Berlioz | Figures
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Berlioz (1905), Treatise on Instrumentation
This page contains all the figures from the cello chapter — with new captions explaining each one — from Berlioz’s treatise
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, p. 77
Summary of Figure: An example showing the tuning of each string on the cello.
Exemplification of: cello string tuning
Berlioz, 1905, p. 77 [Notes: An example showing the tuning of each string on the cello.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, p. 77
Summary of Figure: An example showing the 3 1/2-octave range available on the cello in an orchestral context.
Exemplification of: cello range
Composer and Work:
Berlioz, 1905, p. 77 [Notes: An example showing the 3 1/2-octave range available on the cello in an orchestral context.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, p. 77
Summary of Figure: An example demonstrating one custom of notating high cello passages in treble clef, an octave above sounding pitch. Berlioz presents this as a possibility but notes that "there is nothing to justify this practice". Editor: This notational custom is now considered obsolete.
Exemplification of: cello treble clef
Berlioz, 1905, p. 77 [Notes: An example demonstrating one custom of notating high cello passages in treble clef, an octave above sounding pitch. Berlioz presents this as a possibility but notes that "there is nothing to justify this practice". Editor: This notational custom is now considered obsolete.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, p. 77
Summary of Figure: An example demonstrating the modern custom of notating high cello passages in tenor and treble clef at sounding pitch.
Exemplification of: cello tenor, treble clefs
Berlioz, 1905, p. 77 [Notes: An example demonstrating the modern custom of notating high cello passages in tenor and treble clef at sounding pitch.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, p. 77
Summary of Figure: An example showing double stop tenths that are possible on the cello due to the lower note being an open string.
Exemplification of: cello double stops, tenths
Berlioz, 1905, p. 77 [Notes: An example showing double stop tenths that are possible on the cello due to the lower note being an open string.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, p. 77
Summary of Figure: An example showing double stop tenths that are impossible on the cello due to the lower note not being an open string.
Exemplification of: cello double stops, tenths
Berlioz, 1905, p. 77 [Notes: An example showing double stop tenths that are impossible on the cello due to the lower note not being an open string.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, pp. 77–78
Summary of Figure: An example showing the natural harmonics that sound best on each string of the cello.
Exemplification of: cello natural harmonics
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, p. 78
Summary of Figure: An example showing the most convenient fingering for artificial harmonics on the cello, and the resulting pitches.
Exemplification of: cello artificial harmonics
Berlioz, 1905, p. 78 [Notes: An example showing the most convenient fingering for artificial harmonics on the cello, and the resulting pitches.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, 1905, p. 78
Summary of Figure: An example showing the possibility of fingering artificial harmonics high on the cello fingerboard using the thumb as the "nut" and the fourth finger lightly touching a fifth above.
Exemplification of: cello artificial harmonics, thumb fingering
Berlioz, 1905, p. 78 [Notes: An example showing the possibility of fingering artificial harmonics high on the cello fingerboard using the thumb as the "nut" and the fourth finger lightly touching a fifth above.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, 1905, p. 78
Summary of Figure: An example demonstrating the possibility of playing a scale higher than the practical range of the cello using a combination of natural and artificial harmonics.
Exemplification of: cello harmonics, scales
Berlioz, 1905, p. 78 [Notes: An example demonstrating the possibility of playing a scale higher than the practical range of the cello using a combination of natural and artificial harmonics.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, 1905, p. 78
Summary of Figure: An example demonstrating the effect of dividing the cello section to produce chords with harmonics
Exemplification of: cello harmonics, cello section divisi
Berlioz, 1905, p. 78 [Notes: An example demonstrating the effect of dividing the cello section to produce chords with harmonics
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, 1905, p. 78
Summary of Figure: An example demonstrating an easier and more precise way to achieve the effect shown in the previous example through the use of divisi violins.
Exemplification of: violin mutes, violin section divisi
Berlioz, 1905, p. 78 [Notes: An example demonstrating an easier and more precise way to achieve the effect shown in the previous example through the use of divisi violins.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, 1905, p. 78
Summary of Figure: An example from Berlioz's Requiem demonstrating one type of situation in which independence of the cello and double bass parts is advisable. In this case, the parts are similar but the cellos play a faster line that would be difficult to execute cleanly on the double bass.
Exemplification of: cello-bass independence
Composer and Work: Berlioz, Hector. Requiem, op.5 (Grande messe des morts) <1837>
Recording: Score-following vide0 - 28:22
Berlioz, 1905, p. 79 [Notes: An example from Berlioz's Requiem demonstrating one type of situation in which independence of the cello and double bass parts is advisable. In this case, the parts are similar but the cellos play a faster line that would be difficult to execute cleanly on the double bass.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, p. 79
Summary of Figure: An example from Berlioz's Requiem demonstrating an unusual case of cello-bass independence. In this excerpt, the lower octave of the cello section's octave C actually sounds below the double bass line, and the upper C forms a minor second clash with the B natural in the double bass part.
