Trying to find unaccompanied cello suites that aren’t by J. S. Bach? Look no further.

February is Black History Month in the USA, and cellist Erica Lessie is back with special “postcards” to celebrate.

Cello Suites Beyond Bach

Bach’s Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello remain a staple of our repertoire, shaping how generations of cellists think about the instrument’s unaccompanied repertoire. Yet the tradition of writing suites for solo cello did not end in the eighteenth century — it continues to evolve today.

February is Black History Month in the United States, and in this twelfth edition of my digital postcard series, I am honored to highlight three composers whose unaccompanied cello works expand and enrich that tradition: Chad “Sir Wick” Hughes, Joseph Jones, and Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson.

Hughes draws inspiration from Bach’s dance forms while bringing his own vibrant musical voice to the suite tradition. Jones offers wit, theatrical flair, and rhythmic energy in his Comic Suite. Perkinson’s Lamentations – Black/Folk Song Suite blends Baroque counterpoint, blues inflections, and folk elements into a work of striking depth and complexity. Together, these composers demonstrate the breadth of Black artistry within the solo cello repertoire — from lyricism and humor to rhythmic drive and structural ingenuity.

Other suites of note by Black composers include Godwin Sadoh’s A Suite of Nigerian Folk Songs (Postcard #1), Dorothy Rudd Moore’s Baroque Folk Song Suite (Postcard #2), and Quinn Mason’s Suite for Solo Cello (Postcard #1).

Interested in discovering more music for unaccompanied cello? Explore my previous postcard collections featuring Asian composers, Black composers, women composers, and Hispanic and Latino/Latina composers, or browse all of my postcards to continue expanding your repertoire.

Postcard #1 – First Suite for solo violoncello by Chad “Sir Wick” Hughes

Originally published as Postcard #3 in February 2022

Chad “Sir Wick” Hughes is a man of many talents: euphoniumist, trombonist, composer, producer, arranger, conductor and educator. Since 2014, he has served as the Director of Bands at Morehouse College. In addition to his solo compositions for cello, viola, and violin/piano, Hughes has composed multiple works for chamber ensemble, concert band, and symphony orchestra. Ever the innovator, he is also the author/composer of “A Tale of Two Fools,” the world’s first novical (novel + musical); or, as Hughes describes it, “a new literary and listening experience.”

Composition details

• Title: 1st Suite for Solo Violoncello
• Composer: Chad “Sir Wick” Hughes
• Instrumentation: unaccompanied cello
• Movements: Minuet, Courante, Gigue
• Duration of Work: 5:50’
• Number of Measures: 4393, 36, 36
• Number of Pages: 7
• Tempo: half note = 64, quarter note = 72, dotted quarter note = 68
• Difficulty level: Advanced/Professional
• Highest Position Reached:  thumb
• Techniques Employed: 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8 times signatures; bass and tenor clefs; double, triple, and quadruple  stops; triplets and sextuplets
• Publisher: Maestrowick Publications
• Where to Find Score: www.sirwickmusic.com
• Cost of Score: $15*

Recording:

Program Notes

“My love for the cello suites came in September of 1995. As I came home (to the dorms) from marching band practice at the University of Michigan, I heard not only a glorious euphonium sound, but I heard this beautiful melody in C coming from the dorm’s practice rooms. I had to find out who and what it was. As I knocked on the door, I introduced myself and then met Matthew Summers, a fellow music major (now currently in the President’s Own Marine Band. A week or two later, we went to the library so I could get my own copy of the music.

Coincedently I had just met Leo Eguchi and Minitria Slade who were violoncello performance majors. They had a sound that was just quite mesmerizing. I would ask them questions repeatedly so I could learn how to write for this instrument. I had no idea about bowings, double-stops, bow techniques. I was a kid in a candy store.

Years later, the tuba/euph studio at UM had to learn various movements from the cello suites. I went to the library to grab some recordings. Somehow someway, the video of Mstislav Rostropovich performing the Suites was already playing in the library. He quickly became my favorite cellist. Maybe it was the quality of his CDs. His tone just captured me. The musicality of his cello suites got me hooked on his first note. Forever a fan!

Right around the time I was about to graduate, I ran into our cello professor, Anthony Elliott. He kindly asked me to write him a piece. I was floored. No professor had ever asked me that. Honestly, I was nervous. I hadn’t really written solo music before, mostly orchestra music. Unbeknownst to me, Prof. Elliott was putting together a concert and CD of African-American compositions. I just used Bach as my mode and listened over and over to Rostropovich. I didn’t write six movements as he did, but decided to use the dance forms.” – Composer’s website

Cellist’s Guide

Over the years, I have learned to listen to a recording of a piece or get a sneak peak at a score before purchasing a work. (On multiple occasions, I have regretted a music purchase.) Upon listening to Anthony Elliot’s recording of this suite, I was happy to discover that a wonderful new work has been added to our solo cello repertoire, and I went ahead and purchased the score.

At first glance the score looks innocuous enough, but be forewarned that this piece requires a working knowledge of 3rds and 6ths. That is not to dissuade anyone from learning this work, but if double stops are not your forte, it is time to get out the Popper etudes!

