Cello excerpt
Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 ("Italian")
I. Allegro vivace
The driving cello/bass eighth-note accompaniment under the joyful violin theme.
At a glance
- Instrument
- Cello
- Composer
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Work
- Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 ("Italian")
- Movement
- I. Allegro vivace
- Era
- Romantic (c. 1820–1880)
- Composed
- 1833
- Key
- A
- Metre
- 6/8
- Tempo
- Allegro vivace · ♩ ≈ 116
- Clef
- Bass clef
- Level
- Intermediate, university level
- Audition list
- Not a 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
Light, off-string detaché, like Italian sunshine.
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.