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Mastering a Romberg Cello Sonata -Free Preparatory Exercises!

12/11/2018

1 Comment

 
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I fell in love with the Romberg Cello Sonatas when I started using them regularly as teaching pieces. It took me awhile to fully the understand the breadth of cello technique that Romberg teaches in his Sonatas but when I did, I was entranced. 

From shifting and positions to rhythm patterns and bowing challenges, the Sonatas gave my students a music experience that prepared them for much of what is to come in cello study.

Students would finish studying a Romberg Sonata and be playing at an entire level or two above their original level when they started the Sonata. They would be much more competent than when they had started, easily playing exercises, etudes, and pieces that would have given them pause before Romberg. 

Other teaching pieces didn't give cellists that same skills that Romberg's Sonatas did. As I saw the effect that playing Romberg's music had on my students, I came to deeply respect this music that so wonderfully transformed my students.​
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Two of Romberg's Sonatas became my favorites: the Sonata in E Minor and the Sonata in C Major. I use the Sonata in E minor as the first Sonata after a student has started shifting and has learned fourth position (plus a little second and third positions). I might use one or two other pieces after that, depending on the student, and then we are ready to start the Sonata in C Major. 

Over the past 20+ years, I've taught a lot of Romberg to students. It's gotten to the point where I can predict mistakes before they make them. It was getting boring hearing the same mistakes over and over. I really wanted to expand the influence of Romberg on my students and teach all of the skills that he required in his Sonatas.

So I wrote The Romberg Sonata in C Major Study Book for Cello and now, teaching that Sonata is much more exciting! Where I used to sit and drone corrections over and over, I can now have my students play the exercises and improve in front of me. We can spend the lessons working on phrasing and expression instead of rhythm, shifting, and bowing.

I love hearing them play the Sonata excerpts after they've played the exercises. Where students used to stop or struggle, my exercise-powered students sail through. They play confidently and they enjoy the music they're making instead of wallowing in frustration. 

Here are some pages of free cello exercises; Preparatory Studies that have a few bits of technique that you will use in the Romberg Sonata in C Major:​

Free Romberg Cello Prep
Shifting and Positions

Romberg Cello Sonata Preparatory Studies by Cassia Harvey page 1

Free Romberg Cello Prep
Cello Bowing

Romberg Cello Sonata Preparatory Studies by Cassia Harvey page 2

Free Romberg Cello Prep
Faster Fingers

Romberg Cello Sonata Preparatory Studies by Cassia Harvey page 3

Free Romberg Cello Prep
String Crossing

Romberg Cello Sonata Preparatory Studies by Cassia Harvey page 4

Free Romberg Cello Prep
Little Scales and Arpeggios

Romberg Cello Sonata Preparatory Studies by Cassia Harvey page 5
And when you've tried those studies, move on to the much more comprehensive Romberg Study Book available in print here and as a download here.

Why play an entire book devoted to a Romberg Sonata? Because teaching students to be both solid and creative musicians is fun! Because playing well brings joy. And because mastering this wonderful Sonata might be the most satisfying thing you've done all year!
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1 Comment
David Teague
2/13/2019 08:43:29 am

Your exercise book picks out the difficulties in learning notes, shifts, string changes, and other problems. I won't say "painlessly," but nearly every problem for the cello is multiplied for my instrument, the double bass in 5ths tuning. I'm certain that when used for the learning cellist you make things a lot closer to painless.

I didn't know the Romberg Sontats and duets until I found your C maj. Romberg book. I then found these on IMSLP and am working on the Bb sonata now, using your "divide and conquer" method. I will tackle the C maj one with your book after the Bb Sonata is under my belt.
Thank you!

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    Authors

    Cassia Harvey can't ever find or play enough exercises. She searches for rare and out-of-print studies and etudes in her free time. If you know of any, please let her know. Seriously; it's an obsession.

    Myanna Harvey's teacher assigned her piles of exercises when she was growing up but whenever her mother stopped listening, Myanna would quickly break away from the Sevcik to play a bit of Brahms or Beethoven she had heard on the radio. Now she practices with exercises and assigns them to students but her greatest passion is playing chamber music. 

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  • Home
  • Violin, Viola, Cello, & Bass Books
    • Cello Books >
      • Beginning Cello Books
      • Early-Intermediate Cello Books
      • Late-Intermediate Cello Books
      • Early-Advanced Cello Books
      • Late-Advanced Cello Books
      • Popper
      • Cello Repertoire Study Books
      • Cello Downloads
      • Free Cello Sheet Music
    • Violin >
      • Beginning and First Position Violin Books
      • Intermediate and Advanced Violin Books
    • Viola >
      • Beginning and First-Position Viola Books
      • Intermediate and Advanced Viola Books
    • Bass
    • Books by Subject
    • String Class
    • Piano Accompaniments
    • Gift Certificates
    • Christmas Store: Music and Gifts for Strings
  • Accessories
  • Tools
    • Violin Study Maps
    • A Complete Study of Fourth Position
    • Cello scale books: a guide
    • Beginning Violin Technique
    • Problem Solving
    • Choosing books for your level
    • How to use technique
    • Using technique in the cello lesson
  • About the Company
    • New Releases!
    • Better String Playing Blog
    • Where to buy the books!
    • Publishing Blog
    • What Teachers Say
    • Ordering/Shipping
    • About the Authors
    • Dealer Information
    • Related Sites
    • C. Harvey Publications Review Club
    • Contact