Massenet: “Meditation” From The Opera “Thaïs”: For Cello And Piano

This deservedly famous melody, scored originally for violin and orchestra, comes from Jules Massenet’s (1842-1912) opera “Thaïs” (1894). Most of the published cello transcriptions of this piece keep the original key of D Major, with the cello playing one octave lower than in the violin version. The cellofun.eu transcription for cello and piano offered here is, however, in G Major, with the solo part being transposed down by an octave + a fifth. This is a lower, more cellistic register, in which our bottom string is also used, to great effect.

To avoid everything being in a very low register, the accompaniment is very often raised up a fourth rather than being lowered by a fifth.

1. Cello Part: EDITED
2.     Cello Part: CLEAN
3.     Cello Part: LITERAL TRANSCRIPTION
4.     Accompaniment Score (PIANO)
5. Engraving Files (XML)

Here is a downloadable play-along piano accompaniment audio file, with a two-bar piano introduction: