Cello excerpt · Audition repertoire
Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 ("Pathétique")
I. Adagio – Allegro non troppo
The famous lyrical second theme, soaring, heart-on-sleeve. Cello section in unison.
At a glance
- Instrument
- Cello
- Composer
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Work
- Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 ("Pathétique")
- Movement
- I. Adagio – Allegro non troppo
- Era
- Late-Romantic (c. 1880–1910)
- Composed
- 1893
- Key
- D
- Metre
- 4/4
- Tempo
- Andante · ♩ ≈ 60
- Clef
- Bass clef
- Level
- Intermediate, university 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
Long, lush bow, full hair, weight in the index finger.
Style
Sing it. Vibrato continuous, expressive shaping at the peak D4.
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.