Piano Trio in c minor. Third movement (Poco Andante)

On 3/22/2025 at 10:33 PM, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

I’m not sure if the cello can play pizz. this fast in b.75, maybe @PCC can answer haha

Very possible at this tempo, but perhaps not any faster.

what is not advisable is the random double stops at places like bar 35. You can't expect an immediate large finger position shift up to double stops and expect the sound to come out good. I would advise you to tone down your excess fondness with double stops on cello especially at the higher registers unless you are featuring a super virtuostic cello solo line. Actually the notes in bar 31-42 are pretty uncomfortably hard on the cello as well though supposedly very doable with advanced bowing and fingering (more advanced than what I can do, I am only at g8).

1 hour ago, PCC said:

Very possible at this tempo, but perhaps not any faster.

what is not advisable is the random double stops at places like bar 35. You can't expect an immediate large finger position shift up to double stops and expect the sound to come out good. I would advise you to tone down your excess fondness with double stops on cello especially at the higher registers unless you are featuring a super virtuostic cello solo line. Actually the notes in bar 31-42 are pretty uncomfortably hard on the cello as well though supposedly very doable with advanced bowing and fingering (more advanced than what I can do, I am only at g8).

 

Thank you PCC! I try and avoid double stops because I don't know if they are doable... but sometimes I fall into temptation! Is it obnoxious to ask whether you can check this passage from the first mov? Is there any rule of thumb I could use - besides "no double stops!" 🙂 - to make sure I don't demand too much of the cellist?

That passage is possible with thumb position on C (D string) G (A string)

But it doesn't sound as connected as if I play the top note melody all on the A string. Does the context really demand double stops?

10 hours ago, PCC said:

That passage is possible with thumb position on C (D string) G (A string)

But it doesn't sound as connected as if I play the top note melody all on the A string. Does the context really demand double stops?

 

Thank you! This is superuseful! It's the climax of the development in the revised first movement, so I would like to keep up both the volume and the dissonances, and the piano is already "busy". But I'll look into it and see if I can organize the passage differently and without double stops.

"It does not sound as connected" as in I shouldn't put slurs on the double stops because they can't really be played legato?

I meant it involved a lot of string crossing, which you might want to avoid if the melody can be projected all on one string, usually the A string

maybe skill issue on my part most probably, and I don't know your context, but the lower notes of the double stops you showed here don't seem to provide melodic substance and I would much rather not double stopping on the cello here

Hey Giacomo @Giacomo925!

I have listened to the 3rd movement. For me I find it less attractive than the 2nd and 4th movement, maybe because of the slower tempo and the writing technique fits more to a fast movement than a slow one. The counterpoint and interaction work really well in a fast movement, but maybe for a slower movement you can have some more attractive melodies! Also for me maybe the emotion can be more intensive. That’s personal though. I again like the polyrhythms here. Thx for sharing!

Henry