The cello is an amazing instrument, with an almost human voice and an incredible range of high and low notes. Many cellists say they can truly 'feel' the music with the cello becoming an extension of their body and soul as they perform. Jacqueline du Pré, one of the most famous cellists of all time, caught the public imagination with her emotion and precision during one of her greatest performances, Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E Minor.
The cello is an integral part of every orchestra, chamber group, quartet or trio. Playing cello means you get to play almost every part in the orchestra: the melody, harmony, and bass line, often all in one piece! The cello’s size enables it to play in three clefs, bass, tenor and treble. The cello balances out the loud, high pitch of the violin section, seeming to bring the music back down to earth.
Every major composer including Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Bach, Beethoven and Mendelssohn wrote contemplative, elegiac as well as huge, sweeping masterpieces for the cello which are still played and enjoyed today.
In addition to the ensemble and orchestral works there are wonderful opportunities for cellists to play a diversity of sounds and styles. Yo-Yo Ma, the internationally famous cellist has recorded many classical and non-classical albums including cello concertos (including, among others, Shostakovich, Brahms, Elgar, and Haydn), sonatas for cello and piano, Bach's cello suites, and a variety of chamber music. He has also collaborated with Bobby McFerrin, Chris Botti, Carlos Santana and James Taylor.
Here he plays Saint-Saens’ The Swan. A moving classical piece that simply glides:
The Cello has an expressive power that seems to reach further than the violin. It is capable of performing multiple musical roles, and this versatility is the reason its rich tone has crept into almost every musical genre. The deeply layered sounds of a cello can create basslines for Blues, jazz, soaring angelic melodies and even aggressive metal and rock music.
The cello enjoys starring roles in stage, film and TV music for example; the Yamaha silent strings orchestra in the musical version of Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds, an immersive piece of theatre using cutting edge technology.
The Game of Thrones opening theme:
The cello complements the singing voice and the iconic Beatles hit, Eleanor Rigby was one of the first chart toppers to heavily feature the cello. Since then numerous hits have featured cellos included Wonderwall by Oasis and Apologise by One Republic.
The rock stars of the cello world are Yamaha Artists 2Cellos - who have taken the cello to a new level. Their playing style has no limits when they perform live. The duo are equally impressive when playing Bach and Vivaldi as when they are covering rock classics from AC/DC, Jimi Hendrix and more. 2Cellos each play the Yamaha SVC-110SK Silent Cello. See their unique mix of Beethoven and Led Zeppelin here:
The craftsmanship and tonal quality of the Yamaha Acoustic Cello and the dynamic Yamaha Silent Cello enable new worlds of musical exploration and artistic expression to be expressed.
This is evident int the sheer energy and skill of Yamaha Artist and Grammy-nominated virtuoso Tina Guo who plays a Yamaha SVC-210 electric cello. Guo is known for her distinctive sound and improvisatory style. Guo plays a Silent cello in this uninhibited performance of the Wonder Woman main film theme:
The Cello has been around for at least 500 years - though it’s changed a great deal since its original design. There are no records to show exactly when the first cello was created but the instrument was first mentioned in writing at the beginning of the 16th century. It appears that early in its history, the instrument was referred to as the 'bass viola da braccio' ("low viola for the arm"). As the name suggests, this was a viola da braccio (one of the ancestors of the violin) that was capable of playing in a lower register.
Wooden mosaic in the Vatican depicting a bass viola da braccio
A painting from the first half of the 19th century depicting a cellist playing with the instrument held between his knees
Cellos until the first half of the 17th century didn’t have a set number of strings, and instruments with between three and five strings were played in a variety of tunings. During the first half of the 17th century, cellos in Italy were generally four-stringed instruments tuned to C-G-d-a, and this gradually spread to other countries as well. From the 18th century onwards fingerboards grew increasingly long, the shapes of bridges and bows were changed, and other detailed modifications were made in order to make these instruments louder. By the second half of the 19th century, cellos were generally supported on their end pins (until then they were held between the knees and played, like a viola da gamba). Steel (or nylon) strings became commonly used at the start of the 20th century, replacing the gut strings that were used until then.
