List of solo cello pieces explained

This is a list of notable solo cello pieces. It includes arrangements and transcriptions.

A

• Joseph Abaco
  • (11) Caprices
• Samuel Adler
  • Sonata (1965)
• Kalevi Aho
  • Solo IV (1997)
• Hugh Aitken
  • For the Cello (1980)
• Franghis Ali-Zadeh
  • Ask Havasi (part of the cycle Silk Road) (1998)
  • Oyan (2005)
• Maarten Altena
  • Figura (1993)
• Mark Andre
  • iv 2 pour violoncelle solo (2007)^[1]
• Georges Aperghis
  • Quatres Récitations (1980)
  • Sonate (1994)
• Gilbert Amy
  • Quasi Scherzando
• Tanya Anisimova
  • Sufi Suite
  • Song on Mt. San Angelo
• Georgi Arnaoudov
  • Kells (1999)
  • Three Sonets of Michelangelo (2014)
• Violet Archer
  • Improvisation (1983)
• Malcolm Arnold
  • Fantasy (1987)
• Daniel Asia
  • Cello Suite
• Lera Auerbach
  • Sonata for Solo Violoncello, Op. 72 (2003)
  • La Suite dels Ocells [Homage to Pablo Casals] (2015)

B

• Johann Sebastian Bach
  • Six Suites (c. 1720)
    • Nicolas Bacri Suite , Op. 31, No. 1 Preludio e metamorfosi (1987–94)
  • Suite , Op. 31, No. 2 Tragica (1991–93)
  • Suite , Op. 31, No. 3 Vita et Mors (1991–93)
  • Suite , Op. 50, No. 4 (1994–96; written for Emmanuelle Bertrand)
• Henk Badings
  • Sonata No. 2
• David N. Baker
  • Sonata (1990)
• Don Banks
  • Sequence (1967)
• Gennady Banshchikov
  • Concerto for cello No. 3 for solo cello (1965)
• Granville Bantock
  • Sonata in G minor (1924)
• Rami Bar-Niv
  • Improvisation
• Arnold Bax
  • Rhapsodic Ballad (1939)^[2]
• Sally Beamish
  • Gala Water for solo cello (1988, for her husband Robert Irvine)^[3]
  • The Wise Maid
• Conrad Beck
  • Epigrams (for Paul Sacher)
• Grant Beglarian
  • Elegy for Cellist for solo cello (1979)
• Paul Ben-Haim
  • Music (1974)
• Richard Rodney Bennett
  • Partita (2001)
  • Sonata
  • Scena II (1973)
• Niels Viggo Bentzon
  • Sonata, Op. 110 (1956)
  • Variations on "The Volga Boatmen", Op. 354 (1974)
  • 16 Etudes, Op. 464 (1984)
  • Sonata, Op. 110
• Esteban Benzecry
  • Suite "Prisme du Sud" (1970)
• Gunnar Berg
  • Suite pour violoncelle seul (1950)
• Michael Berkeley
  • Iberian Notebook Suite (1980)
• Luciano Berio
  • Les mots sont allés (1978; for Paul Sacher)^[4]
  • Sequenza VIb (1981)
  • Chanson pour Pierre Boulez (Song for Pierre Boulez) (2000)
  • Sequenza XIV (2002)
• Christoph Otto Beyer
  • Sonate für Violoncello solo (2006)
  • Passacaglia e Fuga ^[5]
• Gunther Bialas
  • Romanze (for Hoelscher) (1987)
• Jörg Birkenkötter
  • Solo für Violoncello (1986)^[6]
• Ernest Bloch
  • Suite No. 1 (1956) (written for Zara Nelsova)^[7]
  • Suite No. 2 (1956) (written for Zara Nelsova) ^[8]
  • Suite No. 3 (1957)
• William Bolcom
  • Suite in C minor (1994)
• Ennio Bolognini
  • Adagio and Allegro
  • Fiesta Baska - Lamada Montanesa
  • Seranata de Bolonini
  • Seranata del Eco
  • Serenata Del Gaucho
  • Prelude and Fugue on a theme of Purcell
  • Cello's Prayer
• Nimrod Borenstein
  • "Soliloquy, Op. 59"
• Sergei Bortkiewicz
  • Suite, Op. 41
• Hans Bottermund - Janos Starker
  • Variations on a Theme by Paganini
• Hendrik Bouman
  • Suite in D major (2003)^[9]
• Reiner Bredemeyer (1929–1995)
  • Solo 1 (1973)
  • Solo 6 (1980; written for H.J. Scheitzbach)
• Allen Brings
  • Sonata da chiesa for solo cello (1980, dedicated to Alexander Kouguell)^[10]
• Benjamin Britten
  • Cello Suites (Suite No. 1, Op. 72 (1964), Suite No. 2, Op. 80 (1967), Suite No. 3, Op. 87 (1972))
  • Tema "Sacher" (for Paul Sacher)
• Stephen Brown
  • Cello suites

Takkakaw Falls (2003, 2004)

Fire (2005, revised 2012)

There Was a Lady in the East (2007)

Lilies and the Roses (2011, revised 2013)

Magneto (2012)

Flowers of the Forest (2013)

• Leo Brouwer
  • Sonata (1960)^[11]
• Mikhail Bukinik
  • 4 Concert Etudes (No. 4 in F minor)
• Sylvano Bussotti
  • Deborah Parker (1987)
  • Variazione
• Yuri Butzko
  • Partita for solo cello

