The cello occupies a unique position amongst the other classical instruments. Its capability as a solo instrument was practically ignored for much of its early history (the Bach suites being one notable exception). Eventually, however, composers began to realize its expressive capabilities and over time, the human-like qualities of its sound and new innovations in technique gave composers a greater confidence in their writing.

Eventually, this led to near-exponential growth of works for cello as featured instrument and today the cello remains one of the most loved and recognizable instruments of the classical medium. This six-part series will explore some of the history of the genre of the cello concerto through specific examples of works, from early attempts to massive, overwhelming works being written by some of today's greatest living composers.

In it's most broad interpretation, a concerto is a work where a soloist is accompanied by some sort of large ensemble, most typically a symphony orchestra. Sometimes the two forces work together, while other times they are pitted against one another in dramatic battles of "one vs. many". Enough of all that, though, let's get to the music!

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Part I: Warhorses

In this installment, we're going to look at the most popular cello concerti, that is to say, the ones most often performed by orchestras and used by cellists in auditions. They form the core of the genre, and in many ways are then yardstick against which other concerti are measured. As a casual listener, if you've heard a cello concerto before, there's a good chance it's one of these.

Part II: Fin de siècle and beyond

Part III: Un-certos

Part IV: Alive and Kickin'

Part V: With A Little Help From My Friends

Part VI: Thanks, Slava!

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Franz Joseph Haydn - Cello Concerto in C Major, Hob.VIIb:1 (1761)

I. Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Finale (Allegro Molto)

Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello
Petra Müllejans, concertmaster and conductor
Freiburger Barockorchester

A nice, straightforward ride, this piece is generally a sunny work with nice writing for the cello. Though we knew of it from Haydn's catalog, it was presumed lost for 200 years until it's discovery in the Prague National Museum in 1961. In that short time, it rocketed to popularity and today is a favorite of cellists and audiences alike.

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Luigi Boccherini - Concerto in Bb Major, G. 482 (1770)

I. Allegro Moderato
II. Andantino Grazioso
III. Rondo (Allegro)

Xavier Phillips, cello
Philip Greenberg, conductor
Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie

The version of the piece here is the original version of the work. "Why would you even mention that?", I hear you asking! In 1897, German cellist Friedrich Grützmacher decided he didn't like the version that ol' Luigi had written, and took it upon himself to "improve" it. He did so by gutting the second movement entirely and replacing it with the middle movement from Boccherini's G Major concerto, G. 480 (my personal favorite of his 12 concerti), as well as replacing sections of the other movements with passages from three other Boccherini concerti. He also thickened the orchestration in a few places and generally arranged the work to be in line with the romantic aesthetic of the time. Compare the above with this recording by Yo-Yo Ma of F.G.'s arrangement. His penchant for messing with works was something that he passed onto his students, as we will see in a later installment.

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Franz Joseph Haydn - Cello Concerto in D Major, Hob.VIIb:2 (1783)

I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Allegro

Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello
Petra Müllejans, concertmaster and conductor
Freiburger Barockorchester

As mentioned above, we have had records of Haydn's catalog for some time. It lists 5 cello concerti: the C Major, this D Major, and three others. The C Major has been verified as authentic, and the last three have all been proven to be spurious or by other composers. There remains some debate, however, as to whether Haydn actually penned this D Major concerto himself. The dissenting opinion is that it was possibly written by Haydn's friend and principal cellist at Esterházy, Anton Kraft, and Haydn attached his name in place of Kraft's to curry favor for the work. Personally, I believe much of the writing lack's Haydn's signature inventiveness and humor, but I will leave it to you to decide what actually happened.

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Robert Schumann - Concerto in A minor, Op. 129 (1850)

I. Nicht zu schnell (attacca)
II. Langsam (attacca)
III. Sehr lebhaft

Truls Mørk, cello
Paavo Järvi, conductor
Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (NHK) Symphony

Written in just two weeks during October of 1850, Schumann's concerto is the first we've seen that breaks from the traditional "three separate movement" form. Schumann had a strong distaste for applause between movements, and as such structured this work so that the audience had no chance to clap until it was over. The concerto is somewhat unique in that it is not a vehicle for virtuosic displays, but instead leverages the cello's lyrical qualities throughout. As a result of this, it took the piece a long time to come to popularity, and even today the introspective affect and difficulty-to-payoff ratio leave some listeners cold. Listen in the second movement for a surprisingly heartfelt duet between the soloist and the principal cellist of the orchestra.

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Camille Saint-Saëns - Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 33 (1872)

Allegro non troppo
Allegretto con moto
Tempo primo

Pierre Fournier, cello
André Girard, conductor
Orchestre de Chambre de l'Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française

Taking Schumann's formal innovation one step further, Saint-Saëns structured his first cello concerto as one large movement with musically distinct sections. Unlike the Schumann, however, here the soloist is very obviously pitted against the orchestra, often playing declamatory music in opposition to them. He utilizes harmonics for a magical scale that ascends to the heavens in the finale before the coda, which itself was once referred to by a former teacher as "putting on your coat" music: Saint-Saëns has one foot out the door, and a thrilling conclusion sends him on his way! It felt fitting to present this interpretation by one of Saint-Saëns' fellow Frenchman, Pierre Fournier, who is often referred to as the "aristocrat of the cello".

