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JM – Big Albums of Folk Songs and Country Dances, Volume 1 – TWO, THREE AND FOUR CELLOS (easy)

Other Identification:
Welcome to these big albums of folk songs and country dances – you are welcome to make photocopies, perform the pieces and even record them if you wish.

A good idea that works well is to make a set, or group, of pieces. Look for two, three or four that seem to more-or-less go together, and maybe make the choice of order so that:

A) The pieces go roughly in a slower-to-faster order.
B) Making sure the key signatures are not too far apart. I have not used keys with many sharps or flats so this should not cause worry.

So, by doing this you will create a suite of pieces that will have a more impressive character to the listener!!

PIECES IN THIS VOLUME [do see the other Volumes!]:
Early One Morning – 3 Cellos // Come, Lasses and Lads – 2 Cellos // Geordie – 4 Cellos // The Riddle Song – 3 Cellos // A Vauxhall Dance – 2 Cellos // the White Cockade – 2 Cellos // Wildwood Flowers – 4 Cellos // The Keel Row – 2 Cellos // Cock Robin – 3 Cellos // A Morris Dance – 2 Cellos

Movements or sections:
In nearly all these pieces I have produced just one sung verse – just once the instrumental melody. However, if you play these in concert it is a good idea to play them several times, making variations. What variations do I mean, you may ask?

Well, the easiest variations are the dynamic volumes: for example, the first time might be a middling mp or mf, the second a quiet rendering (p or pp), the 3rd time like the first, and the 4th and last time a strong ‘forte’. Alternatively, in some of the slow numbers, the last time played very soft often works very well indeed. These are all free to your wishes and your fantasy.

Then next, a question of speed – in the slow pieces the last time might be even a little slower, but totally to the contrary in the fast numbers where slightly extra pace sounds great the very last time!

Instrumentation: TWO CELLOS, THREE CELLOS, OR FOUR CELLOS, OR LARGER ENSEMBLES
If these pieces are played by either cello orchestra, or at least more than one player to a part, then I would suggest that one verse might feature just one player, or perhaps two in larger ensembles, to give an idea of ‘soloists’ and ‘orchestral’ cellists. So, by combining all the factors mentioned so far, it is fairly easy to obtain full musical interest during 2, 3, 4 and even 5 or 6 repetitions!

Approximate difficulty: EASY
These are fairly easy pieces, in all parts, and should be comfortable to cellists in their first few years of playing. They do not venture beyond 4th position, and most are principally in the first position without extensions. Please see the Coding Cello Level note to find the exact level for the left-hand. Double-stoppings are used with extreme caution, and the straight-forward bowings should not present many problems.

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