A cello demonstration

I've been working on a short story about a cellist and I approached my friend and member of my cooking group, Noella, since she's a graduate student in Cello performance at the music school.

I learned about the different parts of the cello, the various cases, the make of her cello, a Charotte-Millot (from 18th century Paris), how to hold the instrument, how to bow with it, the importance of coordination between ear and fingers/wrist/arm movement and a dozen other important things, I'm sure. That was the theory part. On Monday night this week, I went to her apartment for dinner and it wasn't till the end that we realized she might as well give me a demonstration on her cello. After all, she's also been rehearsing Astor Piazzolla's Le Grand Tango, for the opening ceremony of the Old Parliament House in Singapore at the end of March. When she played the first note, I was astounded by the power of the sound. It's not simply loud; the instrument just resonates with a rich, glorious sound. She put the mute on so I could listen to the difference and then she broke into the Piazzolla piece.

A woman once said that there is a tender nerve that connects the ear to the ankle, and boy, did I feel that nerve that night. Piazolla's compositions are full of melancholic and vivid melodies, wonderful stuff that urges you to dance. I've loved many recordings of his work. To have it played before you is something else. I've never been more moved by another instrument. The notes come out strong, low, beautiful, and when Noella's fingers slid up and down the fingerboard, playing either vibrato or harmonics, I was just spellbound. Noella was playing standing up, leaning against the back of a sofa in a casual position since this wasn't a real rehearsal, but I could already sense the skill involved, and the joy she has each time she plays. It was one of those moments when the music enters you, changes something inside, though you're not quite sure what it is, and when the music ends, you're left beggared.

Okay, I guess it's obvious I was very moved. It's different from watching a pianist. With string instruments, the process of creating the sound, the music through touch and feel is just wonderful to watch. Noella told me you hold the instrument in your embrace and you pour everything you feel and think about the music into your arms and wrists and fingers. The playing is harder because you have to listen more to tell if you've got the right note. It was an experience to watch, and it must be a wonderful experience to play. (May, I'm sure you will agree!)