Donizetti: Dance No. 1 from “La Favorite” : For Cello Duo or Cello Trio

Here is the first dance (ballet) theme, Piece Nº 8A from Act II of Donizetti‘s opera “La Favorite”. Apart from being delightful, lively, sparkling italian music, it is also magnificent study material for fast, light, spiccato with many 2+2 bowings (two notes slurred followed by two notes spiccato) and also a lot of reverse bowings (upbows on the beats).

Originally scored for two flutes with a very simple orchestral accompaniment, it is offered here in two versions:

• as an “equal” cello duo in which both cellists play exactly the same rhythms and bowings, harmonised (by Donizetti) in thirds and sixths but with no accompaniment
• as a cello trio in which the identical cello duo has a third cello playing the skeletal harmonic accompaniment underneath.

Many different bowings and fingerings are possible, which is why both “Clean” and “Edited” versions are offered.

1. Cello Duo: EDITED VERSION
2.       Cello Duo: CLEAN VERSION
3.        Cello Duo + Third Cello Accompaniment

1.    Engraving Files

Here is a home recording of the duo version, made by the transcriber: