With another influx of new cello music since my update last year, it’s time to highlight the next set of additions to the Cello Expressions Sheet Music Library. This posts covers works published between summer 2020 and summer 2021. You’ll also find a set of newly-available copyrighted arrangements that I wrote about last week. The library continues to expand in a variety of genres, cello-centric instrumentations, and arranging styles. This year is heavier on arrangements in an original style to balance the volume of original compositions in the library. Follow the links below to view the sheet music, full recordings, and additional details.
Theme & Variations (Nielsen)
When I stumbled upon Carl Nielsen’s Wind Quintet, Op. 43 in summer 2020, I was shocked that I had not previously heard about this work. The original music captures the vibrant textural diversity of a wind quintet in a style similar to my own. The final movement culminates with dynamic set of eleven variations on and original hymn tune by Nielsen. These variations stand apart from the overall work as an opportunity to present the music in an ensemble composed singularly of cellos.
My arrangement is geared toward concert performances by experienced cello quartets. I selected seven variations taking listeners on a journey from the initial 3/4 theme to its eventual restatement in 4/4. Alongside seven short movements for quartet, the arrangement features a cello duet and a cello solo. Ensembles can play selected movements or the entire eight-minute work in concerts or in other settings.
Veni Creator Spiritus
This arrangement expands the of repertoire of early music for cello ensembles. It leverages repetition in a series of six settings to create a meditative soundscape and to ease the difficulty of the relatively complex rhythms. Set to a 7/8 time signature, the melody floats through all four parts alongside varied accompaniments. This melody has been in and out of my head for a few years. When I was reminded of its source earlier this summer, I quickly fleshed out the arrangement in a subtly contrapuntal style. The result is a contemporary take on a familiar tune.
Etudes #10 – 12 for Cello Choir
My fourth set of three etudes for cello choir stands alone as my only original composition this year. Each etude is reflective and ephemeral beyond a level that I had previously explored. First and foremost, each etude stands as an individual work. Secondly, the three pieces coordinate to tell three parts of a broader story. They each study only three chords to present a unified compositional approach. Finally, these etudes fit within the larger context of my series of Etudes for cello choir. These newest etudes combine the tonal range of etudes 7-9 (via harmonics) with an easier difficult level. They offer an unexpectedly contemporary sound for a less experienced ensemble.
Tallis’ Canon (Cello Duet)
Occasionally, I get an opportunity to rework an existing arrangement for a different instrumentation. My arrangement of Tallis Canon for cello ensemble is an accessible work for intermediate ensembles. This arrangement for cello duet is somewhat more difficult, and also more impressive. It includes many of the same elements. Building through repetition, the final two verses state the melody in the upper register alongside two different lines in double stops that attempt to capture as many notes of the original harmonization as possible. This music is satisfyingly challenging; a short, enjoyable piece for cello duets.
Largo, from Winter (Vivaldi)
My arrangement of the Largo movement of Vivaldi’s Winter concerto from The Four Seasons is the most straightforward addition to the library this year. It closely follows the original setting including accompaniment parts. This arrangement fulfils multiple requests and will likely be popular for use at weddings, similar to string quartet versions. While this is the type of arrangement that I can put together fairly quickly, it doesn’t offer the perspective that I presently seek to bring to new cello ensemble arrangements. Therefore, you can expect similar new arrangements to come infrequently.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Cello Trio)
Returning to my typical arranging style, this new version of We Wish You a Merry Christmas brings a vibrant march to cello trios. The contrapuntal sound emerges from the use of offset rests, offering a refreshing rendition with approachable difficulty. This arrangement is fifth in my annual series of new stylized holiday arrangements for cello trio.
Hark the Herald Angels Sing (Mixed Duet)
Sticking with the subject of holiday music, I just released this arrangement of Hark the Herald Angels sing for mixed duet in August 2021. I actually stumbled on this arrangement through the recording above, while contemplating a new version for cello trio. Back in 2013, I assembled several holiday arrangements for violin/cello duet. I recorded at least two with cello and trumpet. Since the other holiday mixed duet was already in the library, I decided to add this one as well (back-dated to sit together). Despite its age, this arrangement is close to my present style. Note the similarities to the Tallis’ Canon duet above, for example.
Sketches of Christmas
Stepping back once more, I decided in December 2020 to publish my Sketches of Christmas, originally written in 2010. I set out to create background filler music for background performances at holiday events. This arrangement continues to serve that purpose. The six sketches together comprise twelve minutes of varied holiday-themed background music. Most sketches abstract a few chords before offering familiar melodic glimpses. Despite living out of the foreground, this approach results in an ephemeral quality that may only offer a single verse of each tune.
Sketches of Christmas can serve as a cello quartet’s abstracted carol book. I’ve also written A Christmas Medley and an ongoing series of holiday arrangements for cello trio, which are geared more toward concert performance. I may eventually offer the sketchbook in a printed book format for ease of performance. In the meantime, ensembles can also extract individual movements for discrete performance. One movement is the source material for A Cold Winter Night, an original composition first published in my Four Seasons.
New Recordings
In addition to newly-published sheet music, I added recordings of several existing arrangements this year. My goal is to eventually include a sample recording with every piece. Recording quality is generally much lower than arrangement quality. Once this aspect of the library is more complete, I’ll shift focus to improving recording quality. In the meantime, the recordings provide a general idea of how the new cello music sounds.
New recordings are sprinkled throughout the library. A few examples include Gabrieli’s Canzona Seconda (featured above), Londonderry Air, and all twelve Etudes for Two Cellos. I also consider recording submissions – please contact me if you have a good recording to share!
New Cello Music in the Works
Now that we’ve taken a look a new cello music published in the past year, let’s look ahead to what’s coming. I’ve already substantially exceeded my two-piece-per-year goal in 2020 and 2021. I expect to publish closer to 3-5 new pieces per year in the next few years. Most of my backlog of older arrangements is now either published or archived (with exception of a large collection of string ensemble pieces awaiting a better technical framework to catalog alternate instrumentations for a given piece). Focusing primarily on new arrangements, I’ll annually explore:
- A larger-scale concert piece for cello quartet or ensemble
- A new holiday arrangement for cello trio
- Hymn tunes or other sacred works
- Additional etudes for cello duet or cello choir
- Other new inspiration-driven compositions or arrangements
In addition to content, I’m starting to work on a next iteration of tools to make the library easier to browse. This will launch with a version 2.0 of the Sheet Music Library WordPress plugin, followed by a redesign of the sheet music library homepage. Look for these improvements in the next year or so.