Cello excerpt · Audition repertoire
Brahms, Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73
II. Adagio non troppo
One of the most beloved cello-section excerpts in the repertoire, a long, singing tenor-clef line that opens the slow movement.
At a glance
- Instrument
- Cello
- Composer
- Johannes Brahms
- Work
- Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73
- Movement
- II. Adagio non troppo
- Era
- Romantic (c. 1820–1880)
- Composed
- 1877
- Key
- B
- Metre
- 4/4
- Tempo
- Adagio non troppo · ♩ ≈ 56
- Clef
- Tenor clef
- Level
- Audition, professional standard
- Audition list
- Yes, standard excerpt
How to practise it
The bow style, the trouble spots, and the stylistic decisions that come up most often on this excerpt.
Bowing
Long, sustained legato, full bow per slur, even speed and weight.
Fingering
Stay on the A and D strings as much as possible for tone color, avoid open strings.
Where it goes wrong
Tenor clef, drill the reading separately from the bow until it's automatic.
Style
Vibrato continuous and warm. This is one long phrase, not five short ones.
Tags
The full score is on IMSLP.
Work on the technique underneath
Arco's cello curriculum builds the bow strokes, positions, and clef reading this excerpt assumes, with recorded cello playback throughout.