Are there any good classical pieces for 2 violins and 1 cello?

Question

question is self explanitory

Answer 1

There are lots. We have a "consort" (renaissance name for a group which makes music) and do renaissance and baroque music. We've played trios by Haydn, Corelli and Vivaldi. Some thoughts:

The trio sonata was originally 'designed' for two equal instruments and a bass. For this purpose, you could easily take any 4 or 5 part renaissance dance and drop the tenor (or tenors), just playing the top two parts and the bass on the violins and cello. For instance, both Anthony Holborne (England) and William Brade (Germany) wrote collections of dances in five parts: These can be played as historically-accurate trio-sonatas in this fashion. Three of Brade's collections are at the Werner Icking archive (WIMA) at http://icking-music-archive.org/ByComposer/Brade.php (just take the Canto, Quinto and Basso parts!) and Holborne dances at WIMA are http://www.icking-music-archive.org/ByComposer/Holborne.php (cantus, altus and bassus.) A word of warning: If the treble clef has an 8 underneath, then it is a transposed part, intending to be played an octave lower than written. If your violinists don't want to do this, don't use any of them!

Trio Fantasias from the Renaissance abound as well, and many of them are cast for two treble viols and bass viol: they can be played directly on violins and cello. The WIMA doesn't have any of them in directly-usable form, but well-edited copies exist (check online or at a college library where a music school is part of the college). Look for the names Ferrabosco, Gibbons, Merulo, Ward, and see if you can find collections of "Fantasia a' 3" or trio fantasias.

Vivaldi is supposed to have written around 600 "concertos and sonatas". There is some doubt whether he did, or whether some enterprising Italian musician happened on a bunch of scores of Vivaldi, and noticing how they were alike, began a subscription service, churning out his own compositions. None the less, the Vivaldi Complete Works (which you can find in many music libraries) contain lots of good concerti da camera with 2 violin parts and one 'cello. These were intended to be played with a continuo instrument (harpsichord, theorbo, etc.), but survive well without.

The same goes for the Corelli trio sonatas. About half of them are for 2vln and vc (violoncello), and work well without the continuo. If you know a good keyboard player, most editions have the continuo parts "realized", so you can make a foursome of it!

The Haydn trios are split between 2vln and vc and violin, viola and cello. The 2vln/vc ones are spectacularly beautiful and worth the effort.

Mozart wrote a Divertimento for two clarinets and bassoon which is available in a transcription for two violins and cello. It will sound very familiar, since the first movement bears many of the thematic bits out of the serenade "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik"! Our edition is older (and not at hand) and I can't find a listing online. Again, it is likely to be in a music library.

Web searches for "two violins cello" bring up lots of listings, by the way. One, http://www.music44.com/X/category/D001NB2
is full of string-trio, 2vln/vc collections. Any of these would be good.

Kalmus.com is a modern-day producer of music who made their foundation from photo-reprinting out-of-print scores. Until quite recently, they were a major source for classical music at good prices. I notice that they've just moved to a new web site and their catalog isn't up yet, but they have an email, "sales@k", "[e-mail]", "almus.com" (given that way to avoid spammers from using the email: just take out all the stuff between the k and the last a), where you can send an email asking for a listing of their 2vln/vc publications and prices.

String trio playing is an intimate form of music making which is, in many ways, more fun than quartet playing. It also involves music more sonically complex than duos: you need to be sure that all three parties are playing in tune, well coordinated, and with a united focus on the end-sound. It is one of the best experiences a young musician can have! Best of luck!

Answer 2

Well the only one i know its form Vivaldi but its made for 4 violins, it's called "Concerto for 4 violins & cello in B minor", and it's a very a beautiful piece ;)

Answer 3

The Virtual Sheet Music site offers many classical pieces, including sheet music for 2 violins and 1 cello. I would suggest you use their sheet music search engine to find some good classical pieces at http://download-sheet-music-online.com/free.html

Answer 4

Bells of St. Genvieve by Marais Marin. Fantastic piece. Oh and they add a Spinette in there.

Plus Bach's Concerto in D minor for two violins - vivace

Answer 5

Typically, a string trio consists of a violin, a viola, and a cello. However, you could probably find a ton of music within the string trio repertory where the viola part could be transcribed for violin.

Answer 6

I know Vivaldi has someting like that. it might be 4 cello and 3 violins.

Answer 7

I know a few string quartets who sometimes just leave out the viola part ; leaving 2 violins and 1 cello.
It seems a bit harsh on the poor old viola but sometimes people only want to pay for three musicians.

Answer 8

there is a set of 3 charming trios by Mozart called Three Easy Trios. my copy which is very old was published by International

Answer 9

Some of the Sammartini symphonies are scored that way.

Answer 10

http://beststudentviolins.com/lit.html#trios

especially the Beethoven