Exemplification of: cello-bass independence
Composer and Work: Berlioz, Hector. Requiem, op.5 (Grande messe des morts) <1837> 4. Rex tremendae
Recording: Score-following vide0 - 28:35
Berlioz, 1905, p. 79 [Notes: An example from Berlioz's Requiem demonstrating an unusual case of cello-bass independence. In this excerpt, the lower octave of the cello section's octave C actually sounds below the double bass line, and the upper C forms a minor second clash with the B natural in the double bass part.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, pp. 80–81
Summary of Figure: An example from Agathe's aria in the second act of Weber's "Der Freischütz" demonstrating a soft string texture without double bass. The violas play the bassline at first below four violin lines, and they are later doubled by the cellos.
Exemplification of: viola bassline, cello bassline, viola-cello doubling, violin divisi
Composer and Work: Weber, Carl Maria von. Der Freischütz, J.277 <1817–1821> Act 2
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, p. 82
Summary of Figure: An example from Weber's "Oberon" Overture demonstrating the use of the cello's upper strings for "singing" melodies. In this example, the cellos and violas are paired in thirds while two clarinets play in unison below them. This excerpt also demonstrates the absence of the double basses on the bassline, which is instead played by the other half of the divided cello section.
Exemplification of: cello high register melody, cello divisi, cellos above clarinets, viola-cello third doubling
Composer and Work: Weber, Carl Maria von. Oberon, J.306: Overture <1825–1826>
Recording: Score-following vide0 - 1:59
Berlioz, 1905, p. 82 [Notes: An example from Weber's "Oberon" Overture demonstrating the use of the cello's upper strings for "singing" melodies. In this example, the cellos and violas are paired in thirds while two clarinets play in unison below them. This excerpt also demonstrates the absence of the double basses on the bassline, which is instead played by the other half of the divided cello section.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, p. 83
Summary of Figure: An example from Wagner's "Meistersinger" demonstrating unison and octave doubling between cellos, first violins, and the tenor soloist.
Exemplification of: violin-cello-voice unison and octave doubling
Composer and Work: Wagner, Richard. Die Meistersinger, WWV 96 <1861–1862>
Berlioz, 1905, p. 83 [Notes: An example from Wagner's "Meistersinger" demonstrating unison and octave doubling between cellos, first violins, and the tenor soloist.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905, p. 84
Summary of Figure: An example from the introduction to Act 3 of Wagner's "Tannhäuser" demonstrating the divisi of the cello section, and the use thereof to express what Strauss describes as "profound contrition".
Exemplification of: cello divisi, cello melody
Composer and Work: Wagner, Richard | Tannhäuser <1843–1847> | Act 3, introduction
Berlioz, 1905, p. 84 [Notes: An example from the introduction to Act 3 of Wagner's "Tannhäuser" demonstrating the divisi of the cello section, and the use thereof to express what Strauss describes as "profound contrition".]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905 p. 85–87
Summary of Figure: An example from Act 3 of Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde" demonstrating a poignant line in the upper strings of the muted cellos.
Exemplification of: cello mutes, cello upper strings melody
Composer and Work: Wagner, Richard | Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90 <1857–1859> | Act 3
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905
Summary of Figure: An example from the conclusion of Wagner's "Meistersinger" demonstrating a melodic line in the cellos that according to Strauss expresses "mature wisdom." This example also features unison and octave doubling between horns, bassoons, and cellos.
Exemplification of: cello melody, horn-bassoon-cello unison and octave doubling
Composer and Work: Wagner, Richard | Die Meistersinger, WWV 96 <1861–1862> | Conclusion
Recording: Score-following video, 1:55:43
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905
Summary of Figure: An example from the Prelude to Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde" demonstrating a high cello melody. According to Strauss, this shows the capacity of the cello to express a feeling of "yearning."
Exemplification of: cello high register melody
Composer and Work: Wagner, Richard | Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90 <1857–1859> | Prelude
Recording: Score-following video
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905
Summary of Figure: An example from Act 1 of Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde" demonstrating octave doubling between violas and cellos. According to Strauss, this shows the capacity of the cello to express a feeling of "roughness."
Exemplification of: viola-cello octave doubling
Composer and Work: Wagner, Richard | Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90 <1857–1859> | Act 1
Recording:
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905
Summary of Figure: An example from the Love Scene of Berlioz's "Roméo et Juliette" demonstrating a "quartet of low harmonies." This is achieve by the division of the cello section into two parts, the pairing with the violas, and the support underneath by an independent pizzicato bassline.
Exemplification of: cello section divisi, cello-bass independence, viola-cello pairing
Composer and Work: Berlioz, Hector | Roméo et Juliette, op.17 <1839> | Love scene
Recording: Score-following video 35:28
Berlioz, 1905, p. 95 [Notes: An example from the Love Scene of Berlioz's "Roméo et Juliette" demonstrating a "quartet of low harmonies." This is achieve by the division of the cello section into two parts, the pairing with the violas, and the support underneath by an independent pizzicato bassline.]
Chapter: Stringed Instruments - The Violoncello
Citation: Berlioz, 1905
Summary of Figure: An example showing the fastest recommended speed for pizzicato on cello in two different metrical contexts.
Exemplification of: cello pizzicato
Berlioz, 1905, p. 96 [Notes: An example showing the fastest recommended speed for pizzicato on cello in two different metrical contexts.]