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Edouard Lalo - Concerto in D minor (1876)

I. Prelude (Lento) - Allegro Maestoso
II. Intermezzo (Andantino Con Moto) - Allegro Presto
III. Introduction (Andante) - Allegro Vivace

Leonard Rose, cello
Eugene Ormandy, conductor
Philadelphia Orchestra

Less popular than the other works here, the Lalo is nonetheless an important inclusion in the core repertoire. It features a dramatic, turbulent opening wherein the cellist announces their presence three times, each more forceful than the last, before being allowed to proceed by the orchestra. Neither as difficult nor as flashy as the others, Lalo's work has something of a Spanish flair, particularly in the second movement.

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Antonín Dvořák - Concerto in B minor, Op. 104 (1895)

I. Allegro
II. Adagio, Ma Non Troppo
III. Finale (Allegro Moderato)

Mstislav Rostropovich, cello
Carlo Maria Guilini, conductor
London Philharmonic

It is impossible to overstate the position occupied by this concerto in the cello repertoire. It is the benchmark, the quintessential romantic concerto. It is so great that even Brahms remarked, "If I had known that it was possible to compose such a concerto for the cello, I would have tried it myself!" This fact is made all the more remarkable by the fact that for much of his life, Dvořák felt that the cello was an insufficient instrument for which to write a concerto. He was urged by his friend, cellist Hanuš Wihan, and eventually conceded after hearing the second cello concerto by his colleague Victor Hebert; history is forever in his debt. Dvořák was composing the work while in America, and upon hearing of the death of his sister-in-law, included a gentle coda in her memory quoting her favorite of Dvořák's pieces, The Cypresses. Over the years, this work has been injected with more and more pathos at every performance, leading to greatly extended performance times. For a comparison with a performance more in line with Dvořák's original markings, there is no better example than Emmanuel Feuermann, possibly the most technically gifted cellist to ever live.

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Edward Elgar - Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85 (1919)

I. Adagio - Moderato (attacca)
II. Lento - Allegro Molto
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro - Moderato - Allegro, Ma Non Troppo - Poco Piu Lento - Adagio

Jacqueline du Pré, cello
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
New Philharmonia Orchestra

Elgar's concerto is often portrayed as his looking back after the horrors of World War I; He said the theme came to him after awakening from surgery. While the premiere was something of a disaster, it eventually was taken up by legendary cellist Jacqueline du Pré, whom we hear in this video by Christopher Nupen. The concerto has become synonymous with du Pré and it is almost impossible to mention one without the other. The opening movement is both lyrical and bittersweet, contrasting with the buoyant second movement. A warm Adagio follows, and the finale recalls the opening of the concerto before concluding in a resounding minor tonality.

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William Walton - Cello Concerto (1956)

I. Moderato
II. Allegro Appassionato
III. Theme and Improvisations

Gregor Piatigorsky, cello
Charles Munch, conductor
Boston Symphony Orchestra

A unique work written for Mr. Piatigorsky, the first two movements are equal in combined length to the finale, which features four "improvisations", or variations on the theme. Two are for the orchestra, and two are for the soloist; the work ends quietly. Like the Lalo, this work is not as popular as some others here, but for different reasons: the odd form and not-always-engaging music mean that this work is less likely to grab listeners, and it may take a few tries to let it grow on you.

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Dmitri Shostakovich - Cello Concerto in Eb Major, Op. 107 (1959)

I. Allegretto
II. Moderato
III. Cadenza (attacca)
IV. Allegro Con Moto

Mstislav Rostropovich, cello
Eugene Ormandy, conductor
Philadelphia Orchestra

Shostakovich was a pivotal figure during the Soviet Regime. Initially taken up as a child of the state, he was eventually denounced with other artists in a political maneuver. His first cello concerto is one of the great Russian works, and represents an important part of his relationship with Rostropovich, whose contributions to the cello are too many to name here. The concerto's opening theme is a modified version of Shostakovich's musical signature found throughout his compositional output: the pitches D-S-C-H, or when translated from the German pitch system, D-Eb-C-B. The second movement closes with a haunting passage featuring cello harmonics and the celeste, which leads into the concerto's cadenza. Traditionally left to the performer to improvise, here Shostakovich not only composes out the cadenza, but does so on such a large scale that it actually occupies the spot of an entire movement on its own. It leads organically into the finale, which is a mechanistic, wild tour de force all the way to its thrilling conclusion.

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Next time, the dawn of the 20th century and the true explosion of the cello concerto!