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

Cello Suites Beyond Bach

Bach’s Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello continue to hold a special place in the hearts of cellists and listeners alike. These iconic works have not only shaped the cello repertoire but have also inspired generations of composers to write their own unaccompanied suites. In this fourth set of digital postcards, I’m excited to share more of these remarkable pieces—some familiar, others more recent additions—all well worth your attention.

If you want to study unaccompanied cello suites in depth, I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be teaching select suites this summer at the Bethany Beach Cellofest. This is a fantastic opportunity to work on these pieces in a supportive, immersive setting.

Looking to discover even more unaccompanied works for cello? Be sure to check out my past postcard series on Asian composers, Black composers, women composers, and Hispanic and Latino/Latina composers, or browse all of my postcards.

Postcard #1 – A Suite of Nigerian Folk Songs by Godwin Sadoh

Born in Nigeria, Dr. Godwin Sadoh is a well-regarded ethnomusicologist, composer, musician, organist, pianist, conductor, and scholar. He is the first Nigerian and first African ever to receive a doctoral degree in organ performance. His compositions span many genres, including organ, piano, solo instrument, vocal solo, vocal duet, SATB choral, electronic, chamber, and orchestra.

• Title: A Suite of Nigerian Folk Songs for Cello Solo and Duet
• Composer: Godwin Sadoh (b. 1965)
• Instrumentation: version for solo cello and cello duo
• Year Published: 2021
• Movements: 4
• Duration of Work: 1:33; 1:18; 2:20; 2:08
• Number of Measures: 63, 50, 60, 58
• Number of Pages: 34
• Tempo: dotted quarter = 80, dotted quarter = 70, dotted quarter = 60, dotted quarter = 80
• Difficulty Level: late beginner and intermediate mix
• Highest Position Reached: 5th, thumb, 4th, 5th
• Technique Employed: bass & treble clef, 6/8 time signature, slurs, staccato
• Publisher: Lulu Press
• Where to Purchase: Lulu Press
• Cost of Sheet Music*: $20.99 (PDF)

Recordings of “Ise Oluwa” and “Gbo Ohun Awon Angeli”

Program Notes

“This is a collection of five cello solos and four cello duos based on Nigerian folksongs and indigenous hymn tunes. In this collection, there is something interesting for every level of cello performer. The cello solos are easy, while the intermediate and advanced performers would enjoy playing both the solos and duets at concerts and divine services. The theme of the first piece, Ise Oluwa (The Work of the Lord), is derived from a popular Christian hymn tune ascribed to the father of Nigerian church music, Thomas Ekundayo Phillips (1884-1969). It is herein arranged for cello solo, cello and piano, and two cellos. The second piece, Gbo Ohun Awon Angeli (Hear the Voices of Angels), is based on another Nigerian hymn tune. It is arranged for cello solo and cello duet. Honor Your Mother is a derivation of a didactic song extracted from a folktale, in which children are admonished to honor and respect their mothers, and vehemently discouraged from being rude to their mothers. The principal theme, “Omo to mo iya re l’oju o, osi ni o t’omo na pa” (The child that looks disrespectfully at her/his mother, will indeed live a miserable life), is arranged for a solo cello and cello duo. The final piece, The Village Dance, is an exciting, lively, and captivating work based on a Yoruba folksong, “Owo o, Omo o, ma m’omo se ire” (Money and children are both desired; I will embrace and revere them). The thematic material is arranged for cello solo and cello duet. It is the most advance and complex of the nine pieces infused with intricate rhythmic patterns, contrapuntal techniques, canonic imitations, and brief transition of tonal centers from the home key of F major at the beginning to D-flat major, B-flat major, and finally finds repose in the home key of F major in measure 89 through the end.” – Godwin Sadoh

Cellist’s Guide

What is unusual about this collection, is that the pieces are offered in both solo and accompanied versions. “Ise Oluwa” has both piano accompaniment and accompanied cello versions, while the remaining three are written as cello duets. The difficulty of the accompaniment cello part varies from piece to piece.

Interestingly, all four songs are written in 6/8 time. As the 6/8 time signature is less frequently used than 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 time signatures, we cellists are less practiced with the bow distribution properties created by this meter. These short pieces provide an opportunity to brush up on the long-short, long-short bow stroke.

Here is a brief technical layout of the four songs:

• “Ise Oluwa” reaches 5th position and has seven bars written in low treble clef.
• “Gbo Ohun Won Angeli” goes into thumb position. So that it sits more comfortably in thumb position, I have transposed this piece down a 4th. I will gladly send you a pdf should you decide to purchase the suite.
• “Honor Your Mother” is written entirely in bass clef and does not go beyond 4th position.
• “The Village Dance” is written in bass clef and reaches the fifth position.

This collection may be particularly valuable for cello teachers and orchestra directors with late beginner and intermediate students seeking solos and duos for contests.

