renaissance.

- Claudio Monteverdi: Probably needs no introduction. Sometimes dubbed the last renaissance and first baroque composer. Intradas, Madrigals, Dramma Musicale, the first operas. My recommendation would be the "Lamento d'Arianna".

Baroque: (1620-1750?)
Decidedly the center of my attention as a listener. Many innovations that define western music to this date were made in this era. Defined by highly advanced formalism and counterpoint. I shun the italian style, so you will find almost exclusively french, english and "german" composers here.

- Henry Purcell: Him. The most skilled english baroque composer, period. The "Theatre Musick" recording by Hogwood is my "record for the desert island". Probably the single most excellent recording in classical music, bar none. Also recommend anything else by him, especially "King Arthur", and "Love's Goddess Sure was Blind, The Complete Funeral Music for Queen Mary". His Fantasia Upon One Note is the greatest musical joke ever made, and at the same time the most humbling display of skill in counterpoint to this date. The guy clearly was a genius.

- Daniel Purcell: Henry's younger brother. Not quite as much of a teeth-shattering genius, but still excellent. A magnificent recording intitled, "The Mantle of Orpheus" of works by Daniel Purcell - John Eccles - John Blow is very much recommended.

- Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre: One of the few female baroque composers known by name. Recommend "Le Sommeil d'Ulisse", available as a recording by Desrochers.

- John Jenkins: Not very prolific, but high-quality english composer. Lyrical style, solid counterpoint. Recommend "Consort Music For Viols In Six Parts", ed. Hespèrion-XX

- Jan Dismas Zelenka: Czech-Austrian composer. Recommended recordings are the"Trio-Sonaten" and "De Profundis / Miserere / Requiem" by Dombrecht. Calm and dry in style, though never bleak. The De Profundis is particularily outstanding.

- Dietrich Buxtehude: Bach's mentor. Strict formalist and master of the counterpoint. Prolific Organ and Harpsichord composer, vocal works. Recommend his "Cantatas", especially Jesu meines Lebens Leben, BUXWV 62, one of the most delicate cantatas there is.

- François Couperin, dit "Le Grand": Him. Extremely prolific court composer and virtuoso, mostly harpsichord and violes. Wrote a huge slew of small musical sketches upon the king's whim, each of them an immaculately gifted gem of music, dealing with a given theme - from "La Séduisante" (the seductress) to "La Milordine" (the Mylord, a piece on the appearance of english courtiers). The guy was insanely talented. Called "Le Grand" for a reason. Recommended recordings, aside from the one in the first post: "Leçons de Tenébres" (vocal piece), "Les Nations" (instrumental suites) ed. Savall, "Apothéose de Lulli" (with Pieces by Charles Piroye, organ), ed. Bardon.

- Jean-Féry Rebel: Really earned his last-name. His piece "Le Cahos" is several centuries ahead of its time. Recommended recording: "Les Eléments" by Hogwood, featuring pieces by Rebel and André Cardinal Destouches.

- Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville: Excellent vocal composer; his motet "Venite Exultemus" is the apex of its genre. Recommended recording: "Grands Motets", ed. Coin. The Christie recording of the same title is very good as well, but simply not quite as good. The parts "Hodie si vocem" and "Venite adoremus" are downright hauntingly beautiful.

- Jean-Philippe Rameau: Him. The French Bach. Extremely important theoretician, composer (opéra-ballet, chamber music). His very existence caused an enormous strife among his generation and divided the court into two camps. Mastergenius. Recommended works: "Les Indes Galantes" a programmatic instrumental work on the occasion of the arrival of native americans to the french court.

- Marin Marais: Court musician; his mainstay was viola da gamba chamber-music. Recommended works apart from those given above: "Alcione" (orchestral), "Sémélé" (vocal).

- Juan Manuel de Aragüés: Only spanish baroque composer of some repute. Recommended: "¡Ah de las esferas! Música para la Capilla de la Universidad de Salamanca." ed. Bernalt.

- Marc-Antoine Charpentier: Prolific composer of sacral and semi-sacral music. Outstanding craftsmanship. Recommended: "Un Oratorio de Noël", ed. Christie. "La Nuit" from this recording is especially worthy.

- Johann Mattheson: Contemporary and friend of Handel. Especially his harpsichord works are of interest - thus recommended: "Suites pour clavecin", ed. Holtz.

- Georg Philipp Telemann: Calling this man prolific does not do him justice: THE most prolific composer in the history of music, with over three thousand works listed so far (and counting). However, despite the quantity not without quality. Nearly any genre. Recommended works: "Die Tageszeiten", "Concerti" (Harnoncourt).

