Cello excerpt · Audition repertoire
Mahler, Symphony No. 2 in C minor ("Resurrection")
V. Im Tempo des Scherzo (low strings recitative)
A free cello/bass recitative, every player must phrase as a soloist within the section.
At a glance
- Instrument
- Cello
- Composer
- Gustav Mahler
- Work
- Symphony No. 2 in C minor ("Resurrection")
- Movement
- V. Im Tempo des Scherzo (low strings recitative)
- Era
- Late-Romantic (c. 1880–1910)
- Composed
- 1894
- Key
- F
- Metre
- 4/4
- Tempo
- Recitativ, frei · ♩ ≈ 50
- Clef
- Bass clef
- Level
- Advanced, conservatory level
- 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
The unison gesture must be perfectly together, section leader sets it.
Style
Free, like an opera recitative. Speech rhythms, not metric.
Tags
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.