As the title suggests, “One Movement for Cello” is a straight up piece for solo cello. In other words, music without words. The purity of this form demands that the music make sense as music above all. My approach is not atypical of my personal character: one moment I could be a goofball vibrating with rhythm from hell. The next, I surrender to the magic of a beautiful melody. Cello has always been my hero in the melody department. In this piece, I wanted rhythm from hell.

 

 

You might think: this is the laziest program note I’ve ever read. You are right. But I made up for it. First, I wrote a companion piece called One Movement for Violin. Then I punished myself and readers by writing a War and Peace version of a program note. It’ll take you longer to read it than listening to the piece. Won’t you rather check out this mad performance by the amazing Gabriel Cabezas? 

 

For those who also enjoy judging a composer by words, have at it: