Violoncello da Spalla: No Repertoire? Or No Imagination?
The following compilation represents both a musicological exploration and a practical resource for musicians interested in the violoncello da spalla. While examining this extensive list, it's important to address a fundamental question that emerges from a scholarly perspective: What truly constitutes "authentic" repertoire for this instrument?
Between Strict Musicology and Artistic Practice
From a purely musicological standpoint, there are no works which explicitly designate the violoncello da spalla as their intended instrument. Not even in Torelli's concertini, where the picture by violoncellist Buffagnotti clearly shows a player with the da spalla, while the score itself calls it a "Violoncello." The term itself never appears in original scores or part books. A strict historical purist might argue that only pieces with explicit indications for "viola da spalla" or "violoncello da spalla" should be included in its repertoire.
However, such an approach would severely limit our understanding of this instrument's historical role and drastically restrict the modern performer's options. Instead, this compilation takes a more nuanced approach based on several important contextual considerations:
Contextual Evidence
1. Terminology Fluidity: In the 17th and 18th centuries, instrument nomenclature was far from standardized. The same instrument might be referred to by multiple names, even within a single region or time period. What we now call "violoncello da spalla" was variously termed violoncello, violone, bassetto, viola da spalla, or even simply "basso" depending on the context.
2. Historical Documentation: While composers seldom if ever specified the exact playing position in their scores, historical documents provide valuable context. For instance, Giovanni Maria Bononcini never indicated his works were for violoncello da spalla, yet we have pictorial evidence from Pistocchi depicting him playing precisely this instrument. Similarly, Antonio Caldara was registered as a violoncello da spalla player in the archives of San Marco Cathedral in Venice, though he never used this designation in his compositions.
3. Geographic and Professional Networks: Many of these composers worked in the same cities, performed in the same ensembles, or were connected through teacher-student relationships. For example, Buffagnotti was a student of Jacchini, and while we do not know exactly how Buffagnotti himself held the instrument or what size it was, he drew a picture of a violoncellist da spalla for Torelli's op.4 Concertini. When one member of such a network is documented as using the violoncello da spalla, it's reasonable to infer that colleagues would have been familiar with this practice. Vivaldi, for example, worked in Venice alongside Caldara and would certainly have been aware of da spalla performance practices.
4. Physical and Technical Considerations: Some works contain passages that are remarkably well-suited to the violoncello da spalla's technical capabilities. The Bach cello suites— particularly the sixth suite with its fifth string requirement—demonstrate characteristics that align perfectly with the instrument's design, even though Bach only used the term "violoncello piccolo" in his cantatas.
A Practical Approach for Modern Performers
For today's musicians approaching this instrument, I suggest a tiered approach to repertoire selection:
1. Core Repertoire: Works with direct historical connections to the violoncello da spalla through explicit notation, pictorial evidence, or documented performance practice (such as Bach's cantatas with "violoncello piccolo" parts).
2. Extended Repertoire: Compositions by contemporaries of known violoncello da spalla players, especially those working in the same locations or musical circles, where cross-influence would have been likely.
3. Adaptive Repertoire: Works originally written for cello, viola da gamba, or other bass instruments that transfer effectively to the violoncello da spalla's technical and sonic characteristics.
4. Free Repertoire: Any works adapted to this instrument given the fact that composition and arrangement were integral parts of a professional musician's life in the epoch in focus. This practice still exists today in some musical circles, even if it is not usual in today's Classical Music environment.
This inclusive approach allows modern performers to explore a rich musical landscape while maintaining a connection to historical practices. It acknowledges that musical instruments exist primarily to serve musical expression, not merely as museum artifacts.
The wonderful paradox of historical performance practice is that it often requires creative decision-making in the face of incomplete information. By embracing both scholarly rigor and artistic flexibility, today's violoncello da spalla players can bring new life to this remarkable instrument while honoring its historical legacy.
The repertoire that follows represents not a definitive statement but an invitation—to explore, to question, and ultimately, to make these works sing in ways that would have delighted their composers, regardless of the exact instrument they might have envisioned.
As a luthier crafting these instruments for violoncello da spalla pioneers worldwide, it is important for me to have a conversation with the musician about the type of repertoire they plan to perform. Because as the book shows, ultimately, the choice of the right model depends on the music a musician wants to create. As a book buyer you are welcome to connect with the author and enquire if you have any questions. Because while my playing maybe does not meet your standards, you might still want to ask a luthier who actually had performed on this instrument and is intimately familiar with some of its repertoire.