C

• John Cage
  • One⁸ (1991)^[12]
  • 59½ Seconds (1953)
  • Atlas Eclipticallis (1961)
  • Solo For Cello (1958)
  • Variations I (1958)
  • Etudes Boreales (1978)
• Elliott Carter
  • Figment (1994)
  • Figment No. 2, Remembering Mr. Ives (2001)
• Gaspar Cassadó
  • Suite (1926)
• Geghuni Chitchjan
  • Sonata for solo cello (1983)
• Frédéric Chopin
  • Etude in A major, Op. 25, No. 1 (trans. Cassadó)
• Nigel Clarke
  • Spectroscope (1987)
• Grant Colburn
  • Sonata in D minor for baroque cello or viola da gamba (2009)
• Michael Colgrass
  • Wolf (1975)
• Giuseppe Colombi (1635–1694)
  • Chiacona a Basso Solo (1670)
  • Toccata da Violone Solo (Toccata) (1670)
• John Corigliano
  • Fancy on a Bach air (1997; premiered by Yo-Yo Ma)
• Henry Cowell
  • Gravely and Vigorously (Hymn & Fuguing Tune No. 17) (1963; in memory of Kennedy)
• George Crumb
  • Sonata for Solo Cello, (1955)

D

• Luigi Dallapiccola
  • Adagio (1947)
  • Ciaccona, Intermezzo e Adagio (1945)
• Jean-Luc Darbellay
  • Solo (1997)
• Michael Daugherty
  • Jackie's Song (2000)
• Johann Nepomuk David
  • 2 Solo Sonatas
• Mario Davidovsky
  • Synchronisms No. 3 (1964), and electronic sound
• Robert deMaine
  • Twelve Études-Caprices, Op. 31 (1999)
  • Unaccompanied Sonata
• Edison Denisov
  • Cadenzas for two cello concertos in D major and C major by Haydn (1982)
• Patrick van Deurzen
  • Monologue (2011)
• David Diamond
  • Sonata for Violoncello Alone (1959)
• Friedhelm Dohl
  • Fantasie - Kadenz
  • Klezmeriana for solo cello (1983)
• Franco Donatoni
  • Lame (1982)
• Friedrich Dotzauer
  • 113 Etudes for Cello
• John Downey
  • Lydian Suite (1975)
• Zsolt Durkó
  • Solo Suite No. 1 (1979)
• Henri Dutilleux
  • Trois Strophes sur le Nom de SACHER (1976–82) (for Paul Sacher)

E

• David Eby
  • Celtic Passage
• Gerald Eckert
  • Nôema (1992/93)
• Søren Nils Eichberg
  • Variations on a theme by Niccolo Paganini (2005)
• Jose Elizondo
  • Unter dem Sternenhimmel des Rheins (Under the starry sky of the Rhine) (2020)
  • Cantabrigian Reflections (2020)
  • Danzas Latinoamericanas (Latin American Dances) (1997)
  • Otoño en Buenos Aires (Autumn in Buenos Aires) (1997)
  • Pan de Azúcar (Sugar Loaf mountain) (1997)
  • Atardecer Tapatío (Sunset in Guadalajara) (1997)
  • Baroque Dances (1997)
  • La alborada de la esperanza (The Dawn of Hope) (2018)
  • Limoncello (2018)
  • Crepúsculos (Twilights) (2018)
  • Princesa de hadas (Fairy Tale Princess) (1995)
  • Excursión a la montaña (Excursion to the Mountain) (1995)
• Hans Ulrich Engelmann
  • Mini-music to Siegfried Palm, Op. 38 (1970)
• Sven Einar Englund
  • Suite (1986)
• Gottfried von Einem
  • Music, Op. 108 (1996)
• Iván Erőd
  • Hommage à Beethoven, Op. 24 (Rhapsodie für Violoncello solo über Themen der Sonate, Op. 102/1 von Ludwig van Beethoven) (1977)
• Rudolf George Escher
  • Sonata for solo Violoncello (1945–48)
• Pozzi Escot
  • Sonata (2002)

F

• Morton Feldman
  • Projection I (1950)
  • Intersection IV (1953)
• Richard Festinger
  • Upon The Viol (2012)
• Ross Lee Finney
  • Chromatic Fantasy in E (1957)
• Graciane Finzi
  • Theme and Variations to el cant dels ocells
• Elena Firsova
  • The Rest is Silence (2002)
• Luboš Fišer (1935–1999)
  • Sonata (1987)
• Thomas Flaherty
  • Semi-Suite (1990)
  • Remembrance of Things Present (2006)
• Alexandra Fol
  • Almost Serial (1999)
• Carlo Forlivesi
  • Più Mesto for 2-bow solo cello (2003)
• Wolfgang Fortner
  • Suite (Schott) (for Paul Sacher)
  • Zum Spielen für den 70. Geburtstag: Theme and Variationen (1976)
• Ilse Fromm-Michaels
  • Suite, Op. 15 (Sikorski)
• Rudolf Escher
  • Sonata (1955)

