Comparison of Original and Performer's Editions

The cello began its rise as a popular solo instrument in the late eighteenth century. The development of the instrument in the eighteenth century enabled cellists to perform in a virtuosic style and to discover new sound and color possibilities on the cello. Unfortunately, there were few composers who truly understood and exploited the instrument's technical and sonic capabilities. In order to extend the limited solo cello repertoire, performers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries sometimes chose to enhance the works that were available to them. In some cases these cellists' versions became more popular and widely performed than the composers' scores and, as a result, some original versions were largely forgotten or ignored. Although these arrangements certainly contributed to the expansion of cello repertoire, they provoke criticism regarding the authenticity of the composer's intention and creation in comparison with the authenticity of the arrangements created by the virtuosic cellists of the era. This treatise will examine the differences between the original and the performers' versions by measure-to-measure comparison, and surmise possible reasons behind the changes made by performers.