Lesson 79 - Searching for Ms. Right

George is a hefty full size cello (as I write this, seated in the train station, a person lugging a glorious double bass nods and smiles at me as he walks away; a sign of acknowledged kinship between musicians of large instruments) and by all means, no easy feat to carry around without wanting to just give up and leave him behind especially so in this summer heat and aboard public transportation.

Thankfully, Nameless has completed her time at the luthier's so George can stay behind when I leave class.

The short weekend spent with George has reminded me how a mature cello should sound like, nothing at all like Nameless has been recently; her low notes almost dampened and muted no matter how much I try to make her 'sing'. Notes played beyond the 4th position were fickle and quivered with threats of Mr.Wolf appearances; she seems adamant on her refusal to sing and frustration on my part grew rampant as days went by.

So I've decided that it is time for a new cello. Well, maybe even a really old one, an antique perhaps? Budget withstanding, of course and I have saved a bit that should get me something decent or at least much better than Nameless.

And the search has begun - Deryn has her feelers out for places and people, from Manchester to York to Sheffield. I really wasn't expecting the events to unfold itself so rapidly, it was more of a sudden thought which spiralled into the current situation and I'm really glad it happened as it did and not later. Knowing my ways, I'd have settled and not done anything if left for too long. Moreover, I was more concerned if I even needed or deserved a new cello. Thoughts of vanity strewn around for good measure, have I earned a better cello? Should I have more patience with Nameless?

It was only after having discussed the matter with Deryn that my worries and concerns were put in the right place and now I'm terribly excited at the prospects of a new addition to the family - cello-wise.

Deryn gave me a new piece to play today. Recently it felt more like I was stuck in Bach limbo so this is a most welcomed retreat. Schlummerlied by Schumann is a piece I am not familiar with but it felt like a lullaby of sorts with a very song-like and romantic feel which is very typical of the composer. We played through scales and arpeggios of the key signature before analysing the fingering and bowing required


Skip to the 50 seconds mark for the music :}

When we were going through the first phrase which started with an up bow on the 4th position of the D string, a position I've been facing large difficulties with if you've been reading, it was then that it struck Deryn to perform an experiment. She told me to put George down and then proceeded to pick up the 7/8 size carbon fibre cello she had sitting by the window before handing it to me to try the same phrase on.

Strange. It felt much more comfortable and I was able to reach the notes without pushing my arm out like I was riding a Harley Davidson low rider 10 times my size. Looks like I've been playing on cellos too large for my size! Deryn then allowed me to try out Nina, her personal, gorgeous cello of similar size and the results were similar; more comfort and definitely less strain on reaching those high notes on the up bow. Time to widen my search to include 7/8 cellos and make sure the full size ones are of similar girth!