Haunting, expressive, deeply personal, Kol Nidrei, for cello and orchestra (1880) is perhaps Max Bruch’s most moving piece and certainly amongst the most beloved of all works written for cello. It is also one of our most sought after pieces here on 8notes — we have the complete piece, a more accessible simplified version as well as versions for other solo instruments, so you don’t need to be a cellist to play this marvellous music.
How many of us, however, stop to consider the curious title of this work? What does it mean? And why did Bruch choose it?
It’s a fascinating story involving religion, friendship and cross-cultural sharing…
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The very essence of elegance, lyricism and subtle melancholy, Gabriel Faure’s Sicilienne, Op.78 (1893) is a masterpiece of the French Romantic period. At just four minutes to perform and prioritising expressivity over virtuosity, it has become a very popular work amongst cello players of intermediate and higher levels. Despite this, Sicilienne actually started life as a theatre work, with even the cello version not being the final version of the piece. Continue reading...
More than any instrument the cello is known for its expressive singing qualities, making it a popular choice as a solo instrument for composers over the last two centuries. It's no coincidence, therefore, that some of the absolute best works in the repertoire are written for it. Here are our ten favourites.... Continue reading...
Who knew that deer love Bach?
Cellist Diana Gomez discovered the truth when she took her cello to a park in Aarhus, Denmark, and started playing the famous opening to Bach's Cello Suite No.1 in G major
Watch the interaction below.
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