Cello Tropes is a virtuoso sonata for unaccompanied cello in four continuous

movements. Notation is mostly conventional (accidentals hold through the measure

at their designated octave, etc.). The "+" symbol indicates left hand pizzicato. The

piece should be performed lyrically and with expressive freedom. The finale

evokes a "classicized" version of the joy and vigor of country fiddling music.

PAGE TURNS

This landscape mode version makes it possible to view four pages at a time instead of two.
Tape every two pages together to create 11" and 17" pages (p. 6 taped below p. 5, p. 8 taped

below p. 7, etc.). In this way, page turns occur after every 4th page, permitting a performance
with fewer pauses.

I began composing Cello Tropes in March 2004 in Tel Aviv as part of a

grant from the Center for Jewish Culture and Creativity intended to bring Diaspora

Jewish artists to Israel to draw connections with their work and the wealth of ideas

in Jewish thought and tradition. My piece particularly grew out of a suggestion from

composer Joseph Dorfman (the director of the Rubin Academy of Music at

Tel Aviv University) to explore the cells of cantorial music in the context of a

solo instrumental work. He described how the great cantors in Jewish tradition

were star performers regarded much like today's classical virtuosos.

I became interested in the cells from "Onochi Adonoy," a complex cantorial prayer

that is part of the Anthology of Jewish Music by Chenjo Vinauer (published by

Edward Marks Corp. in 1953). I was particularly struck with the sense of

developing variation in this prayer, as well as its haunting and folk-like pentatonic

quality. I began to imagine a cello representing the Chazzan, first intoning a dark

and lyrical prayer, but finally culminatng in a joyous music that suggests the flavor

of Appalachian fiddling! I suppose this vision represents my "American" perspective

to these ancient chants.