12 - The development of cello teaching in the twentieth century

Summary

c. 1900–c. 1940

At the turn of the twentieth century the cello was usually considered a man's instrument, due largely to Victorian ideas of female decorum. General standards of playing were not particularly high – in 1890, Bernard Shaw had likened the sound of the cello to a ‘bumble-bee buzzing inside a stone jar’! Much of the literature which was to provide the basis of cello instruction for the next hundred years either already existed or would appear within fifteen years. This literature was intended for the mature player, since young child beginners were rare. However, the availability of small cellos was increasing in the wake of the developing production of small violins, and the metal, retractable cello spike, though not in general use, was gradually gaining acceptance. Pablo Casals and Emanuel Feuermann helped to transform cello performance into an art of the highest order during the first half of the century, their playing incorporating a new ease and fluidity of physical movement as the basis of their technical command.

Early twentieth-century pedagogical material was logically presented, starting in the lower positions and working towards the higher ones, but often failed to take into account what was physically most appropriate for the player. It comprised systematic tutors, studies which focused on specific technical aspects, and short exercises for daily practice. Apart from Carl Fuchs' Violoncello Method (3 vols., London, 1906), this material was neither musically rewarding nor suitable for the young beginner, most tutors being written by famous players who omitted to explain fully the reasons for their recommendations.