Sonata for violoncello and piano

DCW 48
RT VIII/7
DCE 31c

Composer: Frederick Delius
Dedicatee: Beatrice Harrison

In comparison with the first Violin Sonata, less is known about the history of this work due to the loss of the autograph score and Stichvorlage, presumably when the publisher was absorbed by Boosey & Hawkes. It marks yet another collaboration between Delius and the Harrison sisters, and one of the few extant sources for the work carries Beatrice Harrison's extensive bowing and fingering markings. Like the two Romances, but unlike the violin sonatas, the work is a single movement, albeit with demarcated tempo sections that imply 'movements'.

Composition: 1916.

Instrumentation: vc., pf.

Allegro, ma non troppo - Lento, molto tranquillo - Tempo I

Musical incipit for this work

Sources

Sketch

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, sketch]

The manuscript of the song 'Avant que tu ne t'en ailles' contains a harmonic passage at the bottom of p. 2 which may be a sketch for the Cello Sonata.

AUS-PVgm (Grainger Museum, Melbourne) MG C3/DELI-2.

Draft, fragment

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, score, draft, fragment]

1 folio in score, corresponding to bars 35-52 of the published score, headed in the hand of Eric Fenby 'Cello Sonata - rejected'.

GB-Lbl (British Library, London) MS Mus. 1745/1/39. Link to external resource

British Library source record

Draft, fragment and sketches

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, autograph, score, draft, fragment]

This item consists of i) the continuation of the draft fragment incorporated into MS Mus. 1745/1/39 and ii) pencil sketches relating to the sonata.

GB-Lbl (British Library, London) MS Mus. 1745/2/5. Link to external resource

British Library source record

Copyists' score, cello part only

[Classification: notated music, manuscript, copy, parts, fair copy, complete]

A cello part, in the hand of an unidentified copyist, bearing Beatrice Harrison's bowing and fingering indications.

Delius Trust, London Acc. 222.

Published score

[Classification: notated music, print, score, first edition, complete]

Winthrop Rogers; Universal Edition, London; Vienna 1919; 1921.

The Winthrop Rogers and Universal Edition versions are separate engravings, both containing errors.

Collected Edition

[Classification: notated music, print, score, later edition, complete]

Editor: Thomas Beecham, Eric Fenby

Boosey & Hawkes, London 1976.

This edition incorporates minor amendments and Thomas Beecham and Eric Fenby's editorial contributions as indicated in their marked copies of earlier printed editions, held by the Delius Trust.

Performances

Last changed 2020-10-26T14:16:59+00:00

31 October 1918	Wigmore Hall, London (performers: Beatrice Harrison (cello); Hamilton Harty (piano)).
6 June 1919	Salle Gaveau, Paris (performers: Beatrice Harrison (cello); M. Yovanovitch (piano)).