ROLIN – Expressive Puzzle (2014) – SOLO CELLO

Other Identification:
One internet definition of ‘puzzle’ is something, such as a game, toy, or problem that requires ingenuity and often persistence in solving or assembling. I believe that the idea of this ‘audio’ puzzle is that one strives to give musical comprehension in each moment yet one never knows what is coming next!
As such it is an extremely useful piece for cellists to tackle when approaching modern classical styles. Within the short time frame (a little over three minutes) one can witness a multitude of cello technical efforts, including left-hand pizzicato, glissandi, sul tasto – sul ponticello – normal bowing, tremolo effects, passages on one string, double stops and passages on two strings, sudden dynamic variances such as accents and ‘fp’s, a sparing use of quarter-tones, and colors of vibrato from senza vib to poco vib to an intense vibrato.
All these effects are set within a musical atonality – one description might be that it successfully attains post-Hindemith shades of writings which alternate, or simultaneously combine, neo-classicism with avant-garde. In summary, a most useful addition to twenty-first century of playable cello literature for advanced cellists, and well worth investigating further this composer.