Tarantella Op. 44 No. 4

A highly respected cello teacher and performer, Alfred Earnshaw counted among his peers such notable twentieth-century composers of music for young cellists as Adam Carse and W. H. Squire. His Tarantella for cello and piano features on Children’s Cello the delightful collection of cello miniatures recorded by Steven Isserlis and pianist Stephen Hough on a recent BIS recording (BISCD1562). Earnshaw commanded a fluent, graceful idiom ideally suited to inspire beginners with real musical values, and the piece combines open-string and first-position playing with the flair and character of an impressive recital item.