Semi-Suite

for solo cello

premiered April 20, 1990

Tom Flaherty, cello

Pasadena Conservatory of Music

Semi-Suite consists of two movements of an originally projected larger suite, for unaccompanied cello. As it turns out, the movements do seem to complement each other and the name is too appealing to give up, so it will likely stand as it is.

"Lament" is a slow movement based on a short tune first presented high on the C string, in imitation of a wooden flute. The tune is fragmented and gradually reassembled, finally appearing well above the normal cello range, in harmonics.

"Trilling" is a response both to my interest in rhythmic and metric interaction and to the frustrating boredom of practicing standard trill studies as a cello student. The movement proceeds with a nearly constant measured trill on one string while a slower moving line on adjacent strings continuously redefines the metric meaning of the trill. A short cadenza in the center of the piece leads to a varied recapitulation of the main idea.

  “Flaherty's Semi-Suite let the cello be its haunting self; the composer-cellist played it splendidly, first the touching movement called “Lament”, then the technically challenging “Trilling.” “
 
–  Peter Jacobi, Herald-Times Reviewer (Bloomington, IN)
  “Tom Flaherty's Semi-Suite for solo cello, a piece as amusing as its title and even more arresting, got a fervent, terrifically deep-toned performance by Robin Bonnell.”
 
– Joshua Kosman, The San Francisco Chronicle
  “...soloistic tour de force"
 
– Ken Smith, The Gramophone

 

sheet music available at cellos2go.com

Recording available on Bridge Records:

Music of Tom Flaherty

Vorarlberg Resonance
Karl and Margaret Kohn, piano four-hands

Timeflies
Peter Yates, guitar; Tom Flaherty, cello

Trio for Cello and Digital Processor
Tom Flaherty, cello

Semi-Suite
Tom Flaherty, cello

Quartet for Viola, Cello and Digital Processor
Cynthia Fogg, viola; Tom Flaherty, cello

Time to Travel
Karl and Margaret Kohn, pianos

BRIDGE 9162

 

Lament audio excerpt score excerpt

Trilling audio excerpt score excerpt

 

back to

List of Works