- Frantisek Ignac Tuma: Czech composer, sacral works, organ. Recommended: "Inno per il Festo di Sta Teresia".

- Michel-Richard de Lalande: Composer of sacral and semi-sacral music. Outstanding vocal composer. Recommended recording: "Dies Irae / Miserere" by Herreweghe.

- Georg Friedrich Händel: To me, probably the incarnation of the baroque opera. Mastergenius. Aside from his more popular works such as the Messiah, I recommend: "Ariodante" (opera), ed. McGegan; "Radamisto" (opera), ed. McGegan.

- Johann Sebastian Bach: Needs no introduction. His Cello suites and the Gulda version of the "Wohltemperirte Clavier" aside, I recommend the "Matthäus-Passion", ed. Herreweghe and the "Partita für Flöte solo, BWV 1013".


Modernity:
Here I tried to list modern classical composers that are neither machines churning out trivial soundtracks, nor hyper-complex theorists that require a lot of theoretical knowledge to even listen to.

Michael Gordon ("Weather"), Alo Mattiisen ("In Spe - Igavikumeel", "Lahkumine"), Veljo Tormis ("Litany To Thunder"), Arvo Pärt ("Kanon Pokajanen", "Como Cierva Sedienta", "Für Alina"), Luciano Berio ("Sequenza"), John Tavener ("Out Of The Night"), Hayasaka Fumio ("Uguisu"), Henryk Gorécki ("Symphony No.3"), David Darling ("Journal October" - it's cello music!).

Artists:
Here's a small list of people that consistently produce worthy interpretations. Going through their discographies may lead to great treasure.

McGegan - Coin - Christie - Herrewghe - Pierlot - Hantaï - Rannou - Ross - Brüggen - Harnoncourt - Savall (almost too hasty for my taste, but tolerable) - Berger.

Anti-Recommendations:
Anything recorded by Giardino Armonico and other formula-1-race-drivers of the like. Although you have to hand it to them that they make Vivaldi almost listenable, because their racing through his works at Mach 9.5 makes for some amusement, if nothing else.
the entire Italian Baroque, especially Vivaldi, Mancini, Scarlatti, Geminiani.
Anything "Vienna Classic" and beyond, especially Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms, Strauss, Wagner, Bruckner.



That should keep you busy for a while. if you need more, just say the word.

I think it took me 20 mintues to read all of that. And though I enjoy "Vienna Classic" I have had little exposure to anything before the classical "Golden Age" so maybe I'll have a different opinion when I emerge from this forest of music.
Again, thank you, this is a hard genre to navigate and recommendations make it a hundred times easier.

My final recommendation would be to mine any sizeable public library in your vicinity for this sort of music. I live in "the Eritrea of cultural infrastructure", and even here the public library carries surprisingly much high-quality early music.

I don't know if you find vocal works uninteresting, but in the case of "early" music(in which I include most pre-Bach baroque simply because mainstream ensembles never play it), vocal pieces are really the way to go. The further back you go in time, the more this is true as well. At the time, vocal music was seen as a higher art and more prestigious than instrumental music. Some of the composers wrote good instrumental music, but the best music of the time tends towards voice pieces. It took until the end of the classical era/beginning of the romantic era for orchestra to fully take over as the dominant and most prestigious ensemble for which a composer might write.

While some more modern music is just way out there, early music may sound alien to one accustomed to Bach and Beethoven, but not so much because of experimentation but rather because music was conceived of differently back then. Before John Dunstaple came to the mainland of Europe(most active we think around 1410-1430), thirds are rather scarce, except in English music, of which we have very little today. Additionally, you can sometimes hear very harsh dissonances occur suddenly and vanish just as suddenly in some of this music. This often occurs due to the way composers of the time viewed harmony and counterpoint. We think of these things as vertical. There is a root note, a chord, a sonority. They conceived of them as linear. The rules of counterpoint were based on the linear motion of the lines, which allowed for unusual harmonies to arise.

Also, in contrast to our valuing originality today, early composers thought in the opposite way, often building a piece around or on top of an older piece. In their minds, building around something established lent a sense of authority and gravity to the music, rather than making it unoriginal.

Finally, if you listen to madrigal composers, text painting is different than what we think of. Individual words were characterized in the music, even if it ran contrary to the meaning of the whole phrase. For example, I recall a piece that had the line "I will never be happy again" and on the word happy, a very lively melisma occurred.