At the beginning of the 18th century, cellos came in a variety of shapes. One example that is especially famous even today is the "violoncello piccolo (small cello)." These instruments are slightly smaller than a cello, and there are even some that are strung with five strings in order to expand the upper register. J.S. Bach is well-known for using the violoncello piccolo in his compositions. His "Solo Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major" specifies the use of a five-stringed instrument, and it is likely that he assumed a violoncello piccolo would play this piece. Bach also composed some church cantatas that call for the violoncello piccolo. Some conductors use violoncello piccolos to play these pieces in an attempt to reconstruct the music as it was meant to be heard. One notable example is Dutch cellist, Anner Bijlsma. a performer of both the modern repertoire and the Baroque repertoire on ancient instruments.
The Cello and violin are members of the string group of musical instruments and easily distinguishable from one another. The violin is smaller than the cello, tuned differently, and produces notes that are over an octave above those played on the cello. Violins are used more often in ensemble settings. While the violin is held between the user's left hand and chin, the cello is placed on an endpin and played vertically as it is considerably larger. Both the violin and cello are heavily used in classical music and in various genres of music.
A violin is a substantially smaller instrument than the cello. On average, the total length of a violin is around 23.5 inches (60 cm). The sounding length, which is the distance from the nut to the bridge, is around 12.75 inches (32 cm). Not only does this compact form help the instrument produce high-pitched sounds, it also makes the violin one of the most portable string instruments. This gives violinists the advantage of being able to fit into any space, which is a major distinction between the violin and cello. However like the other instruments in Yamaha's Silent Series, the Silent Series string cello and violin can be played anywhere, anytime you want, and the built in Yamaha digital technology allows you to adjust the tonal colour to individual playing styles, room conditions, the PA system and will effortlessly blend with the other Silent Series string instruments.
To play the violin, the instrument is held on the body's left side. The right hand usually holds the bow or, more rarely, plucks the strings. It is held between the left shoulder and the chin, where there is usually a chin rest for comfort and support. The left hand supports the neck of the violin, while the fingers of the left hand stop the strings. The right hand draws the bow across one or two of the strings to produce various sounds.
When playing the cello, the cellist is usually seated. The instrument is not tall enough to be played standing up, like a double bass https://www.yamahamusiclondon.com/Strings/Silent-Bass/ and is too large to hold under one's chin. To be played correctly, a cello requires an endpin, which extends from the bottom of the cello to the floor, raising the cello off the ground so that it can be reached by the cellist and supporting its weight. While the violin is played in a horizontal position, the cello must be played vertically, though bent endpins can be used to decrease the steep vertical angle at which a cello usually stands. Like the violin, the cello is also usually played with a bow that is brought across one or two of the four strings.
The violin produces the highest sounds of all the instruments in the modern string family. Open, the strings are tuned to G3, D4, A4, and E5 — perfect fifths. The violin's range spans nearly four octaves, giving the instrument a considerable amount of versatility. The cello is also tuned in fifths, but it starts with A3, which is followed by D3, G2, and C2. C2, for reference, is two octaves below middle C, while the G3 on a violin is the G directly preceding middle C. Many consider the sound of a cello to be the closest sound to a human male voice.
The cello is easier on your body to play compared to a violin or bass. The physical demands of playing some instruments may become too much as we get older but there is no retirement age for a cellist and they can play well into old age.
Due to the unique voice of the violin and its wide range in pitch, there are usually two violin sections in any ensemble, even a quartet. There are almost always at least two spots for violins in any piece of classical music — one for the lead violinists, who will be playing melody and technically challenging sections, and another for a second set of violinists, who will play harmony, melody in a lower range, or accompaniment patterns.
Ensembles have fewer slots available for cellos. It is not uncommon for the ratio of violin and cello to reach two or three to one. The cello is still valuable, however, but it often plays the bass voice in many ensembles. Despite the popularity of the violin, composers have written a considerable number of sonatas and concertos for the cello.
Both the violin and cello are used heavily in classical music.
The cello became recognised as a solo instrument in the second half of the 17th century. During this period many cellists - especially in Italy - published cello solos. At the turn of the 18th century composers began to write cello concertos, in imitation of violin concertos.
