Cello and piano · 2 performers
Estimated from our difficulty score, not taken from an exam syllabus. Checked against 333 works on the ABRSM syllabus: the exact grade is right 7 times out of 10, and within one grade 99 times out of 100.
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This Moderato ma con brio movement has a contained brightness: a singing cello line answered by crisp piano figures and a rhythmic propulsion that requires clean articulation. You will specifically face Position of the thumb (4.3/5), here meaning frequent secure thumb shifts to stabilize higher positions and enable clean slides, and Cello double stops (4.3/5), which demand precise right-hand and arm adjustment to produce an even, focused sound on two strings at once. The piece belongs to Busoni’s Romantic-period output and appears as part of his Op. 23 suite, combining Romantic lyricism with a contrapuntal, polyphonic bent. I do not provide a reference interpretation because I am not 100% certain of a definitive recording for this particular movement.