Note: When exploring this repertoire, consider that many works that were not originally designated for violoncello da spalla may nevertheless be perfectly suited to its unique voice and capabilities. The absence of explicit historical evidence should not prevent us from discovering new possibilities within these compositions.
Four composers of Modenese origin with a combined output of 525+ works.
Selected works:
Marco Uccellini was born around 1603, possibly in Modena, and died in Forlimpopoli in 1680. He is known as the founder of the Modena school of music. The first book of his compositions is lost, but from Op.2 in 1639 to Op.9 in 1667, he produced:
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Around 100 sonatas
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75 sinfonias
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75 correnti
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25 arias
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20 other compositions
It is worth noting that his scores do not mention the use of a violoncello, but its use is not impossible, as Bononcini used it in the same context in 1669.
Gioseppe Colombi was born in Modena in 1635. At the age of 25, he was appointed capo degli strumentisti del Serenissimo Duca in Modena. In 1674, he became the assistant chapel master at the court, and in 1678, the first chapel master at the cathedral. His entire life was spent in Modena, where Bononcini and Vitali (from 1674) were also active.
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Colombi's first publication, Sinfonie da camera, Brandi e Correnti alla francese a due, a tré, & a quatro, was released in 1668 and consisted of 23 compositions. Colombi was the second composer after Buonamente to renounce the use of a keyboard instrument in trios of 1626 and 1629.
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He was also the first to write for a string quartet (2 violins, viola, and basso). Op.4 in 1676 includes Sonate a due Violini con un Bassetto Viola se piace…
G.M. Bononcini was born in 1642 in Montecorrone, near Modena, and died in 1678 in Modena. He, along with Uccellini, Vitali, and Colombi, belonged to the violin school of Modena, and he maintained a close relationship with the court of Este. Bononcini published nine books with violin music, from Opus 1 in 1666 to Opus 12 in 1678, comprising:
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29 sonatas
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over 180 pieces
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15 canons. In op.3, although the scoring does not include violoncello, Bononcini is shown by Pistocchi with a violoncello.
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Op.12 in 1678 consists of three part books – Violino primo, Violino secondo, and Violone (no BC). The bass instrument is referred to in the title as Violone, but in the part book, it is called Violoncello.
Tomaso Antonio Vitali was born in Bologna in 1663. In 1674, he moved to Modena, and in 1675, he became a musician at the Este court. Later, he was made chapel master there. He died in Modena in 1745.
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Vitali's first publication, Op.2, Sonate à tre, Due Violini, e Violoncello, col Basso per l'Organo, was released in 1693 and consisted of 12 Sonatas.
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Op.3 in 1695 is Sonate da camera a tre, doi violini e violone. The location of this music is in Italy, Torino, Biblioteca nazionale universitaria.
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Op.4 in 1701, Concerto di sonare a violino, violoncello, e cembalo. The location of this music is in Italy, Bologna, Civico Museo.
The above list is not comprehensive and there are likely many more works in the Modenese Repertoire. However, the works listed amount to a minimum of 525 pieces, which should provide ample material for study, performance, recording and offering festivals programs they have never heard.
Four composers of Modenese origin with a combined output of 525+ works.
Selected works:
Giuseppe Torelli was born in Verona in 1658 and probably studied in Bologna. In 1684, he was adopted into the Accademia Filarmonica, and in 1686, he entered the chapel of San Petronio. From 1698 to 1700, he traveled to Augsburg, Vienna, and Ansbach, where he was raised to maestro di concerto for the Margrave of Brandenburg in 1698. In 1701, he returned to Bologna, where he died in 1709.
His music includes:
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Op.4, which has no date and consists of 12 Concertino per Camera a Violino e Violoncello. The locations of this music are in Italy: Bologna, Civico Museo; UK: London, BL; and France: Paris, BN.
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Op.5 was published in 1692 and consists of 12 Sinfonie a tre e concerti a quattro. The instrumentation is Basso – Tiorba ò Violone, BC – Organo e Violoncello. The locations of this music are in Italy: Bologna, CM, Archivio di San Petronio; UK: Oxford BL.
