Crumb's early (1955) sonata for unaccompanied cello, composed during his graduate years at the University of Michigan. The work predates the experimental sonorities Crumb became known for: it is written in a post-Bartók idiom with clear formal architecture, aggressive rhythmic drive, and folk-inflected melodic material. The three movements are a Fantasia, a set of character pieces titled "Tema pastorale con variazioni", and a Toccata. The sonata has become a core 20th-century solo cello work and is often paired with Kodály's Op. 8 and the Bach Suites in recital programmes.
Sonata for Solo Cello
cellocontemporarysonata~15 minvirtuoso
Difficulty
Technical
Advanced
Post-Bartók idiom; rhythmic drive, folk-inflected intervallic writing.
Stamina
Moderate
Fifteen minutes across three contrasting movements.
Interpretive
Advanced
Formal architecture clear; expressive demands are idiomatic 20th-century.
Ensemble
n/a
Solo work.
Performer's notes
Structural landmarks
I. Fantasia
II. Tema pastorale con variazioni
III. Toccata
Interpretive schools
Editions
C. F. Peters
The original Peters edition. Remains the only published score; no critical edition has been prepared.
Recordings
Pedagogical arc
Prepare with
Natural next
External references