Trying to find unaccompanied cello suites that aren’t by J. S. Bach? Look no further.
After a July and August hiatus, Postcards from Erica returns this September with the next installment of Suites Beyond Bach.
Now in its 16th edition, the series continues to explore the many ways composers and cellists have expanded the unaccompanied cello repertoire. This month’s program takes a slightly different turn: two suites in d minor, plus a dramatic Bach work arranged for solo cello.
Erica looks at Julius Klengel’s Suite in d minor for Violoncello Solo, Op. 56, a late-Romantic work rooted in cello technique and tribute to Bach; Paul Tortelier’s Suite in d minor for Solo Cello, a direct homage to Bach’s dance-suite model; and J. S. Bach’s Toccata in d minor, BWV 565, arranged by Randy Calistri-Yeh.
Together, these works make a compelling journey in d minor for advanced cellists: learned, virtuosic, dramatic, and unmistakably connected to the tradition Bach helped establish.
Postcard #1: Suite in d minor for Violoncello Solo, Op. 56 by Julius Klengel
- Title: Suite in d minor for Violoncello Solo, Op. 56
- Composer: Julius Klengel (24 September 1859 – 27 October 1933)
- Instrumentation: unaccompanied cello
- Movements: 6 – Praeludium, Siziliano, Gavotte (I&II), Sarabande, Intermezzo scherzando, Fuga
- Duration of Work: 6:49, 2:59, 4:25, 3:25, 2:31, 3:32
- Number of Measures: 75, 32, 36+32, 36, 97, 128
- Number of Pages: 12
- Tempo: none indicated
- Difficulty Level: advanced
- Highest Position Reached: thumb in every movement
- Techniques Employed: bass, tenor, treble clefs; 6/8, 3/4, and 4/4 time signatures; double, triple, quadruple stops; harmonics, grace notes, trills, pizzicato
- Publisher: Yuriy Leonovich
- Where to Find Score: yuriyleonovich.com
- Cost of Score*: $16.99
Recordings
I. Praeludium
Program Notes
Read Yuriy Leonovich’s notes here.
Cellist’s Guide
When most cellists think of Klengel, scales and arpeggios in his Technical Studies are the first thing that come to mind. A large number of cellists were raised on this book. Many of us are unaware that he also wrote four cello concertos, three cello concertinos, a cello suite and a variety of smaller works. The suite is dedicated to Klengel’s student Emanuel Feuermann.
Klengel was clearly a fine technician and his love of double stops is on full display in this suite. Thirds and 6ths appear frequently through all of the movements. Written largely in a late-Romantic style, Klengel pays tribute to Bach while making this suite entirely his own.
Postcard # 2: Suite in d minor for Solo Cello by Paul Tortelier
- Title: Suite in d minor for Solo Cello
- Composer: Paul Tortelier (21 March 1914 — 18 December 1990)
- Instrumentation: unaccompanied cello
- Movements: Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Bourrée, Gigue
- Duration of Work: 3:32, 3:44, 2:00, 8:09, 5:01, 3:21
- Number of Measures: all counted without repeats – 44, 22, 24, 46, 59 (without the da capo), 27
- Number of Pages: 7
- Tempo:
- I. Prelude – quarter note=92
- II. Allemande – quarter note=56
- III. Courante – dotted quarter note=138
- IV. Sarabande – quarter note=46
- V. Bourrée – quarter note=80
- VI. Gigue – half note=80
- Difficulty Level: advanced
- Highest Position Reached: thumb, 6th, thumb, thumb, 6th, 7th
- Techniques Employed: bass, tenor, treble clefs; 12/8, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and 3/2 time signatures; double, triple, and quadruple stops: bariolage, glissandos, harmonics, false harmonics, and trills
- Publisher: Salabert
- Where to Find Score: Sheet Music Plus
- Cost of Score*: $16.99
Recordings
I. Prelude
Program Notes
Read Dr. Şőlen Dikener’s program notes here.
Cellist’s Guide
This suite is definitely an homage to Bach. Written in a Baroque style, the movements follow the French dance forms which Bach used in his suites and in the same order. In the Bach suites, the only dance that changes throughout the suites is the 5th. Suites I and II have Minuets, Suites III and IV have Bourrées and Suite V and VI have Gavottes. Interestingly, Bach’s D minor Suite (No. 2) employs Minuets but Tortelier chose to compose Bourrées instead.
Unlike the Bach Suites, Tortelier’s Suite covers more of the fingerboard, reaching thumb position. The passages artfully crawl across the cello in a way that only someone intimately familiar with the instrument could render.
Postcard #3: Toccata in d minor, BWV 565 by Johann Sebastian Bach, arranged by Randy Calistri-Yeh
- Title: Toccata in d minor, BWV 565
- Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach (21 March 1685 — 28 July 1750)
- Instrumentation: unaccompanied cello
- Movements: 1
- Duration of Work: 3:40
- Number of Measures: 32
- Number of Pages: 2
- Tempo: Adagio-quarter note = 42, eighth note=40 and 60; Allegro-quarter note=72 and 100
- Difficulty Level: advanced
- Highest Position Reached: thumb
- Techniques Employed: bass and tenor clefs; 4/4 time signature; double, triple, and quadruple stops; sul ponticello, trills, and bariolage
- Publisher: Randy Calistri-Yeh
- Where to Find Score: Sheet Music Plus
- Cost of Score: $6.95
Recording
Program Notes
This cello arrangement of Toccata in d minor was created by Randy Calistri-Yeh and can be found in Pure Cello Volume 2. The book also includes: Brahms’s Hungarian Dance No. 5, the “Introduction and Love Theme” from Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, the Finale from Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, Debussy’s “Clair de Lune,” Sousa’s “Washington Post March,” Meacham’s “American Patrol,” Bizet’s “Carmen Medley,” Vieuxtemps’s “Variations on Yankee Doodle,” and Smith’s “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Also see the Wikipedia notes on this work.
Cellist’s Guide
As you have already noticed, the Toccata is not a suite, nor was it composed for cello. I have broken my own rule of only including suites originally written for cello in this Postcard, because these works fit nicely together. I was inspired by the fact that all of these works were written in the lovely key of d minor. What a lovely 60-minute program these three compositions would make.
As the Toccata was arranged by a cellist, it lies nicely on the instrument. None of the double stops are challenging for a professional player, but the tempo makes smooth execution of the 32nd notes challenging.
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.