G

• Domenico Gabrielli
  • Seven Ricercari (1689)
• Hans Gál
  • Sonata for violoncello solo op.109a (1982)
• Orlando Jacinto Garcia
  • Crystalline Sounds of the Night
• Ada Gentile
  • Pervioloncellosolo (1996)
• Michael Gielen
  • Weitblick Sonata (1991)
• Alberto Ginastera (1916–83)
  • Puneña No. 2, Op. 45 (Hommage à Paul Sacher)
• Detlev Glanert
  • Fünf Wüstenlieder (five Desert Songs) (1999)
• Philip Glass
  • Songs and Poems (in 7 movements) (2007)
  • Orbit (2013)
• Friedrich Goldmann
  • Cellomusik (1974)
• Marin Goleminov
  • Sonata (1969)
• Osvaldo Golijov
  • Omaramor (1991)
• Andrei Golovin
  • Elegy for solo cello (1988)
• Yevgeny Golubev
  • 2 Etudes for solo cello, Op. 46 (1961)
  • Concert Aria for solo cello (1961)
• Leonid Grabovsky (Hrabovsky)
  • Hlas I (1990)
  • Voices for solo cello (1990)
• Olivier Greif
  • Solo from Nô, Op. 154, for Christoph Henkel (1981) for solo cello^{[13] [14]}
• Jorge Grundman
  • Terezin Through the Eyes of the Children for Solo Cello (2012)
• Sofia Gubaidulina
  • Ten Preludes (1974)
  • Quaternion for solo cello

H

• Alois Haba
  • Fantasy in quarter-tones (1924)
• Daron Hagen
  • Suite (1985)
  • Higher, Louder, Faster, an editorial etude (1987)
• Cristobal Halffter
  • Variations on the theme eSACHERe (for Paul Sacher)
• Hermann Haller
  • Trois pieces pour violoncelle seul (3 pieces)
• George Frideric Handel
  • Air and Variations "The Harmonious Blacksmith" from Suite for Harpsichord in E major, HWV 430 arr. Cassadó
  • Passacaglia - Theme and Variations (arr. Zinoviy Dynov based on the Halvorsen version)
• John Harbison
  • Suite (1994)
• Jonathan Harvey
  • Curve with Plateaux for Helen Verney (1983)
• Teppo Hauta-aho
  • Improvatio (1971)
• David Philip Hefti
  • Ritus - 4 Dance Collages (2007)
• Bernhard Heiden
  • Variations on "Lilliburlero"
• Paavo Heininen
  • Cantilena I, Op. 24c (1970)
  • Cantilena II, Op. 26 (1970)
  • Poesie des pensées, Op. 23 (1970)
• Hans Werner Henze
  • Serenade (1949)
  • Capriccio (for Paul Sacher) (1976/1981)
• Michael Hersch
  • Sonata No. 1 (1994)
  • Sonata No. 2 (2001)
• Kenneth Hesketh
  • Die hängende Figur ist Judas (Drei Perspektiven) (1998)
  • IMMH (2014)
• Jacques Hétu
  • Variations, Op. 11b (1967)
• Gilad Hochman
  • Rhapsody (2003)^[15]
  • Ponderings on a Memory (2005)^[16]
• Jennifer Higdon
  • Suite (2002)
• Paul Hindemith
  • Sonata, Op. 25, No. 3 (1923)
• Joel Hoffman
  • Concert-Study (Fantasie) (1977)
  • unaccompanied minor (2007)
• Robin Hoffmann
  • Schleifers Methoden für Violoncello solo (2005)^[17]
• York Höller
  • Sonata (1968)
• Heinz Holliger
  • Chaconne (for Paul Sacher) (1975)
  • Trema (1981)
• Vagn Holmboe
  • Solo Cello Sonata, M. 241 (1968–69)
• Imogen Holst
  • Fall of the Leaf
• Joaquim Homs
  • Arbres al vent (1992)
  • Soliloqui num. 4 (1994)
  • Capvespre vora el mar (1994)
• Arthur Honegger
  • Paduana in G major, H.181 (1945)
• Michael Hoppé and Martin Tillmann
  • Solo Cello Characteristics^[18]
• Alan Hovhaness
  • Yakamochi, Op. 193 (1965)
• Edgar Hovhanessian (Oganesyan)
  • Sonata for solo cello (1970)
• Klaus Huber
  • Transpositio ad Infinitum für ein virtuoses Solocello (for Paul Sacher)
• Nicolaus A. Huber
  • Der Ausrufer steigt ins Innere (1984)
• Tobias Hume
  • Kleine Stücke für Cello solo (Small pieces) Book 1 (originally for Gamba) (arranged by Sabina Lehrmann)
  • (Cello solo pieces) Book 2
• Bertold Hummel
  • Fantasia I in G, Op. 77d1 (1952)^[19]
  • Fantasia II in memoriam Pablo Casals, Op. 97a (1993)^[20]
  • Farewell (2002)^[21]

I

• Jacques Ibert
  • Etude-Caprice pour un tombeau de Chopin (1949)
  • Ghirlarzana (1950)
• Yoshirō Irino (1921–1980)
  • Three Movements (1969)
• Airat Ichmouratov (1973)
  • Praeludium in G Major for Cello Solo, Op. 69 (2021)

J

• Karl Jenkins
  • Benedictus - The Armed Man (2001)
    • Jan Jirásek Dilema (1987)
• Ben Johnston
  • Toccata for Laurien Laufman (1984)
• Betsy Jolas
  • Scion (1974)
  • Episode cinquième (1983)
• Andre Jolivet
  • Suite en Concert (1965)
• Christian Jost
  • Laulos (2005)
• Gordon Jacob
  • Serenade
  • Divertimento
• Jurgis Juozapaitis
  • Sonata for solo cello