Postcard #2 – Suite in the Eighteenth Century Style for Violoncello by Frank Merrick

• Title: Suite in the Eighteenth Century Style for Violoncello
• Composer: Frank Merrick (1886-1981)
• Instrumentation: unaccompanied cello
• Movements: 8
• Duration: 33:49
• Number of Pages: 10
• Number of Measures: 68, 50, 32, 30 & 24, 58, 24 & 24, 23, 76
• Tempo:  not indicated
• Difficulty Level: advanced
• Highest Position Reached: thumb
• Technique: bass, tenor, and treble clefs; 6/8, 3/4, 4/4, and 3/2 time signatures; double, triple, and quadruple stops; trills, grace notes
• Publisher: MuseScore
• Where to Purchase: MuseScore
• Cost of Score: Free

Recording

I. Ritornelle

Program Notes

Frank Merrick (1886–1981) was a British pianist and composer with an extraordinary life story. A student of Leschetizky and an early champion of composers like Debussy, Reger, and Prokofiev, Merrick was also known for his pacifism—he was jailed during WWI as a conscientious objector—and for his commitment to causes like Esperanto and women’s rights, influenced by his first wife, Hope Squire.

This Suite in the Eighteenth-Century Style was rediscovered late in Merrick’s life by a young Steven Isserlis, who had studied with Merrick’s friends and began visiting him regularly. Merrick had no memory of writing the piece—it was found in a box, already fingered and edited by the cellist W. E. Whitehouse, who died in 1935. This gives us a rough latest possible date for its composition.

The suite’s title suggests a nod to Bach, but the music also evokes Handel and other Baroque influences. Each movement has its own distinctive character, ranging from lively to lyrical. Isserlis calls it “enchanting,” and his recording helped bring this forgotten gem into the spotlight.

Read Steven Isserlis’s full personal recollection of Merrick and the suite on Hyperion Records.

Cellist’s Guide

I am thrilled to have run across this work!  We owe a great deal of gratitude to Steven Isserlis for bringing it to light and recording it.

Though composed in the 1900s, this suite was written in the Baroque style, complete with numerous double stops and ornaments. There are the finger prints of a cellist all over this work, so it is not surprising to learn that cellist W. E. Whitehouse helped edit the suite. It is such a delight to play something that falls so well on the instrument.

As far as rating the technical difficulty of this piece goes, I would label it as advanced. Though bass clef is well represented, much of the work is in tenor clef (including low in the staff) with the the occasional treble clef thrown in as well. Additionally, there are numerous upper position double stops and thumb position. If you are an intermediate level player, do not be discouraged, rather play what you can now and add in the rest as you become more experienced.

Postcard #3 – Suite No. 2 by Cesar Zambrano

Colombian composer Cesar Augusto Zambrano has arranged over 40 pieces of Colombian popular music for chamber choirs, soloists, and orchestra. He believes there is a space between “cultured” music and popular or folkloric music that has been insufficiently explored by composers as well as performers. Many of his compositions make use of rhythms and melodies that pay tribute to both indigenous as well as Spanish (and, by extension, Arab) influences.

• Title: Suite No. 2
• Composer: Cesar Augusto Zambrano
• Year Composed: 2003
• Instrumentation: unaccompanied cello
• Movements: 4
• Duration of Work: 10:30
• Number of Pages: 7
• Number of Measures: 76 w/o repeats, 37 w/o repeats, 29 w/o repeats, 177 w/o repeats
• Tempo: not indicated
• Difficulty Level: intermediate
• Highest Position Reached: 6th
• Technique Employed: 6/8, 3/4, 4/4 time signatures; bass clef, double, triple, and quadruple stops; triplets, col legno, left-hand pizzicato, tapping the top of the cello
• Publisher: composer
• Where to Acquire: I downloaded the music from a link that no longer exists, so if you are interested, you could send him a message on X (Twitter) requesting the score. Here are links to the first three movements:
  • Movement 1
  • Movement 2
  • Movement 3
• Cost of Sheet Music: Contact the composer

Recording

Cellist’s Guide

Like the Bach Suites, this work is based on dance forms. Unlike the Bach suites, which incorporate French dances, this suite employs Latin idioms.

The composer is a cellist, and that is evident in how well this piece lies in the hand. Zambrano knows his instrument well and makes use of many arpeggios and double, triple, and quadruple stops throughout the work.

I think that this suite will gain popularity with intermediate and advanced cellists alike. I highly recommend that you give it a try.

Enjoying The Cello Museum?

Don’t miss an article or exhibition. Sign up for our newsletter.

*Prices given are accurate on the date of publication of this article. Please check the links for the current price. The Cello Museum does not control these prices and cannot take responsibility for price changes.

*Please note that some links in this article are affiliate links. We appreciate your support in helping keep the cello community thriving. For full details, please see our footer below.