Postcard # 2 – Suite 7 Days by Jerry Liu

Originally published as Postcard #2 in January 2025

Postcard #2 – “Comic Suite” by Joseph Jones

Originally published as Postcard #3 in August 2022 and again as Postcard #2 in 2025.

The description accompanying the sheet music download says it all: “This 11 minute solo suite for cello is a fun romp! The title is a reflection of its inspiration: comedic poetry and drama. This work brings to a close the ‘poetic’ trilogy of suites, coupled with the ‘Lyric,’ Op. 26, and ‘Tragic,’ Op. 44. The four movements are: 1. Moderato 2. Andante Grazioso 3. Adagio 4. Allegretto.” (Previously featured August 2022, Postcard #3 and February 2025, Postcard #2.)

• • Title: Comic Suite, Op. 45
  • Composer: Joseph Jones

Instrumentation: unaccompanied cello

• Year Published: 2020
• Movements: Moderato, Andante Grazioso, Adagio, Allegretto-Andante-Vivo
• Duration of Work: 11’’
• Number of Measures: 110, 62, 33, 114
• Number of Pages: 6
• Tempo: half = 60, 70; dotted quarter = 56; quarter = 50; quarter = 90, 108, quarter = 50, quarter =132
• Difficulty Level: advanced
• Highest Position Reached: thumb position
• Technique Employed: bass, tenor, treble clefs; 6/8, 2/4, cut, 4/4 time; pizzicato; double, triple, and quadruple stops; false harmonics, sul tasto, trills, glissandos
• Publisher: Sheet Music Plus
• Where to Purchase: Sheet Music Plus
• Cost of Sheet Music*: $25

Recordings

First movement:

PROGRAM NOTES

As a composer, Mr. Jones’ works have been performed in the United States, and Europe. He has written a wide variety of music, including art song, solo instrumental, chamber music, choral, concertante, chamber, string, and full orchestra, oratorio, and opera. Most recently, he was the first prize-winner in the call for scores held by Music of the Unsung America in Miami, giving the premiere of his Second Symphony for String Orchestra in April 2021. – Composer’s website

CELLIST’S GUIDE

At first glance, Comic Suite appears to be written for the intermediate cellist. Upon reading the piece, I discovered false harmonics, thirds, intricate passages with numerous accidentals and rapid string crossings. Though not stunningly difficult, Comic Suite requires that the player have a fair amount of technique.

The first and last movements stand nicely on their own, giving the performer the choice of playing just a single outer movement or, time permitting, the entire piece.

This exuberant work is delightfully sarcastic in nature. Though it reminds me a bit of Prokofiev and Shostakovich, it is in no way derivative. I feel that this is a piece that audiences would enjoy, and I definitely plan on adding this to my repertoire.

Postcard #3 – Lamentations – Black/Folk Song Suite by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson

Originally published as Postcard #3 in June 2022

One of the co-founders of New York’s Symphony of the New World, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson was a prolific composer of classical music who was equally versed in jazz and popular music. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, he wrote arrangements for musicians such as Max Roach, Marvin Gaye, and Harry Belafonte as well as a number of films, documentaries, and television shows. His style reflects his classical training and has been described as blending Baroque counterpoint with American Romanticism, exhibiting elements of the blues and black folk music as well as rhythmic ingenuity.

• Title: Lamentations – Black/Folk Song Suite
• Composer: Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (14 June 1932 – 9 March 2004)
• Instrumentation: unaccompanied cello
• Year Composed: 1980
• Movements: Fuging Tune, Song Form, Calvary Ostinato, Perpetual Motion
• Duration of Work: 16’
• Number of Measures: 57, 15, 24, 178
• Number of Pages: 11
• Tempo: quarter note = 100. quarter note = 69, quarter note = 80, quarter note = 76
• Difficulty Level: advanced/professional
• Highest Position Reached: 7th (optional thumb)
• Technique Employed: bass, tenor & treble clefs; 4/8, 6/8, 7/8, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, and 9/4 time signatures; double, triple, quadruple stops; pizzicato, left-hand pizzicato; harmonics, many accidentals
• Publisher: Keiser
• Where to Purchase: Sheet Music Plus
• Cost of Sheet Music*: $14.95

Recording

PROGRAM NOTES

Read Aaron Grad’s program notes here.

CELLIST’S GUIDE

At first glance, I thought there might be misprints in the score, as the first two movements contain measures that are a sixteenth or eighth note shy or in excess of the number of beats indicated by the time signature. However, after studying the Fuguing Tune and Song Form, I realized that beats are simply displaced and that everything works out as long as you keep the sixteenth note constant. I.e., instead of furiously counting, feel the pulse.

Another interesting aspect of this piece is that there is no key signature for any of the movements. There are many accidentals, but this is not problematic as the chords make sense in the hand and ear.

Because of the rhythmic complexity, liberal use of chords, and/or quick tempo, this is certainly not a piece that can be learned quickly. Since I enjoy listening to Lamentations (and I hope you do as well) I will definitely be putting this on my practice list.

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