cello solo sonata

Hi, I present here my first sonata for cello solo (2006). Currently I'm revising all my compositions technically: on playability etc. So I would like some (specific if possible) comment on the double stops: are they all playable ? which ones are not playable on cello ? Ofcourse all other feedback is also appreciated.

Here are the links to the score and there you find also an MP3:

I. Moderato

http://www.sibeliusmusic.com/index.php?sm=home.score&scoreID=96995

II. Adagio

Sibelius Music - Find, share and publish music scores

III. Allegro scherzando

Sibelius Music - Find, share and publish music scores

Kind regards,

Geert.

Mvt.1

Bar 8 - the grace note Eb will be almost impossible to play due to the hand position required for the following chord. The following bar is also very awkward to execute legato, as none of the chords lie in very similar hand positions.

There are some high chords in the middle of the page which are playable but will present a challenge for intonation and tone. Bar 30 is very difficult to execute pianissimo as considerable bow pressure on two strings in required.

Bars 76-84 - very difficult to jump between many of those chords accurately. I would suggest having a chord on only alternate note, so there is a high chord and then a single bass note. Octaves and sevenths require a stretch of the hand and are tricky to find quickly if the hand has had to jump from a different part of the instrument.

Mvt. 2 - nasty key, as we have to play half a step behind or in front of the usual hand positions.

Bar 13 - the C#/D chord is hard to play as it requires a BIG stretch

Bars 39-40 difficult shift from bottom G# to the high chord, and then another minor second to find.

Mvt.3 was generally better, but still had some difficult moments, like leaping between high chords in b.52 and b.57

In general most of what you have written is playable in itself, however the difficulty lies in moving between chords. It is, of course, difficult for a non-player to know what works well and is easy to move between. In general, avoid seconds, and avoid consecutive chords in different registers. Study some scores of concerti and the Bach suites for ideas - you will find that thirds, sixths and fourths are the most practical intervals.

Thanks Siwi for your very useful comments. I have revised all the mentioned bars now (not yet published on SibMusic) according to your comments.

This is just for the first movement:

I'm not a cello player so I can't be a critical judge. It might be too hard to switch from arco to pizz. that quickly.

The music itself was alright, but I never had the sense that things were going anywhere specific. You are obviously trying to write very modern music, but as an unskilled composer and casual listener, I had a hard time grasping the whole structure.

To Symphony Concertante: Thanks for your comment. In some other of my compositions I speak a less modern language, but I didn't "try" to be modern in this one. The melodies just came in my head and I wrote the movements in 3 days. The 1st one is in a clear sonata form and in the development section tension is raised to a climax (I think).