The Cambridge companion to the cello

This is a compact, composite and authoritative survey of the history and development of the cello and its repertory since the origins of the instrument. The volume comprises thirteen essays, written by a team of nine distinguished scholars and performers, and is intended to develop the cello's historical perspective in breadth and from every relevant angle, offering as comprehensive a coverage as possible. It focuses in particular on four principal areas: the instrument's structure, development and fundamental acoustical principles; the careers of the most distinguished cellists since the baroque era; the cello repertory (including chapters devoted to the concerto, the sonata, other solo repertory, and ensemble music); and its technique, teaching methods and relevant aspects of historical and performance practice. It is the most comprehensive book ever to be published about the instrument and provides essential information for performers, students and teachers.

• List of illustrations p. viii
• Notes on the contributors p. x
• Preface p. xiii
• Acknowledgements p. xv
• List of abbreviations, fingering and notation p. xvi
• 1 The cello: origins and evolution p. 1 John Dilworth
• 2 The bow: its history and development p. 28 John Dilworth
• 3 Cello acoustics p. 37 Bernard Richardson
• 4 Masters of the Baroque and Classical eras p. 52 Margaret Campbell
• 5 Nineteenth-century virtuosi p. 61 Margaret Campbell
• 6 Masters of the twentieth century p. 73 Margaret Campbell
• 7 The concerto p. 92 Robin Stowell and David Wyn Jones
• 8 The sonata p. 116 Robin Stowell
• 9 Other solo repertory p. 137 Robin Stowell
• 10 Ensemble music: in the chamber and the orchestra p. 160 Peter Allsop
• 11 Technique, style and performing practice to c. 1900 p. 178 Valerie Walden
• 12 The development of cello teaching in the twentieth century p. 195 R. Caroline Bosanquet
• 13 The frontiers of technique p. 211 Frances-Marie Uitti
• Appendix Principal pedagogical literature p. 224
• Glossary of technical terms p. 229
• Notes p. 236
• Select bibliography p. 246
• Index p. 253