Bartolomeo Bernardi was probably born in Bologna around 1660, where he became a student of Torelli. In his Opus 1 (1692), he refers to himself as Academico filarmonico. He spent his later life in Copenhagen, where he was a musician of the royal chapel in 1703 and its chapel master in 1710. He died there in 1732.
His music includes:
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Op.1, which was published in 1692 and consists of 12 Sonate de camera a tre, due violini e violoncello col violone, o cimbalo. The locations of this music are in Italy: Bologna, Civico Museo; UK: London, BL.
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Op.2 was published in 1696 and consists of 10 Sonate de camera a tre, due violini e violoncello, con il basso per l'organo. The locations of this music are in France: Paris, BN; and NL: Utrecht, Instituut voor Muziekwetenschap der Rijksuniversiteit.
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6 Concerti per flauto, archi e continuo
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6 Sonate a violino solo op. 3 (Estienne Roger, Amsterdam, 1700)
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Sonata per violino in d-minor
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Sonata per violino in e-minore
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Cantata "Belle d'amore nemiche" (Location: la Biblioteca Reale Danese)
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Cantata "Sorta era l'alba" (Location: Biblioteca Reale Danese)
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Cantata "Qual di feroce tromba" (Location: Staatsbibliothek, Berlin).
Pirro Albergati was born in 1663 in Carati to a noble family. In the titles of his publications, he calls himself Conte d'Albergati. He was a friend of Corelli and Bononcini, to whom he dedicated music. Apart from accepting the post of Maestro di Capella in Puiano in 1728, he seems to have led the life of an enlightened amateur. Albergati was most active in Bologna, where he wrote oratorios, cantatas, and operas. He died around 1735 in Bologna.
Music includes:
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Op.2, 1683, Suonate a due Violini con suo Basso continuo per l'Organo, & un altro a beneplacito per Tiorba, ò Violoncello. Contains 12 sonatas. Location: Italy: Bologna, Civico Museo; UK: Oxford, BL.
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Op.5, 1687, Pletro armonico composto di dieci sonate da camera à due violini, e basso con violoncello obligato. Location: Italy: Bologna, CM, Archivio di San Petronio, Modena, Biblioteca Estense; UK: London, British Library.
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Op. 14, Capricci varii da camera a tre
Giovanni Battista Bononcini was an Italian composer born in 1670 in Modena. He was the son of Giovanni Maria Bononcini, and showed remarkable musical talent from a young age. He served as Maestro di Capella in Bologna at San Giovanni in Monte in 1688, and traveled to Rome between 1692 and 1693. From 1698 to 1712, he was active in Vienna, and from 1720 until about 1732, he was in London. He died in Vienna in 1747.
Bononcini's works include:
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12 Trattenimenti da camera op. 1 (1685)
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12 Concerti da camera op. 2 (1685)
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12 Sinfonias op. 3-6, 12 Duetti da camera op. 8 (1691)
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12 (Trio) Sonatas for the Chamber (1732), and Divertimenti da camera (1722).
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Op.4, 1686, Sinfonie Istromenti, col Basso per l'Organo is a work dedicated to Count Piro Albergati. The bass is played by a violoncello. It can be found in Italy at the Bologna Civico Museo and in the UK at the British Library.
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Op.5, 1687, Sinfonie da chiesa a quattro, cioé due Violini, Alto Viola, e Violoncello, can be found in Italy at the Bologna Civico Museo and the Siena Biblioteca dell'Accademia Cighiana (Organo).
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Giovanni Battista Bononcini composed over 300 cantatas.
Giorgio Buoni was born in 1647 in Bologna and died there after 1693. He was active as a priest and teacher at San Petronio, especially as the leader of the Concerto dei Putti, which was a student orchestra where one of the students was G.B. Bononcini. In 1693, Buoni published:
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Three collections of violin music, each containing 12 compositions, some of which were written much earlier.
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The preface to Opus 1 states that the pieces were "fatti nell'Anni passati del mio Concerto" (made in past years of my Concerto).
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Op.1, 1693, Divertimenti per camera, a due violini, e violoncello. Location: Italy - Bologna, Civico Museo; UK - Oxford, BL.
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Op.2, 1687, Suonate a due violini, e violoncello, col basso per l'organo. Location: Italy - Bologna, CM; UK - Oxford BL; France - Paris BN.
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Allettamenti per camera op. 3, for two violins and BC.