Luigi Boccherini, the greatest cello virtuoso during the classical period, left behind at least 10 cello concertos. His concerto in B-flat major is now the most well-known of these. However, a version arranged by Friedrich Grutzmacher (a German cellist active during the second half of the 19th century) that differs considerably from the original composition (for example, the second movement is taken from a completely different piece of music) was played more often, leaving the original fascination of Boccherini obscured for some time. Fortunately there are now many more opportunities to hear the original version played. The world is now gaining an appreciation for the true charm of Boccherini's concertos, which combine song-like melodies with truly advanced technique.
Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805)
Although this concerto was written by Haydn during his mature period, up until the middle of the 20th century the world was unsure as to whether or not he had actually composed it. However, we now know without a shadow of a doubt that it was written by him. Even though the solo parts are very technically written, rather than accompanying the solo cello, the orchestra and cello seem to enter into a flamboyant dialog. It is thought that Haydn composed this concerto for his friend Anton Kraft, a famous cellist. Incidentally, Kraft played the solo cello parts during the first performance of Beethoven's "Triple Concerto in C Major, Op. 56."
Although this concerto was written by Haydn during his mature period, up until the middle of the 20th century the world was unsure as to whether or not he had actually composed it. However, we now know without a shadow of a doubt that it was written by him. Even though the solo parts are very technically written, rather than accompanying the solo cello, the orchestra and cello seem to enter into a flamboyant dialog. It is thought that Haydn composed this concerto for his friend Anton Kraft, a famous cellist. Incidentally, Kraft played the solo cello parts during the first performance of Beethoven's "Triple Concerto in C Major, Op. 56."
Many of the cello concertos composed in the 19th century that are still popular today were written by composers who were not, themselves, cellists. The image of the cello playing rolling melodies against a massive orchestra may have had its origins in the concertos of the romanticists.
Tchaikovsky wrote this piece for Wilhelm Fitzenhagen, a friend from his student days and a cellist. Although Tchaikovsky received some advice from Fitzenhagen in composing the piece, the cellist later modified it without Tchaikovsky's permission, and it is this modified version that is generally played today. In this variation the poetic sentiment of the cello and masterful performances unfold, under a main theme that is based on the rococo style that was popular in the middle of the 18th century. Recent performances have followed Tchaikovsky's original version, allowing the audience to gain an appreciation for how the music was originally composed.
This is perhaps the most famous cello concerto. Dvorak began writing this concerto after speaking with a friend from his time at Prague Conservatory, Hanus Wihan, who was a cellist. However, the piece was not finished until 1895 when Dvorak was in New York. The piece was first performed in London the following year, but the cello solo was played by Leo Stern. Touching on such sources as folk music from his native Bohemia and black spiritual music, the entire concerto unreservedly expresses the beautiful melodies characteristic of Dvorak.
Antonin Dvorak
Although there are not as many solos for cellos as there are for violins, there are many gems overflowing with charm to catch the ears of listeners. In this section we introduce a masterpiece each from the 18th and 19th century.
This masterpiece, seen as the "bible" of cellists, should be well-known by any player of the instrument. In his six cello suites, Bach sought to demonstrate the potential of the cello as a solo instrument. Each suite is arranged like classical-style dance music, starting with a prelude, then moving to an allemande, courante, sarabande, either two minuets or two gavottes, and then a gigue. Peculiar to Bach is how he tries to create counterpoint music with a single cello. These suites were forgotten after Bach's death, perhaps due to this special peculiarity. Fortunately, Pablo Casals, the greatest cellist of the 20th century, realized how very important these suites were to any cellist's repertoire. Thanks to Casals' discovery, many 20th century composers began working with solo cello music, such as Max Reger and Zoltan Kodaly (in the first half of the century), and George Crumb and Krzysztof Penderecki (in the second half of the century).
Although Beethoven wrote five cello sonatas, "Sonata No. 3" is most often played as it was composed during his "Forest of Masterpieces" period in which he also wrote such works as "Fate" and "Pastoral Symphony." This sonata was dedicated to Baron Gleichenstein. Beethoven likely dedicated the piece to express his gratitude for the support of the Baron, who adored the cello. As can be heard in the main theme played by the cello alone at the beginning of the first movement, its passages expertly balance song-like rolling melodies with flamboyant use of technique. As the piece unfolds the piano and cello interact on equal footing, further adding to the charm that only a duo can provide.