K

• Dmitry Kabalevsky
  • Études in Major and Minor, Op. 68 (1961)
• Mauricio Kagel
  • Siegfriedp‘ (1971)
• Giya Kancheli
  • Having Wept for solo cello (1994)
• Nikolai Kapustin
  • Introduction and Scherzino for solo cello, Op. 93 (1999)
  • Suite for cello solo, Op. 124 (2004)
• Faradzh Karayev (aka Faraj Garayev)
  • Terminus for solo cello (1985)
• Hugo Kauder
  • Suite (1925)
  • Second Suite (1924)
• Frederick Kaufman
  • Inner Sanctum (1999)
• Tālivaldis Ķeniņš
  • Sonata for Cello Solo (1981)
• Jin Hi Kim
  • Kee Maek #4 (1995)
• Natalie Klouda
  • Suite for Solo Cello (2017, revised 2019)
• Volker David Kirchner
  • Und Salomo sprach (‘’And Salomo spoke”) (1987)
  • Aus dem Buch der Konige 3 meditations (2000)
  • Threnos (written for the Feuermann Competition 2006)
• Aram Khachaturian
  • Sonata-Fantasy in C major, Op. 104 (1974)
• Adam Khudoyan
  • Sonata No. 1 (1961)
  • Sonata No. 2 Elegiac (1984)
  • Sonata No. 3 Pathetic (1993)
• Mark Kilstofte
  • You [unfolding] for solo cello (1996)
• Julius Klengel
  • Suite in D-minor, Op. 56
  • Caprice in the Form of a Chaconne (with free use of a Theme by Robert Schumann), Op. 43
• Alexander Knaifel
  • Lamento for solo cello (1967)
  • Capriccio for solo cello (1994)
• Zoltán Kodály
  • Solo Cello Sonata, Op. 8 (1915)
  • Capriccio (1915)
• Nikolai Korndorf
  • Passacaglia (1997)
• Irena Kosíková
  • Stopy (2004)
• Ernst Krenek
  • Suite, Op. 84 (1942)
• Hanna Kulenty
  • Sinequan: for violoncello (amplified and delay) (1993)
  • Still Life with a Cello (1998)
• György Kurtág
  • Pilinszky János: Gérard de Nerval (1986, for Zoltán Kocsis) for solo cello^[22]
  • 19 Jelek, játékok és üzenetek (Signs, Games and Messages) (1987–2008) for solo cello
  • Schatten (Shadows) (1999, for Miklós Perényi)
  • Az hit (Faith)^[23]
  • Hommage à John Cage, Elakadó szavak (Faltering Words) for solo cello^[24]
  • György Kroó in memoriam (1997) for solo cello
  • For Steven: In Memoriam Pauline Mara (2010), for solo cello
  • The Hilary Jig (to Hilary Behrens 90) (2017, fellow-composer Márta Kurtag)
• Khristofer Kushnaryov)
  • Sonata for solo cello (1932)
• Mati Kuulberg
  • Concerto-Sonata for solo cello (1973)

L

• Sophie Lacaze
  • Variations sur quatre haikus (2009)
• Helmut Lachenmann
  • Pression (1970)
• Ezra Laderman
  • Partita (1972)
  • A Single Voice (1995, written for Tanya Anisimova)
  • Fantasy (1998)
  • A Single Line (2004)
• Frank La Rocca
  • Secret Thoughts (1986)^[25]
• Henri Lazarof
  • Momenti (1987)
• Claude Ledoux
  • Le Songe trouble de l'orchidee (1994)
  • 12 Studies - First book (1994)
• Benjamin Lees
  • Night Spectres (2000)
• Kenneth Leighton
  • Sonata, Op. 52 (1967)
• Tania Leon
  • 4 Pieces (1981)
• Milcho Leviev
  • Reflected Meditation (1980)
  • Augsburg Polka (1998)
• György Ligeti
  • Sonata (1948–1953)
• Magnus Lindberg
  • Stroke (1984)
  • Partia (2001)
• Franz Liszt
  • Sonata in B minor for solo cello (transcription by Johann Sebastian Paetsch)
• Jerry Liu
  • Suite 7 Days (2012)
  • Calor (2016)
• Vassily Lobanov
  • Sonata for solo cello (1963)
  • Fantasie, Op. 48 (1987)
• Pietro Locatelli
  • Il Laberinto Armonico (transcription by Rohan de Saram)
• Alvin Lucier
  • Indian Summer (1993)
• Witold Lutosławski
  • Sacher Variation (1975; for Paul Sacher)