Maurizio Cazzati was born in 1620, probably in Guastalla, located between Mantua and Modena. After brief stays in Mantua (1641), Bozzolo (1647), Ferrara (1650), and Bergamo (1653), he served as the chapel master at San Petronio in Bologna from 1657 to 1673. He passed away in Mantua in 1677. He was the founder of the Bolognese school.
His Opus 55 was the first publication of solo violin sonatas from Bologna. During his lifetime, the violoncello played in the da spalla style was a customary instrument in his circle.
Music:
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Arie, e Cantate a voce sola, Op.41
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Audite mortales state cum metu
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Canzonette a voce sola, libro 4, Op.43
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Canzonette a voce sola, libro 5, Op.46
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Capriccio sopra sette note
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Consiglio Amoroso
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Lamento di San Francesco Saverio
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Lamento di una Vedova Maritata
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Madrigali e Canzonette per camera, Op.26
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Magnificat a 4 voci, Op.37 No.11
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Messa breve à 5 voci, Op.17 No.1
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Messa, e salmi a tre voci. Alto, tenor, e basso con violini, e ripieni a beneplacito, Op. 24
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Motetti a 2, 3 e 4, Op.3
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Motetti a 8 voci, con il suo Basso continuo, Op.52
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Sacri Concerti di Motetti a 2 voci, Op.34
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Sacri Concerti overo Motetti a 2, e 3 voci
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Sonata 'La Caprara', Op.35 No.10
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Sonata 'La Bianchina', Op.35 No.11
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Sonata 'La Zambecari', Op.35 No.12
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Stillae sparse per me, Op.65
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Suonate a 2 Violini col suo Basso continuo per l'Organo, Op.18
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Variations for 2 Violins in D major
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Variations for 2 Violins in E-flat major
Giovanni Battista Degli Antonii was born around 1660 in Bologna. He was elected as a member of the Accademia Filarmonica in 1684 and later became an organist at San Giacomo Maggiore in Bologna.
In terms of his music, he composed:
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Versetti per tutti li tuoni, Op.2
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Op.3 (1677) - 12 Balletti, Correnti, e Sarabande da camera a violino, e clavicembalo, o violoncello... The location of the manuscript is in Italy at the Civico Museo.
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Op.4 (after 1677) - 12 Balletti, Correnti Gighe e Sarabande a tré, due Violini e Clavicembalo ò Violoncello... This work contains 12 suites and is located in Italy at the Civico Museo, as well as in the UK at the Bodleian Library in Oxford.
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Op.5 (1689) - 12 Ricercate a Violino, e Violoncello, ò Clavicembalo. This work consists of 10 two-voice ricercars and is located in Italy at the Civico Museo, as well as in the UK.
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Op.6 (1690) - 12 Balletti a Violino, e Violoncello, ò Clavicembalo. The manuscript is located in the UK.
Giuseppe Maria Jacchini was born on 16 July 1667 in Bologna, and died on 2 May 1727. He was one of the most famous violoncellists of his time and a pupil of Domenico Gabrieli.
Music:
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Opus 1: 12 "Sonate a Violoncello solo violin and cello ea per camera" (Bologna, up to 1692)
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Opus 2: 12 "Sonata per camera a violini e Violoncello" (Bologna, around 1695)
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Opus 3: "Concerti per camera a violino e violoncello solo e nel fine due sonate a violoncello solo col basso" (Fortuniano Rosati, Modena, 1697)
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Opus 4: 10 "Concerti per camera [...] con violoncello obligato" (Bologna, 1701)
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Sonata for Trumpet and Strings (Bologna, 1695)
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Opus 5: "Trattenimenti per camera a 3, 4, 5, e 6 strumenti con alcuni a una e due trombe" (Bologna, 1703)
Four composers of Venetian origin with a combined output of 866 works.
Venice stands out as a particularly important center for violoncello da spalla practice in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. What makes the Venetian repertoire especially significant is the concrete documentary and pictorial evidence connecting the instrument to this musical hub.
The archives of San Marco Cathedral explicitly list Antonio Caldara as a violoncellist da spalla, providing one of the rare instances where the term appears in official records rather than just in theoretical treatises. This documented connection is crucial for understanding the performance context of not only Caldara's own compositions but also those of his Venetian contemporaries.
