Product Description
Jean-Baptiste Bréval, Six Sonatas, Op. 40
Score and parts included. (Minimal markings, no additional edits, i.e. no fingerings or bowing added)
As per the tradition of the era, Bréval composed the Cello solo and the bass line, leaving the chord making up to the performer. This means that there is originally no piano accompaniment part by Bréval. (If you are familiar with any sonata by said composer, it is likley No. 1 in C major, as it appears in volume 4 of a popular method, which is supplied with a piano accompoaniment.) Even so, as many can attest, most sonatas of the Baroque/early Classical periods are beautiful performed with two cellos, or cello duet.
In this edition, I have made the notation modern, the layout clean and clear, as well as providing the score of the two original parts and individual parts, labeled Cello 1 and Cello 2. (For those wishing for historical accuracy in part naming Cello 2 should more appropriately be labelled Basso.) I have elevated it to Cello 2 simply to encourage the performance of this excellent set of sonatas with two cellos. I believe they sound very good this way in spite of being traditionally expected to be performed with a chord making instrument like a keyboard in addition to the solo cello and "bass" instrument. Thus, making it a trio.
The Table of contents is the following without being overly detailed (one of the preview pages will have incipits from all six sonatas as is the custom when printing a complete set of pieces in a single volume).
- Sonata No. 1 in C major
- Sonata No. 2 in F major
- Sonata No. 3 in G major
- Sonata No. 4 in Bb major
- Sonata No. 5 in A major
- Sonata No. 6 in D major
Each sonata is two movements long. They all have first movements with the customary
Sonata Allegro form. The seconds movements vary from RONDOs to Minuets to a set of variations.
It is my sincere hope that more of these sonatas be learned and performed as they are not only great learning material, Bréval has crafted each one masterfully.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.