Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cello

Identify this Latin (Cuban?) Song Performance

matildaben — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:49:08 -0800

I heard a song playing on the sound system in a restaurant that I would like to track down if I can identify it. It was sung in Spanish, in a Cuban musical style (similar to the more ballad-like tracks on many of the Buena Vista Social Club artists' records). The vocalist was most likely male, singing in that kind of 1930's/40's croony sound with a high tenor with lots of vibrato, or possibly a woman with a lower voice. What was distinctive about the track is that it prominently featured a cello, which is not something I'm used to hearing in Latin music. I do not know if it was actually an old song or a modern pastiche, and I didn't get any lyrics.

And what exactly does the conductor do? Collect fares?

Funmonkey1 — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 07:38:07 -0800

Philharmonic Filter: Novice goes to see a great night of orchestra music in Oslo. Bolero was the finale, now I feel captivated and ready to explore. Which direction should I take and how can encourage my auditory palette to grow? Ideally, any recommendations towards best approach for learning more on orchestra, history and composition are appreciated. This includes links to live performances or even a primer on the subject.

Plus - which city has the best orchestra? I travel extensively and to understand more on the individual qualities each group would be fantastic.

Solutions for reducing feedback from an amplified cello?

worstnerdever — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:03:46 -0800

We use a clip-on-bridge pickup ($20, but it sounds fancy) to incorporate cello into our 5-piece rock band. The cello is always the volume-limiting factor, though, and we'd like things to be a little louder. There seem to be no sound hole covers on the market, and we're not stuffing the whole thing with socks, so we're looking for anything that will reduce feedback and easily attach to the cello without having any, any, ANY permanent effect on the instrument.

Toronto cello teacher

mendel — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:55:10 -0800

Can anyone recommend a cello teacher in Toronto, for an adult amateur new to cello but not to strings? I've recently rented a cello, after years of playing the double bass (about 2/3 jazz and 1/3 classical, German bow) followed by years of not playing the double bass.

I'm looking for a teacher who's used to adult amateurs with busy lives but who's still going to push me, building up basics and working on standard classical repertoire. Ideally, that person would be on my side of town (Annex/Dovercourt).

Your recommendations are appreciated!

Evista ad background music

Raybun — Sat, 17 May 2008 13:41:44 -0800

What is the cello piece that plays in the background of the new Evista ad?

Where could I rent a cello in NYC?

paul_smatatoes — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:13:15 -0800

Does anyone know where to rent a high quality student cello short term in NYC? Ideally, I'd like something hand crafted and valued at 10 - 20 k, but if need be I'll go lower end. Looking for a bow, too. Thanks!

Cello hole repair

coriolisdave — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:47:59 -0800

[LuthierFilter] So there's this hole in my beloved cello... Yesterday I slipped, fell, and landed on my (hard-cased) cello. Unfortunately, this has resulted in some distressing damage.

Can anyone out there in the Hive Mind give me any ballpark idea of what this might cost to repair, and what might be involved? Time frames /etc would be gratefully appreciated too. Alternatively, is this even repairable?

For reference, the instrument is fourteen years old, and bears the label of a known (but not renowned) Australian violin maker. Last verbal valuation I got was "oooh about $AU 20,000? Maybe more". Also, I understand there are a number of variables here -- I'm just after a rough idea of what might be involved, so that I am not entirely at the pointy end when Mr Expensive Repairer decides he needs a new car this year

Does anyone know what Arthur Russell is singing at the beginning of "Tone Bone Kone?"

Bengston — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 09:50:23 -0800

Does anyone know what Arthur Russell is singing at the beginning of "Tone Bone Kone?" I love the sound of that opening and feel a strong attachment to it but I have no idea what he is saying. So here is what I can hear when I listen to it (the parts in italics are the parts I don't understand... obviously):

"I'm so happy that I met you and blah blah blah blah you seeing you giving me blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah tone....

Strings for a cello tuned BEAD

Plug Dub In — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 14:35:23 -0800

Recommend strings for a cello tuned BEAD (low to high). I recently picked up a decent-lookin' cello on the cheap, and it was tuned to about BEAD in the store. I, a bass-o-guitar'r, quite enjoy this, and plan to keep it this way to avoid relearning a bunch of hand shapes. I'm having enough trouble with this whole "bowing" concept. What a crazy thing to do to a string.

I assume it's just got regular cello strings on it, in regular cello gauges. The tensions feel relatively consistent string-to-string (I probably couldn't tell if they weren't at this point), but if there's a more proper setup, I'd like to hear about it.

Need identification stickers for the inside of stringed instruments.

Wylie Kyoto — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:38:52 -0800

Help my luthier S/O achieve immortality in his work! My S/O is an accomplished luthier. He can take a violin, cello, or standup bass that looks like it's been run over by a truck and restore it so that it will play again and look beautiful as well. Often an instrument comes through his shop that is quite an antique. There will sometimes be "stickers" on the inside, recording who made the instrument, or who added modifications and repairs over the years. While peering into a standup bass with a flashlight one time, looking at something like "Horst Finkelbaum 1888" (not a real sticker!) I said, "Hey, YOU should have something like this! People 200 years from now can bitch about the way you glued something up!" And he said, "Yeah, I know, I should." So for an upcoming birthday present, I'd like to make a design, and have a few hundred printed up for him. I figure it should be acid free paper, about 3 X 3, with ink that can take a slopping of hide glue, but that's as far as I can figure it. Can anybody recommend a company that might make something like this to order? What could I expect to pay for, say, 300 of them? We're in NYC, but I'm thinking this would be something I might be able to do online or mail-order.