Further visual confirmation comes from the Church of San Zaccaria in Venice, where a painting by Andrea Celesti dated 1684, "The visit of Papa Benedetto III to the monastery," depicts a musician playing a large violoncello da spalla with C-holes. This instrument, shown with what appears to be a belt attachment system and five strings, provides invaluable evidence of the instrument's presence and use in Venetian musical circles during precisely the period when Caldara and Vivaldi were active in the city.
Caldara's vast output of over 200 cantatas, many featuring obbligato parts for violoncello, takes on new significance when we consider that he himself was known to perform on the violoncello da spalla. The cantata "Vicino a un rivoletto," with its obbligato parts for both violin and violoncello, offers a perfect opportunity for modern performers to recreate what may have been Caldara's own performance practice.
Antonio Vivaldi, working in Venice during the same period as Caldara, would certainly have been familiar with the violoncello da spalla tradition. While Vivaldi's scores don't explicitly mention the da spalla, his extensive writing for violoncello—including approximately 27-30 concertos—must be considered in the context of contemporary Venetian performance practices. The technical demands of these works, particularly the higher positions in some of his concertos, align remarkably well with the capabilities of the violoncello da spalla.
Giovanni Battista Fontana, though active slightly earlier, represents an important link in the Venetian tradition, with his 1641 publication specifying parts for "Violoncino o simile altro Istromento," suggesting the fluid instrumental practices that characterized the region.
The Venetian musical environment, with its rich tradition of instrumental innovation and the documented presence of the violoncello da spalla in both official records and artistic depictions, provides perhaps the strongest historical foundation for modern performers seeking to explore this instrument's repertoire.
Venetian music
Giovanni Battista Fontana was a native of Brescia who was active in Rome, Venice, and Padua. He died of the plague in 1630-1.
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His compositions are preserved in a single publication that appeared in 1641, which is titled Sonate a 1. 2. 3. per il Violino, o Cornetto, Fagotto, Chitarrone, Violoncino o simile altro Istromento and contains 18 sonatas.
Tomaso Albinoni was born in Venice, Republic of Venice, to Antonio Albinoni, a wealthy paper merchant on 8 June 1671, and died on 17 January 1751. J.S. Bach wrote two fugues on a theme by Albinoni: Fugue in A major on a theme by Tomaso Albinoni, BWV 950, and Fugue in B minor on a theme by Tomaso Albinoni, BWV 951. His music includes:
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12 Concerti a cinque op. 7 and
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12 Concerti a cinque op. 9.
Antonio Caldara was born around 1670 in Venice to a violinist, and he died on 28 December 1736. He was one of the most prolific composers of his time. His music includes over 200 cantatas, some of which contain violoncello obbligato and violin obbligato parts, such as "Vicino a un rivoletto", which presents the perfect opportunity for a violinist and violoncellist da spalla today to play this repertoire and possibly even perform it in the way Caldara himself did. In addition to this:
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Trio Sonata in A major, Op.1 No.7
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Trio Sonata in B minor, Op.1 No.9
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Trio Sonata in B-flat major, Op.1 No.4
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Trio Sonata in B-flat major, Op.2 No.2
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Trio Sonata in C major, Op.2 No.5
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Trio Sonata in C minor, Op.1 No.6
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Trio Sonata in C minor, Op.1 No.6
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Trio Sonata in D major, Op.2 No.3
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Trio Sonata in D minor, Op.2 No.1
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Trio Sonata in E minor, Op.1 No.5
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Trio Sonata in F major, Op.1 No.1
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Trio Sonata in G minor, Op.1 No.8
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Trio Sonata in G minor, Op.2 No.4
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi, also known as Antonio Vivaldi, was an Italian composer and violinist born on March 4, 1678, in Venice, which was then part of the Republic of Venice in Italy. He passed away on July 28, 1741, in Vienna, Austria. Vivaldi's contributions to the concerto and late Baroque instrumental music were significant and enduring. As a contemporary of Antonio Caldara, who was registered as a violoncellist da spalla at the Cathedral of St. Marks in Venice, Vivaldi must have been familiar with the violoncello da spalla tradition. Although there is no direct evidence that Vivaldi composed for the violoncello da spalla, it is possible that his knowledge of the instrument influenced his approach to writing for the cello and other string instruments.