M

• Peter Machajdík
  • Ponor (2019) ^[26]
  • Wolds (2019) ^[27]
  • Lullaby (1999) ^[28]
• Olga Magidenko
  • Site of the Heart, Op. 60 (1998)
• Enrico Mainardi
  • Sonata breve (1942)
  • Sonata (1959)
• Ivo Malec
  • Arco-1 (1987)
• Vitold Malishevsky
  • Suite
• Benedetto Marcello
  • Cello sonatas
• Andrew March
  • Three Pieces for Solo Cello (2011) ^[29]
• Ljubica Marić
  • Monodia Octoïca for solo cello^[30]
• Steven Harry Markowitz
  • Impromptu
  • A Brief Adventure
• Pamela J. Marshall
  • Soliloquy
• Donald Martino
  • Parisonatina Al’Dodecafonia (1964)
• Tauno Marttinen
  • Impression, Op. 140 (1978)
• Colin Matthews
  • Palinode (1992)
• David Matthews
  • Fantasia, Op. 8 (1971)
  • Songs and Dances of Mourning, Op. 12 (1976)
  • Journeying Songs, Op. 95 (2004)
• Rudolf Matz
  • 11 Caprices
  • Ombres et lumières (Lights and Shadows)
  • Suite in C major
  • Tema con Variazioni
• Toshiro Mayuzumi
  • Bunraku (1960)
• John McCabe
  • Partita (1966)
• Alfred Mendelssohn
  • Suite (1960)
• Usko Meriläinen
  • Arabesques (1964)
• Krzysztof Meyer
  • Sonata (1964)
  • Moment musical (1976)
  • Monologue (1990)
• Peter Mieg
  • La sombre (1971)
  • L'aérienne (1975)
• Eric Moe
  • The Lone Cello (1998) for 'cello solo
• Robert Moevs
  • Heptachronon (1969)
• Alan Mills
  • Song & Dance for solo cello (2007)^[31]
• Roberto Molinelli
  • Crystalligence (commissioned by Enrico Dindo) (2005)
• Dexter Morrill
  • Fantasy (1995)^[32]
• Robert Muczynski
  • Gallery: Suite (on paintings of Charles Burchfield) (1966)
• Isabel Mundry
  • Komposition (1992/93)
  • Komposition (1997)

N

• Florie Namir
  • Rolling, fantasia for cello solo (2004)
• Lior Navok
  • Fantasy (1998)
• Arkady Nesterov
  • Sonata for solo cello
• Joaquin Nin-Culmell
  • Suite
• Akira Nishimura
  • Threnody (1998)
• Arne Nordheim
  • Clamavi (1980)

O

• Mark O'Connor
  • Appalachia Waltz (composer's own transcription of original version for solo violin)
• Mikhail Osokin
  • Sonata for solo cello
• Terry Winter Owens
  • Cellestial Music, Book 1 (2003)

P

• Younghi Pagh-Paan
  • AA-GA I (1984)
• Hilda Paredes
  • Zuhuy Kak (1997)
• Robert Parris
  • Fantasy and Fugue (1954)
• Boris Parsadanjan
  • Sonata for solo cello (1973)
• Paul Patterson
  • Suite, Op. 62
• Sergei Pavlenko
  • Sonata for solo cello (1983)
• Krzysztof Penderecki
  • Capriccio per Siegfried Palm (1968)
  • Per Slava (1986)
  • Suite for Solo Cello (2013) [Expanded version of previously published "Divertimento"]
• George Perle
  • Cello Sonata (1947)
  • Hebrew Melodies
• Vincent Persichetti
  • Solo Cello Sonata, Op. 54
• Sven Holger Philippsen
  • Cellosolosonate Nr.1 in 4 Sätzen (1988)

Praeludium - Vivace e con fuoco

Élégie (Adagio con affetto)

Rondo vivacissimo

• Carlo Alfredo Piatti
  • 12 Caprices, Op. 25

1 in G minor: Allegro quasi presto

2 in E-flat major: Andante Religioso

3 in B-flat major: Moderato

4 in D minor: Allegretto

5 in F major: Allegro comodo

6 in A-flat major: Adagio Largamente

7 in C major: Maestoso

8 in A minor: Moderato ma energico

9 in D major: Allegro

10 in B minor: Allegro deciso

11 in G major: Adagio. Allegro

12 in E minor: Allegretto

• • Capriccio on the cavatina "I tuoi frequenti palpiti" from ‘’Niobe’’ by Giovanni Pacini, Op. 22
• Gregor Piatigorsky
  • Syrinx
  • A Stroll
• Ástor Piazzolla
  • 6 Tango Etudes (arr. Karttunen)
• Wolfgang Plagge
  • Jakobsstigen, Op. 20 : Fantasy (1983)
  • Music , Op. 54 (1990)
• Peteris Plakidis
  • Two Variations for solo cello (1976)
• Robert H.P. Platz
  • Senko-hana-bi (In Yoshitake's garden) (1997–2000)
• Conrad Pope
  • Sonata for Violoncello alone (1972)
• Gerhard Präsent
  • A Rayas for violoncello solo (2001–02)
• Sergei Prokofiev
  • Solo Cello Sonata, Op. 133 (1953) (unfinished; completed by Blok in 1996)
  • March from Music for Children, Op. 65 - (ed. Piatigorsky)

R

• Nikolai Rakov
  • Waltz for solo cello
• Shulamit Ran
  • Fantasy Variations (2003)
• Alexander Raskatov
  • Dramatic Games for solo cello (1979)
  • Kyrie Eleison (1992)
• Einojuhani Rautavaara
  • Sonata, Op. 46 (1969)
• Max Reger
  • 3 Suites, Op. 131c (1914)^[33]
    • Suite No. 1 in G major
    • Suite No. 2 in D minor
    • Suite No. 3 in A minor
• Aribert Reimann
  • Solo II (1981)
• Phillip Rhodes
  • Three Pieces
• Alan Ridout
  • Partita (1959)
• Wolfgang Rihm
  • Great (1972)
• Joaquin Rodrigo
  • Como una fantasía (1979)
• Scott Roller
  • Mutamusic (1983)
• Bernhard Romberg
  • Sonata in E minor Op. 38 No. 1
  • Sonata in G major Op. 38 No. 2
• Lucia Ronchetti
  • Forward and downward, turning neither to the left nor to the right (2017)^[34]
• Ned Rorem
  • After Reading Shakespeare Nine movements alone (written for Sharon Robinson; 1980)
    • Hilding Rosenberg Intermezzo (1974)
• Miklos Rozsa
  • Toccata capricciosa, Op. 36 (1979; in memory of Piatigorsky)
• Edmund Rubbra
  • Improvisation, Op. 124 (pub. 1967)
• Elena Ruehr
  • Lift (2013) for solo cello, premiered at MIT (written for Jennifer Kloetzel)
  • Cricket the Fiddler (2020), commissioned by Jennifer Kloetzel, solo cello, premiered online October 2020, ca 8’
  • Cloud Forest (2015) solo cello, 8 minutes, commissioned by Rhonda Rider
• Peter Ruzicka
  • Sonata, Op. 9 (1969)
  • Stille Four Epilogues (1976)

