Les Gammes au Violoncelle

First of all, for the simple scales, we have deliberately adopted fingerings that can be used in all styles. There are others of course, but we have given priority to efficiency. Secondly, let us give credit where credit is due: the work on double strings in fourths was suggested to us by Anner Bijlsma at the time of our studies; it trains the ear remarkably well. Some of the thirds fingering was borrowed from Paul Tortelier as it spares the tendons, especially those of the small hands. As for us, we have given thought to the arpeggios, using as much as possible the high positions on each of the strings and not only on the chanterelle as is usually the case. It seems to us that this complements both Romberg's concertos and Popper's studies and that it develops an appreciable ease. However, we did not want a systematically exhaustive approach to all the tonalities because, for some of them, the arpeggios would have included too many bb or ##. You won't find the Dob maieur scale for example! Also, for more legibility, when the key brings too many bezels in the writing, we preferred to remove the armour and note the necessary alterations. Finally, we leave it to our colleagues to work these scales as they see fit: bowing, rylhms... Let's leave each of us a little fantasy and imagination! Odile Bourin