In contrast, we today are pretty much still dominated by the romantic era view of music. Originality is important, music is thought of mainly emotionally rather than mathematically, composer as this mythic figure, music and words going together, and all the things you think of when you think of Beethoven's fifth.

Personally, my favorite composers of the Renaissance tend to be the franco-flemish composers(so called because they generally originated in France/the Netherlands/Belgium and took their music and styles to other places(especially Italy), sometimes combining them with the local forms and styles. In rough chronological order, the most famous include:

Johaness Ciconia, Guillaume Dufay and Gilles Banchois, Johannes Ockeghem, Henricus Issac and Josquin des Prez, Jocabus Arcadelt

An English vocal ensemble called "The Hilliard Ensemble" has amazing recordings of many of these composers' works.

Some of things I mentioned may not apply as strongly to the works mentioned by gibbous, which tend to be later chronologically, but I hope this provides some insight into some of the pre-Bach music out there if you decide to listen to it.



I agree, I love Henry Purcell, one of my favorite baroque composers. I got a chance to sing in "Dido and Aeneas" and sing a program of his sacred music, and I loved it. "Dido's Lament" is a passacaglia, and it's amazing how much he can do with it. Likewise with the vocal and instrumental colors he uses all throughout his music. Of course, you have to make sure you find recordings where the singers avoid the temptation to butcher his work with excessive amounts of vibrato.

Huh ^^. That's a very italian and not quite unprejudiced view of things ^.~
Not to say that I value vocal works less than instrumental ones, personally, of course.


T.B. once called him the marching-music head, whose music was pregnant with the pompous marching of notes. It's polemic, but these days, I tend to think of that, when listening to Beethoven's symphonies, heh.


Ah yes. I couldn't agree more. In Karajan's times the obsession was to make music sound like a MIDI file: without any audible human interaction. These days, the obsession of the mainstream either lies with romantic vibrato or paganinean pedal-to-the-metal speeding. Both quite sad in their own way.


Absolutely. That, by the way, was why Händel was so revered in his time. He contains nary an original note, but his mastership of pastiche, of unifying styles and impulses to an incredible whole is what to this day puts him over contemporaries such as Broschi or Porpora.



The following I add as a side-note: It is of course none other than the great Purcell who, when tasked with composing a piece of theatre music by Nathaniel Lee, played a cruelly witty joke on his patron. He was to set a priggish song to music; in the song, intitled Can'st thou, Marina, a girl renounces her worldly station to take the vows. As the words announce "the world has lost; the battle's won, and sin shall never charm you more", the music mockingly alludes to one of Blow's Funeral Odes, thus turning the word's cheerful and solemn meaning on its head. The audience, or so it is reported, understood, and instead of being morally awakened, they responded with laughter.

I think it also might have something to do with the fact that most of the early music you have been discussing is later chronologically than the music I have been discussing. Once you get to 1540-1620 and the composers you mentioned(though Isaac doesn't belong in that chronological period), instrumental music had picked up a lot more steam. By the Baroque period, plenty of quality works exist for both voice and instrument, and I think they were pretty much on equal footing. However, the further back you go, the fewer works were being written by the best composers for instruments. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with the instrumental music, it just had to do with what composers thought was presitigous, what the demand was for, and what was written. If you go back to the 14th or 15th century, or even for much of the first half of the 16th, vocal music was still very much considered a more prestigious type of music than instrumental music and thus the best composers composed a lot for voice. If you go back to the 13th century, the trend is even stronger.



It varies from instrument to instrument and to vocalists, but I can't stand it when the dominant aspect of a musician's sound becomes the vibrato. It should be a part of the overall color. Even worse, students these days are often taught or imitate examples of musicians who never change their vibrato to fit different passages or pieces. It shouldn't just be a switch that gets flipped on and off, yet so many people treat it as just that. Selectively using vibrato as appropriate to the music and the passages in the piece can give musicians so much more flexibility and add life to a performance. Especially depressing is when I encounter someone who literally is unable to sing or play their instrument without vibrato, because it was ingrained in them in that way.

People also never seem to realize that the way most musicians use vibrato today is actually quite a new idea. Even what we conceive of as wide romantic vibrato wasn't used in the actual romantic period nearly to the degree we use it today. It was very much a 20th century invention and developed in large part in reaction to recorded music becoming popular and viable. This doesn't mean that we have to treat older pieces as static material and that we can't apply new interpretation at all, but we should at least consider what the music was like in its own time.

With regard to tempo, early vocal music is often sung too slowly, although it is hard to really know, because the music manuscripts themselves often say nothing about tempo, and we are forced to rely on what little information we have left from treatises by observers.