Almanac Sections · Mark CXXIV
Repertoire
The pieces and pedagogy: Etude, Excerpt, Concerto, Bach Suites, Solo repertoire. The canonical works string players grow up with — and the pedagogical purpose of each.
Etude
A short piece designed to develop specific technical skills. The big violin etude composers (Sevcik, Wieniawski, Paganini, Kreutzer, Wohlfahrt) target different weaknesses: bow control, double-stops, shifts, fast passagework.
Excerpt
A short passage from an orchestral work, usually 30-90 seconds, used in section auditions. Bass auditions are won and lost on excerpts (Beethoven 5 trio, Mahler 1 solo, Mozart 35). Cello and violin excerpts matter too but solo repertoire usually weighs heavier.
Concerto
A multi-movement work for solo instrument and orchestra. Audition panels usually want the first movement exposition (the first 3-5 minutes). The big string concertos: Mozart 3/5, Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky (violin); Walton, Bartok, Telemann (viola); Dvorak, Elgar, Schumann (cello).
Bach Suites
Six unaccompanied suites for cello (J.S. Bach, ~1720). The cellist's bible. Every cello audition usually requires one Suite movement — usually a Prelude or a Sarabande. Panel scores on bow-arm weight, voice-leading on chord rolls, dance character.
Solo repertoire
Pieces for one player without accompaniment. Bach's six unaccompanied violin sonatas/partitas and six cello suites are the canonical solo repertoire for those instruments. Auditions usually require at least one movement of unaccompanied Bach.
Browse other sections: Auditions · Rubric + scoring · Tools + technique · Theory + style