Fun mix of styles for beginners

The Englishman James Rae (*1957) has published several series of beginner pieces for various wind and string instruments with Universal Edition (Debut series). Young cellists will enjoy the collection Cello Debut - 12 easy pieces for beginners for 1-2 cellos will certainly have great pleasure. With his varied compositions, Rae strikes just the right note to make it easier for music students to enter the world of music. Whether you are just starting out with the TV Tangothe Pineapple Rumbathe Motorcycle Rock or the eerily creepy Skeleton in the broom closet busy: Making music with this popular mix of styles is fun.

The booklet is cleverly designed to be multifunctional: It contains solos with accompaniment (Nos. 1-4), ensembles with accompaniment (Nos. 5-8) and ensembles with accompaniment that can be combined with booklets for other instruments from the Debut series (Nos. 9-12). The accompanying CD with upbeat piano and combo accompaniments, each with a play-along version and a complete recording to listen to, enables and facilitates practicing at home. The cello part is limited to the first (narrow) register. Despite their simplicity, the pieces contain varied musical and technical tasks. Pizzicato-arco changes, syncopations, tremolos, sul ponticello playing, but also the use of dal segno repetitions are used in a pedagogically meaningful and stimulating way.

The piano accompaniments can be purchased separately or, like the pretty drawings in the edition, can be downloaded free of charge from the publisher's website.

James Rae, Cello Debut, 12 easy pieces for beginners for 1-2 violoncellos, with CD and piano accompaniment, UE 21534, € 12.95; piano part, UE 21535, € 14.95; Universal Edition, Vienna 2012

Review of the debut booklet for flute: SMZ 3/2012  P.38, 3rd column