Taught by renowned cellist
Laura Metcalf
In this multi-part course, virtuoso cellist Laura Metcalf takes us on a tour of three of the most popular and beloved concert pieces for cello: Gabriel Fauré's emotionally searing Élégie, Camille Saint-Saëns aptly-titled Allegro appassionato, and Gaspar Cassadò's passionately evocative Requiebros.
<p>Requiebros</p>
<p>In this lesson, we explore the marvelously colorful world of Cassado's showstopper, the Requiebros. Full of flair and different characters, we must learn to shift moods and musical personalities on a dime, and Laura Metcalf shows us ways to to accomplish this. We also learn about the distinct Spanish style, and how we, as interpreters, must convey the stylistic points to make our performance as convincing as possible.</p>
<p>Performance</p>
<p>In this lesson, cellist Laura Metcalf, along with pianist Minhye Choi, give a complete performance of Cassadò's Requiebros.</p>
<p>Élégie</p>
<p>In this lesson, we go into depth as we study the musical and cellistic challenges of Fauré's most famous work for cello. We learn how to shade the sound with different types of vibrato and how to create different colors with the bow. Metcalf also teaches us important methods for practicing the fast passages, such as highlighting the difficult passages with different rhythmic combinations.</p>
<p>Performance</p>
<p>Cellist Laura Metcalf, along with pianist Minhye Choi, give a complete performance of Fauré's Élégie.</p>
<p>Allegro appassionato</p>
<p>Interpreting the Allegro appassionato requires that the coordination of the two hands be very precise, and so this is a focus of this lesson. We learn methods for practicing the two hands in such a way that they work perfectly together in tandem. Metcalf also shows us tricks to practice up-bow staccato, a virtuoso technique that elevates the performance of this work greatly.</p>
<p>Ensemble Playing</p>
<p>In this lesson, we study important aspects of the collaborative side of music-making. Cellist Laura Metcalf shows us critical rehearsal techniques and methods of playing with a pianist that are tried and trued, so we can make the very most of our rehearsal time and create the most polished performance possible.</p>
<p>Performance</p>
<p>Cellist Laura Metcalf, along with pianist Minhye Choi, give a complete performance of Allegro appassionato by Saint-Saëns.</p>
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