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This is the fourth suite in the set of Six Suites for Solo Cello by Ajibola Rivers, written in A Minor. The theme of Suite IV is “Mourning”. It is the most serious suite, and with the exception of the Prelude the entire collection is fairly square and blunt. Its overall structure is as straightforward, transparent, and irrefutable as the tragedy that has repeatedly struck these underrepresented communities throughout history. The Prelude acknowledges the Native American part of the composer’s lineage and is the only movement in the entire collection that is unbound by the harmonic parameters of Baroque counterpoint. Suite IV also features Baroque counterpoint infused with dances such as the Cha-Cha-Chá, Bachata, and Merengue among others.

 

This music was composed with the intention of expanding upon the foundation created by Johann Sebastian Bach’s Six Suites for Solo Cello. Its rhythmic elements, expanded use of chords, wider range of notes, serialism, pizzicato, and harmonics provide a relatively higher level of technical difficulty compared to Bach’s fourth cello suite. If a player is seeking an entry point, the Cha-Cha-Chá is the most accessible movement in this suite.

Suite No. 4 for Solo Cello

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