THREE MOVEMENTS
Hertel’s A minor Cello Concerto, dated 1759, may well have been inspired by C.P.E. Bach, who composed three similar-length cello concertos earlier in the decade. According to Möellenbeck, Hertel probably composed his cello concertos for Franz Xaver Woschitka, a virtuoso who held the post of solo cellist in the Mecklenburg-Schwerin court chapel. The 20-minute composition consists of three movements, all of which end with an exact repetition of an initial orchestral introduction. The cello part is beautifully written for the instrument, making ample use of its singing tenor range. The solo line doesn’t often venture into thumb position, but nonetheless contains some difficult passages.

The first movement, marked Allegro con Spirito, is the meatiest of the three and begins with the orchestra in unison going up and down an A-minor scale only to land at the end of the second measure on a surprising D#. The cello, when it enters, has its own mournful melodies, which are often punctuated by orchestral scales reminiscent of the opening.

The final movement, a brief Allegro, contains some string-crossing passagework that is both challenging and impressive.

However, it is the plaintive middle movement, in C major, which we will explore in more detail. This slow movement, Adagio poco andante, is the emotional core of the concerto. Its main theme is a melody that reaches stepwise up for a measure, only to return back down the following measure in sighing 16ths separated by rests. At the beginning of the movement, the violins play this melody in thirds. While many composers of the Baroque and Classical eras were sparse with their dynamic markings, Hertel was not. In keeping with the emotional Empfindsamkeit style, Hertel showed his intentions through his dynamics, with sudden shifts from pianissimo to forte. This is true even in the context of the slow movement, an example of which is here in the opening orchestral tutti.

SOLO CELLO PART
The cello enters in mm. 10 (where our excerpt begins) with the same melody, but now two octaves lower, accompanied by the first violins playing on their bottom two strings. The lower range gives the melody an added richness and depth. Once the solo cello has stated the theme, it begins to explore some thematic ideas, accompanied for a few measures (mm.12–14) only by the celli/bassi. When the cello reaches upward onto the A string, settling on a long-held D, the violins re-enter (mm. 14–15) in pianissimo, with tender, melodic broken thirds.

The solo cello takes over the melodic line again at the end of mm. 15, but with a lengthier, more unsettled passage (mm. 15–20) full of syncopated rhythms, 32nd notes, and grace notes. This tension-filled passage modulates, settling on the dominant key of G major at its conclusion. Hertel constantly varies the accompaniment: the passage begins with all the strings, but after two measures the violins drop out.

The viola line stops the following measure, leaving only the basso continuo to accompany the cello’s impassioned comments of mm. 19–20, and even the continuo rests on the cello’s final note.

Here our excerpt ends, where the violins return with a restatement of the opening theme, but now in the newly established key of G major.

I hope that this brief introduction to the A minor Cello Concerto has whetted your appetite for the whole composition. The score and solo cello part are published by Edition Walhall, EW 398, in the series Il Violoncello Concertato. Since it only needs a string and keyboard accompaniment, the Hertel concerto is perfect for a chamber-orchestra setting. Enjoy!