S

• Kaija Saariaho
  • Petals (1988)
  • Près (1992)
  • Spins & Spells (1997)
  • Sept Papillons (2000)
• Aulis Sallinen
  • Elegy for Sebastian Knight, Op. 10 (1964)
  • Sonata, Op. 26 (1971)
• Vadim Salmanov
  • Monologue for solo cello (1970)
• Esa-Pekka Salonen
  • Yta III (1987)
• Timothy Salter
  • Scintilla for solo cello (2003)
• David Sampson
  • Three Arguments for unaccompanied cello (1993)
• Ruben Sarkisjan
  • Cercio Ceclamando (Cycle of Declamations) for solo cello (2001)
• Ahmed Adnan Saygun
  • Partita, Op. 31 (1954)
• Robert Saxton
  • Sonata on a Theme of Sir William Walton (1999)
• Giacinto Scelsi
  • Triphon (1956)
  • Trilogie (1957/65)
  • Voyages (1985)
  • Maknongan (1976)
• Gerhard Schedl
  • Aus Zwei Stücke aus der Schatz-Truhe
• Peter Schickele (P. D. Q. Bach)
  • Vermillion Suite (1987)
  • Suite No. 1 All By Its Lonesome
  • Suite No. 2 All By Its Lonesome
• Josef Schillinger
  • Dance Suite for solo cello, Op.20 (1928)
• Thomas Daniel Schlee
  • Three Signs, Op. 53 (2002)
• Friedemann Schmidt-Mechau
  • Aposiopesis Music for violoncello (1990)
  • Morgenlachen (Morning Laughter) Music for violoncello (1997)
  • Fehlversteck (Flawed Hide-Out) Five musical sketches for a cellist (2007)
  • Ent-Gegnung (Re-Tort) music for cello (2020)
• Artur Schnabel (1882–1951)
  • Sonata (in four movements) (1931)
• Alfred Schnittke
  • Klingende Buchstaben (Sounding Letters) (1988)
  • Madrigal in Memoriam Oleg Kagan (1990)
  • Improvisation (1993)
• Franz Schubert
  • • Erlkönig - Le Roi des Aulnes (The Erlking or Elf King; adapted in 1890 by Bernhard Cossmann Gunther Schuller
  • Fantasy, Op. 19 (1960)
• Laura Schwendinger
  • All the Pretty Horses (2009)
  • Primavera Trasformata(2020)
• Salvatore Sciarrino
  • Due Studi (1947)
  • Ai Limiti Della Notte (1984)
• Peter Sculthorpe
  • Requiem (1979)
  • Threnody (In memory of Stuart Challender) (1991)
  • Into the Dreaming (1993)
  • Tailitnama Song (1997)
• Roger Sessions
  • Six Pieces (1966)
• Rodion Shchedrin
  • Russian Tunes (Russkie Naigryshi), Op. 79 (1990)
• Alexander Shchetynsky
  • Sonata (2001)
• Bright Sheng
  • Diu Diu Dong (Seven Tunes Heard in China) (1995)
• Makoto Shinohara
  • Evolution (1986–90)
• Jean Sibelius
  • Theme and Variations in D minor (written in 1887, discovered in 1995)
• Sergei Slonimsky
  • 3 Pieces for solo cello (1964)
• Haskell Small
  • Suite
• Dmitry Smirnov
  • Monogram, Op. 58A (1990)
  • Elegy in memory of Edison Denisov, Op. 97a (1997)
  • Family Portrait, Op. 108 (1998)
  • Postlude in memory of Alfred Schnittke, Op. 112A (2000)
  • Bagatelle, Op. 128A (2001)
  • Saga to S.A. Gubaidulina, Op. 130 (2001)
• Naresh Sohal
  • Monody (1976)
  • Shades III
  • Shades IV (1983)
• Giovanni Sollima
  • La luna (1986)
  • 6 Caprices (1987)
  • Segno (1992)
  • Anno uno (1993)
  • The Songlines (1993)
  • Lamentatio (1998)
  • Pasolini fragments (1998)
  • Alone (1999)
• Halsey Stevens
  • Sonata (five movements - Introduction, Ciaccona, Scherzo, Notturno, Finale) (1958)
• Peter Vukmirovic Stevens
  • August Ruins (2010)
  • Tempus Edax Rerum (2011)
  • Etude for Raising the Dead (2011)
  • Versatile Hammers (2011)
  • Thunder, Perfect Mind (2012)
• Mark Summer
  • Julie-O
  • Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
  • Kablimba (all pizzicato)
• Viktor Suslin
  • Chanson contre raison Sonata (1984)
  • Schatz-insel (1990)
• Randall Svane
  • Suite No. 1 (1979)
  • Suite No. 2 (1982)
  • Suite No. 3 (1988)
• Takehiko Sueoka
  • Cello Sonata Unaccompanied (1997)