Although Mendelssohn is known for leaving behind a great many beautiful song-like melodies, his two cello sonatas (Sonata No. 2 is in D major) show his skills as a melody-maker in full bloom. Sonata No. 1, however, is a particularly good example of this. Passages such as the first movement and the first main theme of the finale feature melodies so charming that listeners can't help but be entranced. Although the piano parts are quite difficult (possibly because Mendelssohn himself was a brilliant pianist), the cello parts have just as much presence.
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Yamaha offer a range of acoustic cellos from beginner level to intermediate/advanced. World famous cellists and child prodigies Yo-Yo Ma and Jacqueline de Pré, began playing the cello around the age of 4 years old. The Yamaha VC5S is a good starter cello and comes in 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 as well as full size so is particularly suited to children for whom a full size cello would be just too unwieldy. These cellos are ideal for students, they are made of high quality materials which give a good tone such as rosewood, spruce, maple and ebony and are hand-sculpted by the same methods used on high-end stringed instruments.
The VC7SG cello is a good intermediate cello with more resonance, sound and a different projection to the VC5. It is capable of producing beautiful rich tonal colours.
The VC20G cello that is suitable for intermediate/advanced students. It has a bright, clear sound and flawless strings.. The wood has been carefully seasoned and selected and the instrument has been finished with hand-brushed oil varnish.
Like the other instruments in Yamaha's Silent Series, the Silent Series cellos can be played anywhere, anytime you want, and with just the kind of ambiance you feel like. These Silent Series cellos are ergonimically designed to easily move from the acoustic cello without compromise. You don’t need anything special to play, standard bow and standard strings can be used.
Easy to take to a gig as they can be plugged in and played straight from the speaker system. A versatile instrument for musicians who may want to mix up their playing styles, for example classical and jazz.
Ideal for semi-pro musicians who want to practice at home without disturbing family or neighbours, if you don’t plug into an amp you can practice silently without anyone in the next room even hearing.
There are two basic shapes – one is more traditional and the other two have more of an arc which gives the design balance to a very contemporary look.
Currently available in three models, the slimmer, compact SVC-50 can be easily transported, the traditional SVC-110's design includes the appearance of the traditional cello body shape, whilst the top-of-the-range more contemporary SVC-210, and the 250 also designed for easy portability, offers a beautiful, rich, characteric cello tone.
Incorporating the latest digital technology, as expected in Yamaha electronic instruments, the built-in EQ Control allows you to adjust the tonal colour to individual playing styles, room conditions, the PA system, etc. and, of course, will effort blend with the other Silent Series string instruments.
Electric cello with compact design and acoustic-body resonating chamber for professional stage & recording performance - and silent practice.
The SVC-210 was created for easier portability, and features a slim design with folding leg supports. Despite its convenience, this instrument offers a rich, beautiful, characteristic cello tone and is capable of great expression.
Yamaha designers worked together with some of the world's greatest cellists to create the SVC-110 and SVC-210. The talent of these artists is reflected in their beautiful warm tone and comfortable playability. The SVC-110 plays and sounds so similar to a fine acoustic cello, that players will find it surprisingly expressive and comfortable to use. They will also appreciate being able to practice whenever, and wherever they want thanks to the "silent" function. The SVC-210 and the SVC-50 were created for easier portability, and feature slim designs with folding (SVC-210) or removable (SVC-50) leg supports. Despite their convenience, both instruments offer rich, beautiful characteristic cello tone and are capable of great expression.
"These instruments have incredible potential. Although first developed for use as a practice instrument, they have opened a new door of possibilities for the cello by the use of electronic technology. And the SVC-110 has gone a step further by adding more power and depth to the sound. I enjoy performing with this musical instrument and am challenging musical audiences worldwide to open their minds to a future of new sounds from the cello."
David Geringas, cello soloist
The SVC-210 features a newly designed resonating chamber, producing warm, full-bodied tone with natural characteristics and nuances found in any acoustic cello.
The Silent Cello is equipped with Aux-In, Line Out and Headphone Jacks. Connect a CD player, MD player or cassette deck to the input jack to play along with your favourite recordings. This is an extremely useful feature when practicing. With the output jack connected to a P.A., or external audio system, you can perform live, or use the internal reverb to hear yourself in different virtual performance environments.
Three onboard reverb presets simulate the acoustics of a practice room, recital hall, or cathedral.
