Aspects of Technique in Dvořák’s Cello Concerto: An Approach Based on a Comparative Study of Relevant Treatises

This commentary examines four specific aspects of technique in Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor which cover a cross-section of the most important technical issues in the work. A comparative analysis of the foremost treatises from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries forms the basis for this examination, and is used to deconstruct the selected techniques. The commentary thus evaluates the effectiveness and value of a detailed treatise-based approach on the study and performance of advanced cello repertoire. Because the context for this examination was preparation of the writer’s own performance of the work, this examination consists of a synthesis of information from the treatises, along with information based on first-hand observations. This examination reveals how cellists can clarify and simplify their playing by observing the directions and guiding principles in the treatises, incorporating relevant aspects into their own playing or teaching