T

• Emil Tabakov
  • Bis (1982)
    • Josef Tal Suite for cello (1937)
  • Sonata for cello (1937)
  • Treatise for cello (1973)
  • In Memoriam of a Dear Friend for cello (1985)
• Giuseppe Tartini
  • L'Arte dell'Arco (The Art of the Bow) 50 variations on Corelli's Gavotte from Op.5, No.10 (1758) (transcribed by Paul Bazelaire)
• John Tavener
  • Thrinos (1990)
  • Chant (1995)
• Boris Tchaikovsky
  • Suite (in six movements) (1946)
  • Suite in five movements (1960)
• Alexander Tcherepnin
  • Suite, Op. 76 (1946)
• James Tenney
  • Cellogram for Joel Krosnick (1971)
• Dimitri Terzakis
  • Omega 1 (1978)
  • Dialog der Seele mit ihrem Schatten (1991; for Siegfried Palm)
• Augusta Read Thomas
  • Spring Song (1995)
• Jukka Tiensuu
  • Balzo
• Ton That Tiet
  • Bois terre
• Boris Tishchenko
  • Sonata No. 1, Op. 18 (1960)
  • Sonata No. 2, Op. 76 (1979)
• Ernst Toch
  • Impromptu in three movements, Op. 90c (1963)
  • Glosa (2004)
• Javier Torres Maldonado
  • Tiento (2000; also version for cello and electronics, 2003)
• Paul Tortelier
  • Suite in D minor (1944)
• Donald Tovey
  • Solo Cello Sonata in D, Op. 50
    • Sulkhan Tsintsadze Chonguri (Tchonguri) (1978)
  • Sonata (1975)

U

• Chinary Ung
  • Kshe Buon (1981)

V

• Fabio Vacchi
  • In alba mia, dir... (1995)
• Johanna Varner
  • The Windmill, MCV 2001 (2019)
• Pēteris Vasks
  • Gramata cellam (Das Buch) (1978)
• Sándor Veress
  • Sonata (1935)^[35]
• Carl Vine
  • Inner World (1994)
• Param Vir
  • Flame (1997)
    • Giovanni Battista Vitali Partite per il Violone (1680)
  • Partita sopra diverse Sonate
• Antonio Vivaldi
  • Cello Sonatas RV 38-47 (c. 1720-1730)
• Vladimir Vlasov
  • Ballade for solo cello
  • Improvisation for solo cello
• Wladimir Vogel
  • Poeme (1974)

W

• Wolfram Wagner
  • Sonata, Op. 31 (1990)
• Gwyneth Walker
  • In Memoriam (1980)
• William Walton
  • Passacaglia (1980)
• Rodney Waschka II
  • Ravel Remembers Fascism (1991)
• Graham Waterhouse
  • Three Pieces for Solo Cello, Op. 28 (1992)
  • Threnody (2002)
  • in nomine for cello solo (2013)
  • Variations for Cello Solo (2019)
• Ben Weber
  • Dance, Op. 28 (1948)
  • Dance, Op. 31 (1949)
• Mieczysław Weinberg (or Vainberg)
  • Solo Cello Sonata No. 1, Op. 72 (1960)
  • Solo Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 86 (1965)
  • Solo Cello Sonata No. 3, Op. 106 (1971)
  • Solo Cello Sonata No. 4, Op. 140 (1986)
  • Twenty-four Preludes, Op. 100 (1968)^[36]
• Egon Wellesz
  • Cello Sonata, Op. 31 (1920)
  • Suite op. 39 (1924)^[37]
• Richard Wernick
  • Suite No. 1 (2003)
  • Suite No. 2 (2007)
• David Wilde
  • The Cellist of Sarajevo - A Lament in Rondo Form, Op. 12
• Adrian Williams
  • Solo Cello Sonata (1976–77)
• John Williams
  • Three Pieces (2001)
• Richard Edward Wilson
  • Lord Chesterfield to his Son (1987)
  • Music (1971)
• Stefan Wolpe
  • Piece Alone (1966)
• William Wordsworth
  • Sonata for Violoncello (1961)^[38]
• Charles Wuorinen
  • Cello Variations I to Fred Sherry (1970)
  • Cello Variations II (1975)
  • Cello Variations III (1997)

X

• Iannis Xenakis
  • Kottos (1977)
  • Nomos Alpha (1966)

Y

• James Yannatos
  • Sonata
• Yehuda Yannay
  • I can't fathom it... and projections (1993)
  • Tangoul Morṭii (Tango of Death) (1997)
• Eugène Ysaÿe
  • Cello Sonata, Op. 28 (1924)
• Isang Yun
  • Glissées (1970) for Siegfried Palm^[39]
  • Seven Etudes (1993)
• Ludmilla Yurina
  • Irrlicht for solo cello (2000)
• Iraida Yusupova
  • Dreams' Music for solo cello (1990)

Z

• Edson Zampronha
  • Elegia and electroacoustics (2009)
  • Two Takes (2008)
  • Toccata (1989)
• Bernd Alois Zimmermann
  • Sonata (1959–60)
  • Short Studies (4) (1970)
• Sergei Zhukov
  • Sonata-Capriccio for solo cello (1980)
  • Paraphrase on van Eyck's poem De Tuinman en de Dood for solo cello (2003)
• Vassily Zverev
  • Sonata-Fantasy for solo cello

