This work was written in Oxford in 1959, following a request from an Australian cellist then living in London.  The cellist, however, refused to perform it, insisting that it was unidiomatic and quite unplayable.  Disappointed, I re-thought the music and in 1960 I used it as the basis for my Sonata for Viola and Percussion.

 

The Sonata for Cello Alone is in one movement.  It consists of a somewhat free set of variations upon three ideas: the first is a quasi-Mahlerian melody accompanied by plucked open strings, the second is a rapidly-repeated rhythmic figure, and the third a martial-like motive punctuated by percussive sounds.  It should be added that when I looked at the work many years after its composition, it seemed to me to be quite playable.  I have since made some minor revisions to the original score.

 

PS