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STRAUSS, Johann and Josef – Pizzicato Polka – FOUR CELLOS OR CELLO ORCHESTRA

Other Identification:
The “Pizzicato Polka” is a very frequently programmed piece of orchestral music whose popularity has never waned in 150 years! Johann Strauss II composed it with his brother Josef in 1869 for a trip to Russia. It was soon published in 1870.

The polka, as the title indicates, was written for plucked (‘pizzicato’) string orchestra. It also includes a glockenspiel, though this is often omitted today as it solely appears for the first half of the central section. It was hugely successful from the outset, especially in Italy, where it seems that it was included on every programme Strauss played there.

Movements or sections:
Structurally the piece consists of four melodic fragments, within a ternary form (A-B-A).

Instrumentation:
QUARTET OF FOUR CELLOS
ALSO VERY CONVINCING WHEN PERFORMED BY A CELLO ORCHESTRA

2 PDFs:
1] – General Score
2] – All individual parts

Approximate difficulty:
Medium
David Johnstone first arranged this for four cellos in his mid-2os. There it stood unchanged for over two decades although performed in many different countries by different cello ensembles. Recently however, he began to feel that the high registers of (especially) the first cello were not of optimum sonority for cello in pizzicato, so in 2017 he has slightly changed the playing registers, particularly in the central (trio) section. This should suit far better most groupings, whether of four players or a whole cello orchestra. Now little thumb position work is called for, the first part only extending to ‘C’ just above the ‘A’ harmonic. So have fun!!

Dedicatee of this presentation (if applicable):
‘The Cello Company’

Links (Audio – Visual), and known performances given by:
From Slovenia

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David Johnstone lives near Pamplona (Navarre, Spain) with his wife Rosa and their two “Spanglish” children, close to the Atlantic Pyrenees. The nearest international airport is Bilbao.

He is interested in world affairs, politics, animal rights, and most sports (including being a lifelong suffering Reading FC fan!). Also passionate about Celtic culture and genealogy, he has traced his ‘English’ family back to 1280, although Scotland and Ireland have also shaped his background. And yes — he is half-ashamed to admit it, he loves silly jokes!

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David Johnstone supports animal rights, he is against any form of abuse towards them, and says a loud “NO” to bullfighting, foxhunting and any other animal cruelty.

TORTURE IS NOT CULTURE !