See also

• String instrument repertoire
• List of double concertos for violin and cello
• List of triple concertos for violin, cello, and piano
• List of compositions for cello and piano
• Cello sonata

External links

• Repertoire
• Finnish Composers
• Bulgarian Music
• Database of contemporary cello music
• Music from cello2go site

Notes and References

1. cfr. UPC:8011570338372, 2010 Stradivarius, Frédéric Baldassare
2. Web site: Parlett's Catalogue of Music by Arnold Bax . 2005-06-05 . 2010-07-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100706094747/http://www.davidparlett.co.uk/bax/ . dead .
3. cfr. UPC:7318590011713, 2000 BIS, Robert Irvine
4. Web site: Luciano Berio – The Living Composers Project . 2005-06-05 . 2011-04-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110423084500/http://composers21.com/compdocs/beriol.htm . live .
5. Web site: Archived copy . 2021-10-28 . 2021-06-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210608041609/https://jova-music.de/ . live .
6. cfr. UPC:4028183002471, 2003 Cavalli, Matthias Lorenz
7. Web site: Bloch : Suites for Cello Solo . 2005-06-05 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060513204059/http://www.emmanuelle-bertrand.com/presse/fanfare0406-07.shtml . 2006-05-13 .
8. Web site: (1956) Suite No. 2 for Cello - Ernest Bloch Legacy . 2018-02-22 . 2018-02-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180223110831/http://www.ernestbloch.org/home.cfm?dir_cat=80722 . live .
9. Web site: The Classical Muse . 2021-10-28 . 2004-09-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040923210429/http://hendrikbouman.com/ . live .
10. cfr. UPC:759348064426, 1997 Capstone, Alexander Kouguell
11. Web site: Leo Brouwer: Sonata For Solo Cello: Cello Solo Musicroom.com . 2006-01-29 . 2007-09-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070928110918/http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/080324/details.html?kbid=1070 . live .
12. Web site: One⁸ . 2006-10-09 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20061010095258/http://www.johncage.info/workscage/one8.html . 2006-10-10 .
13. Web site: Olivier Greif catalogue . oliviergreif.com . 3 March 2023.
14. cfr. UPC:3760130510165 Anima, Delphine Biron
15. Web site: Gilad Hochman | Music . 2020-08-09 . 2020-10-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201031070428/https://www.giladhochman.com/music-rhapsody . live .
16. Web site: Gilad Hochman | Music . 2020-08-09 . 2020-10-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201031073831/https://www.giladhochman.com/music-ponderings-on-a-memory . live .
17. cfr. UPC:4003913126511
18. cfr. UPC:4011540052349 1998 Selected Sound, Martin Tillmann
19. Web site: Bertold Hummel work commentaries . 2007-10-01 . 2011-07-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718202603/http://www.bertoldhummel.de/english/commentaries/opus_77D1.html . live .
20. Web site: Bertold Hummel work commentaries . 2007-10-01 . 2011-07-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718202611/http://www.bertoldhummel.de/english/commentaries/opus_97A.html . live .
21. Web site: Bertold Hummel work commentaries . 2007-10-01 . 2011-07-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718202623/http://www.bertoldhummel.de/english/commentaries/opus_abschied.html . live .
22. cfr. UPC:034571179483 2012 Hyperion, Steven Isserlis
23. cfr. UPC:5991813281326 2020 Hungaroton, Ildikó Szabó
24. cfr. UPC:4260036252569 2012 Genuin, Julian Arp
25. Web site: Frank la Rocca, Composer . 2021-10-28 . 2021-04-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210416102316/https://www.franklarocca.com/ . live .
26. https://www.machajdik.com/strings.html Ponor for solo cello
27. https://www.machajdik.com/strings.html Wolds for solo cello
28. https://www.machajdik.com/strings.html Lullaby for solo cello
29. Web site: DA VINCI PUBLISHING Andrew March: Three Pieces for Solo Cello (2011) . 25 November 2019 . 2019-12-03 . 2019-12-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191204014540/https://davinci-edition.com/product/dv-11485/ . live .
30. cfr. UPC:8600278431470, 2010 RTS-PGP, Ksenija Janković 1995
31. Song and Dance (no date) Available at: http://www.musichaven.co.uk/Song-and-Dance.html (Accessed: 13 October 2015)
32. cfr. UPC:759348064228
33. cfr. UPC:5709499372005, 1993 Danacord, Erling Blöndal Bengtsson
34. cfr. UPC:9120040731137
35. Web site: SANDOR VERESS - chronological discography . 2006-10-09 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070626022955/http://www.veress.net/discography.html . 2007-06-26 .
36. https://web.archive.org/web/20070927221148/http://www.sikorski.de/catalogue/composers_works_single.php?lang=en&id=221&anr=1005409 Sikorski Edition
37. Web site: Egon Wellesz - Catalogue des oeuvres . 2005-06-05 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070601051203/http://claudet.club.fr/ExilVienne/Wellesz/WelleszCatalogue.html . 2007-06-01 .
38. cfr. UPC:5060212960184, 2010 BMS, Raphael Wallfisch
39. https://archive.today/20130211201003/http://www.schott-musik.de/shop/Noten/Streichinstrumente/Violoncello/Violoncello_allein/show,8483.html Schott Music - Shop - Isang Yun - Glissées