Music:
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12 sonatas for two violins and basso continuo, Op. 1
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12 sonatas for violin and basso continuo, Op. 2
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L'estro armonico (The Harmonic Inspiration), 12 concertos for various combinations, Op.3
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La stravaganza (The Eccentricity), 12 violin concertos, Op. 4
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Six sonatas, four violin sonatas and two sonatas for two violins and basso continuo, Op. 5
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Six violin concertos, Op. 6.
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12 concertos (two for oboe and 10 for violin), Op. 7
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Il cimento dell'armonia e dell'inventione, Op. 8
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La cetra (The Lyre), 12 violin concertos, Op. 9
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Six flute concertos, Op. 10
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Five violin and an oboe concerto, Op. 11
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Five violin concertos, Op. 12
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6 Cello Sonatas, Op. 14
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Over 500 concertos, of which
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27-30 concertos for cello
Music of Ferrarese Origin
Giovanni Battista Mazzaferrata, who flourished in 1670, was an organist and composer and a pupil of Tarquinio Merula. He was Maestro di Capella of the cathedral of Vercelli in 1661, and by 1668, he held the same position at the Accademia della Morte in Ferrara.
Music:
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Madrigals
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Songs
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Cantatas
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Psalms
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Oratorios, and
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one book of sonatas, Op.5 titled "Il primo libro delle sonate a due violini con un bassetto viola se piace" (Bologna, Giacomo Monti, 1674).
The locations of his works are in Brussels at the KBR, and in Italy at the Accademia Filarmonica in Bologna and the Biblioteca del seminario in Asti.
Music of Bergamo
Carlo Antonio Marini was born in 1671 in Albino, near Bergamo. From 1681 to 1705, he worked at Santa Maria Maggiore in Bergamo as a boy soprano before becoming a violinist.
He published:
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Seven books of violin music
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One book of solo cantatas (Op.4), some of which are incompletely preserved.
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In his Opus 1, he referred to himself as Marino, but later adopted the name Marini.
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Op.3, "Suonate a tré, et a cinque, doi e tré Violini, Viola, et Violoncello obligato, col basso per l'Organo," was published in 1682.
The locations of his works include France, at the Paris BN, and Switzerland, at the Zentralbibliothek, Kantons-, Stadt-und Universitätsbibliothek in Zürich. I include this information for as many composers as possible so you can hopefully find it.
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Op.6, "Sonate a tre & a quattro, doi violini, viola & violoncello, col basso per l'Organo," was published in 1701 and is located in Wiesentheid, Germany at the Musiksammlung des Grafen von Schönborn-Wiesentheid.
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Op.7, "Sonate a tre, due violini, violoncello obligato, con il basso per l'organo," was published in 1702 and is located in the UK at the York Minster Library and in Austria at the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Musicksammlung.
Music of Pesaro
Giovanni Maria Ruggieri was a Maestro di Capella in Pesaro in 1715. In his Opus 1, he referred to himself as a "dilettante, non professionale" (amateur, non-professional). He probably originated from Venice, where all of his operas were performed.
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His violin music, ranging from Opus 1 to Opus 4, was also published in Venice.
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His Opus 4, "Suonate de chiesa a due violini, e violoncello, con suo basso continuo per l'organo," was published in 1697.
This work is located in Austria at the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Musicksammlung.
Music of Mixed Origin
Giovanni Battista Bassani was born around 1675 in Padua. In 1677, he became the organist of the Accademia della Morte in Ferrara, and in 1680, he was appointed as MDC (Maestro Di Capella) to Duke Alexander Il della Mirandola. After a short stay in Bologna from 1682-1683, he returned to Ferrara in 1686, where he first worked as MDC of the Accademia and in 1689 also as the organist and MDC of the cathedral. In 1712, he became the MDC of the Basilica Maria in Bergamo, where he passed away in 1716. In addition to numerous operas, oratorios, and other vocal compositions, he wrote two collections of violin music.
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Op.5, 1683, Sinfonie a due, e tre strumenti, con il Basso Continuo per l'Organo. The first six pieces are marked "Violoncello a beneplacito" (se piace in Amsterdam), while pieces 7-12 are marked "Violoncello obligato".
Locations: Italy, Bologna, Civico Museo; UK, Oxford, Bodleian Library.
