At the end of the eighteenth century, cellist and composer Jean-Baptiste Bréval wrote not only virtuosic concerti for his instrument, but also easier sonatas and duets that still belong to the core repertoire of pedagogical cello literature. Opening with impressive chords, the Sonata in C-major op. 40 no. 1 also offers beginners the chance to savour beautiful melodies and master smaller shifts in position.
The Parisian first edition of 1799 leaves the choice of accompanying instrument open. For this reason, this Urtext edition offers several options: a two-part score from which a second cello may comfortably provide accompaniment during lessons, as well as a moderate setting for piano that may be used in concerts. Rounding off this starter kit for cello literature is a carefully marked solo part.
G. Henle Publishers stands for Urtext sheet music of the highest quality. The Urtext editions not only provide the undistorted and authoritative musical text but are also aesthetically pleasing, optimised for practical use and extremely durable. And then there is the strong, distinctive blue profile: (almost) all of the Urtext editions are bound in the characteristic blue cardboard.
Musicians trust Henle's blue Urtext editions because they:
- provide an undistorted, reliable and authoritative musical text
- offer superb, aesthetically appealing music engraving
- are optimized for practical use (page turns, fingerings)
- are of high quality and durable (cover, paper, binding)
- contain a short preface that introduces the work (particularly useful for AMEB exams) in German, English and French, as well as explanatory footnotes for particularly interesting passages in the score
- contain a description of the sources, an evaluation of the sources, readings and a documentation of the corrections made (= "Critical Report") in German and English, and often also in French