New music for a guy who likes the cello

terceiro — Wed, 16 May 2007 06:45:44 -0800

I really like string music like Appalachian Journey and Penguin Cafe Orchestra. Please help me find some more. What I think I like is the not-so-serious in this music. I mean, I like Arvo Part and Gorecki and all those depressing Estonians some of the time, but there's a healthy part of the time that I want to hear something that isn't contemplating The Awful Emptiness of Death.

Yes, Yo-Yo Ma has some nice stuff, like The Souuld of the Tango and the other joint endeavor between Ma, Meyer, and O'Connor. And I've got Meyer's slightly-less-excellent Short Trip Home. But now I'm looking for something new. I've been in love with PCO for a while, and I've always enjoyed cello music. Where do I go next?

Searching for cello music

bda1972 — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 08:19:03 -0800

Can anyone recommend any non-classical music with prominent cello? I recently stumbled upon a couple of albums with cello and was really blown away by the sound. The albums were "Room of Songs" by the Alejandro Escovedo String Quintet and "Acoustic" by Joey Cape & Tony Sly. The Cape & Sly album had the cello kind of buried in the mix but the Escovedo disc had very prominent cello with a nice lush sound. Both discs were by artists who normally play electric so I suppose that could be a factor in my enjoyment.

I would appreciate any suggestions of either artists or particular albums with cello that I might also enjoy. Genre is not that important to me but I don't think I'd enjoy a straight classical album (although I would give it a chance) - actually, something with vocals would be preferred.

Which classical stringed musical instrument should I learn to eventually join an amateur string quartet?

dan_of_brainlog — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 14:30:06 -0800

I'd like to learn a classical stringed musical instrument and eventually join an amateur string quartet. I'm an adult with decent musical ability and a good sense of pitch, but no background with stringed (especially bowed) instruments. I'd be equally interested in any of the stringed instruments typically found in a string quartet. Which instrument should I choose? Which instrument would make me most valuable to a potential quartet? Are there more adult amateurs playing one than another? Any advice on learning a stringed instrument as an adult?

Paging obscure cellist, Joseph Luptale, please come to the front desk....

bullitt 5 — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 07:21:57 -0800

ObscureMusicFilter: I have a friend looking for albums by a cellist named Joseph Luptale. His last name is spelled with an umlate over the "u".

Friend's s.o. is a big fan, but Google, Yahoo, AllMusic and Wiki all come up blank.

Help me, O hive mind!

Cello Sheet Music

plinth — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 11:20:50 -0800

Looking for interesting cello sheet music I would like to get my sister-in-law, a cellist, some sheet music as a Christmas gift. I'm a musician as well and know the difficulty in buying for a different specialty. I would like to avoid staple repertoire pieces, but rather some intriguing pieces. Looking at the previous thread about interestin cello music to listen to, the music to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon might be just the thing - except that I was unable to find it for solo cello. Closest I found was junior band (brrrr).

If your google-fu is better than mine or you could offer another suggestion, I welcome the help.

We won't be playing the reduced Britten Cello Symphony, I think.

metaculpa — Mon, 08 May 2006 20:02:56 -0800

Which cello sonatas are most accessible for the pianist? I'm slowly returning to my 'cello of ages old and I'm looking to play some sonatas with a certain someone. As I remember some previous sonatas I've played being a bit uppity for the accompanist in parts (Beethoven's A minor minuet?), I thought we'd start with something easier for Ms. Pianist and I to start with.

So, does anyone have opinions on cello sonatas (and/or concertos) that are moderately lightweight yet fun for the accompanist? I'm ashamed to say that I just wasn't paying attention the last time I played them...

Any pianists have favorites?
</vague>

$50 Gift suggestions for: A clarinettist, a violist, and a cellist

sirion — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 23:28:41 -0800

Gift suggestions for: A clarinettist, a violist, and a cellist(who is also a composer). ~$50 each, I have 12 days to get these gifts. Prefer online ordering. 3 (student) musicians are playing for my senior undergrad recital, and I want to get them thank you gifts. This is often done around here in the form of gift certificate cards, which definitely works, but I could use suggestions on vendors if I go that route.

I'm thinking of a big fat gift certificate to tismusic.com (obscure piano and vocal music vendor) for my pianist, but I imagine a violist has little use for piano and vocal music.

Other note: The cellist is a composer by trade, and the other two are aiming to be professional musicians.

How much cello can I get for $500?

cortex — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 12:40:42 -0800

I'd like to buy a cello for around $500. I know nothing about celli. New or used -- I'm okay with either. I imagine I could do better with a great used find, but, again, I know nothing -- what would I be looking for? Watching out for? How does a clueless person know a good used cello from a bad one?

And as for new, what's my best bet, and how good of a bet is it, in this price range?

Anywhere I should be looking in particular? Local classified, Craigslist, local music stores that carry that sort of instruments: check. Where else?

one out of four pieces

e^2 — Sat, 11 Jun 2005 16:09:37 -0800

Looking for music featuring the cello. Preferably not orchestral, though other classical would be good. I already know about and love Apocalyptica, and have heard a couple of Rasputina songs I like. Incidentally, for any anime+music heads out there -- the song that made me fall in love with the instrument is "Shadow of Doubt," off the Escaflowne soundtrack. (Would link if I could find one...)

Solo cello recordings

davebush — Wed, 23 Mar 2005 19:42:06 -0800

I'm eager to find recordings of solo cello that could be classified as ambient/minimalist/moody. Help?