“More than 20 years ago I was called upon by friends, artists, and
aficionados to write about fingerings for the violoncello,” then-famous
Berlin cellist Jean-Louis Duport thus opens his “Essai” from 1806,
dedicated to “Professeurs de Violoncelle”. His methodology
revolutionized cello technique, and the 21 etudes printed in its
appendix are still regarded today as perhaps the most important set of
studies for all budding cellists. Modelled after the volumes of etudes
for violin, Henle is also issuing the Urtext here, together with all
original fingerings and bowings, while also offering alternatives by the
famous cellist and teacher Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt. This edition also
offers a second cello part provided by Duport for accompaniment.