Feels, plays, and sounds like a traditional cello, making transition to and from an acoustic cello intuitively natural. Lightweight and very easy to transport.
Electric cello with superior feel and tone with an acoustic-body resonating chamber for professional stage & recording performance - and silent practice.
Yamaha designers worked together with some of the world's greatest cellists to create the SVC-110 and SVC-210. The talent of these artists is reflected in their beautiful warm tone and comfortable playability. The SVC-110 plays and sounds so similar to a fine acoustic cello, that players will find it surprisingly expressive and comfortable to use. They will also appreciate being able to practice whenever, and wherever they want thanks to the "silent" function. The SVC-210 and the SVC-50 were created for easier portability, and feature slim designs with folding (SVC-210) or removable (SVC-50) leg supports. Despite their convenience, both instruments offer rich, beautiful characteristic cello tone and are capable of great expression.
With its stunning minimalist look, the SVC-50 Silent Cello is the perfect partner for practice and for performance - and a revolution when it comes to portability.
Featuring the same high quality pickup system as its bigger brother, the SVC-110, the SVC-50 sounds incredible. When it comes to getting from gig to gig, we designed the super-slim SVC-50 to easily dismantle, allowing the entire cello to fit into a compact case.
Looking after a cello is essentially the same as a violin. Remember the golden rule to dust down the main body of your cello every time you play it. The resin can go on to the body of the instrument. And remember that where you grip the cello by hand, that also needs to be dusted down because perspiration can affect the wood.
To keep the wood in tip top condition and to release the tension in the wood, make sure the bow is slackened off when not in use. Loosen the bow using the screw at the end of the bow hand.
Keep away from sunlight and extremes of heat., never keep your cello near a radiator.
When not in use ideally keep your cello in a case or lay your cello flat on the floor to avoid it getting knocked over, or even better display on a wall using guitar handles to fix to the wall. Your cello will be displayed, looking like a piece of art ready to play.
The varnish on a cello is very delicate. The tone of violins, guitars, and other acoustic instruments is influenced to a great degree by the varnish, making it an important element of the instrument. Thus, to keep the finish in good condition, always wipe the instrument after playing. This is an iron-clad rule. The instrument should be wiped with a cloth specially designed for this purpose, or a chamois.
Where possible, one cloth should be used only for the strings and the fingerboard, which should be wiped well. If the strings are thick with rosin, their tone will suffer and may produce noise. The fingerboard easily becomes dirty with sweat from the fingers. Normally, a dry cloth is used to wipe down the instrument, but if there is a significant build-up of rosin or other matter on the top plate, please consult a specialist.
Once you are done playing and have wiped the instrument, always put it in the case. The violin is so delicate that it may start to creak and pop if exposed to the wind of an air conditioner. The optimum humidity for a violin is 50%. To keep the violin's environmental conditions as close as possible to this ideal, make a habit of putting the violin in its case immediately.
The regular care of stringed instruments consists of wiping the instrument with a dry cloth specially designed for stringed instruments each time after playing. Normally, this is all that is needed, but when used over a long period of time, the violin acquires an unavoidable build-up of rosin dust around the bridge, and of grease and fingerprints on the fingerboard and other places where the skin comes into direct contact with the instrument. Use a cleaner to clean the instrument when this build-up becomes noticeable. This not only removes the build-up but also restores luster to the varnish.
There are many types of cleaner on the market, and they differ primarily in the type and volume of the polish that they contain. Simply put, those without polish do not have the strength to remove a great deal of dirt, but they are kind to the instrument. In contrast, those with polish remove build-up, but may also harm the instrument.
One polish that is used by both beginners and pros alike is Yamaha's Stringed Instrument Polish. It contains no polish and so is safe to use with any instrument. Of the other products that contain polish, Hill & Sons from England and Millant from France are both famous.
All cleaners are used basically in the same way. Using two cloths specially designed for stringed instruments, put a small amount of polish on one to remove the dirt, and use the other to wipe down the instrument after the dirt is removed. If the same cloth is used for both purposes, the instrument will become dirty again, so be sure to use two cloths. When using a cleaner that contains polish, shake the bottle well before using, and be careful not to wipe hard. However, cleaners that do contain polish will inevitably remove a very small amount of the varnish and so should not be used on old instruments. If there is some resistant dirt that does not come off with normal polishing, consult a specialist.
