Brian Hodges, a professor of cello, has published his second book by Fairhaven Press titled “A Survey of Solo Works for the Violoncello: A guide to 200 selected pieces from the literature from 1689-2023.”
His book is a resource for cellists and non-cellists alike. Spanning the history of the cello through the lens of the pieces written for it, the reader will gain insight into the pieces, composers and players that shaped the cello’s destiny from its earliest entries to the current day. Hodges surveys the breadth of music written for the cello and is organized into three main genres of compositions: Unaccompanied Works, Works with Piano, and Works for Cello and Orchestra.
Hodges details 200 works from the Baroque to present day, including standard works and those that are lesser known. Recognized composers of cello music, such as Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak, Shostakovich, Kodaly and Britten are present, but that only tells part of the story. This survey shines a light on composers and pieces not as well known that deserve their place in study and performance.