German Repertoire
Johann Sebastian Bach, who lived in the 17th and 18th centuries, is widely regarded as one of the most exceptional and influential composers in the history of Western classical music. With a career spanning over 50 years, Bach's works, including cantatas, concertos, fugues, and chorales, continue to inspire and captivate musicians and audiences alike. In addition to his masterful compositions, Bach was also an accomplished performer on various instruments, including the organ, harpsichord, viola, and violin.
The following is a list of works that can be played using the violoncello da spalla, but it is not limited to them. It is worth noting that, like Bach, one can arrange any of his compositions or other composers' compositions to include the violoncello da spalla.
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Brandenburg concertos N°4, 3, 5 & 6.
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6 Cello suites, ca.1720, autographs lost; 6th Suite à cinq cordes.
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Cantata N°6, 1725, "Bleib bei uns, denn es will Aben werden", Violoncello piccolo.
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Cantata N°41, 1725, "Jesu nunsei gepreiset", Violoncello piccolo.
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Cantata N°49, 1726, "Ach geh' und suche mit Verlangen", Violoncello piccolo.
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Cantata N°68, 1725, "Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt", Violoncello piccolo.
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Cantata N°85, 1725, "Ich bin ein guter Hirt", Violoncello piccolo.
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Cantata N°115, 1724, "Mach dich, mein Geist, bereit", Violoncello piccolo.
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Cantata N°175, 1724-5, "Er rufet seined Schafen mit namen", Violoncello piccolo solo
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Cantata N°183, 1725, "Sie werden euch in en Bann tun", Violoncello piccolo.
George Frideric Handel was born in Germany in 1685 and had a passion for music from a young age, despite his father's wishes for him to study law.
Handel's musical talents were discovered when he was eight years old, and he eventually became an established part of English music and society circles, but struggled with debt and a paralyzed arm later in life.
Handel's oratorio Messiah, composed in just 23 days, premiered in Dublin in 1742 and was initially met with mixed reviews but later became a beloved masterpiece that raised money for charity and enriched the oratorio tradition in England.
As an author, former musician, luthier I have a strong affinity with Handel as I recall similar events in my life. He miraculously recovered from a stroke, albeit his doctor said, "We may save the man—but the musician is lost forever." Handel said, "I have come back from Hades."
After the first London performance of Messiah, a patron congratulated Handel on the excellent "entertainment." Handel replied: "My lord, I should be sorry if I only entertained them, I wish to make them better." This is what modern-day musicians aspire to do.
"My lord, I should be sorry if I only entertained them, I wish to make them better." ~ G.F. Handel
The list of compositions by Handel can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_George_Frideric_Handel
Repertoire which the author of the book on Da Spalla has played on da spalla includes:
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Concerti grossi
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Violin sonatas
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Flute sonatas
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A number of Cantatas
Francesco Saverio Geminiani was an Italian musician who lived from 1687 to 1762. He was a composer, a violinist, and a music theorist. Although he is well-known today only to connoisseurs, he was a highly respected figure in his time, on par with Handel and Corelli. In 1715, Francesco Saverio Geminiani performed his violin concertos for the court of George I, and Handel accompanied him on the keyboard. According to reports, Tartini gave him the nickname "Il Furibondo," which means "the Madman," due to the powerful and emotional rhythms he conveyed through his playing.
Francesco Saverio Geminiani left behind a notable body of musical compositions. His sonatas for the cello are particularly well-suited for performance on the violoncello da spalla.
I have personally enjoyed playing his music on several occasions, including a lecture-concert in Tokyo around 2006, where we presented the violoncello da spalla to a Japanese audience with Suzuki Masaaki on the keyboard.
Practical notes to the reader-performer
I sincerely hope this list is helpful as you explore repertoire — but please don’t treat it as a boundary. It’s not a cage. It’s a springboard.
You might find inspiration in classical, neo-classical, romantic, or contemporary works — not only those written for cello, but also for other instruments.
Consider, too, how the violoncello da spalla might come alive in a cross-cultural setting, paired with instruments from beyond the Western tradition. Its unique voice, articulation, and range invite a kind of expression that no other string instrument can offer.
Of course, this list is far from exhaustive. It could take several lifetimes to explore, let alone record, all the possibilities. And that’s the point.
Let your imagination roam.
Go beyond the list.
You don’t need permission to create beauty, move hearts, or explore new sonic landscapes.
You also do not need anyone's approval for doing so.
The world doesn't need more conformity.
It needs more courageous string-players — like you.
If...
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