I’m hoping you guys can help me think of some songs I can have a cellist play for my wedding. The cellist is a good friend of mine and has agreed to play for the ceremony, but we’re both not sure what exactly we want her to play.
I was hoping for something unique for the processional and recessional, not The Wedding March. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a piece written for the cello, any type of song will do. We’re working with another musician friend of mine to transpose pieces from piano to cello, so feel free to suggest anything.
I’m interested in something quirky and fun for the recessional, we’ve been brainstorming movie themes and soundtrack pieces. I’m not sure what to do for when I walk down the aisle though…
The first step is to ask your friend for suggestions from the cello repertoire (not to mention her personal repertoire). This is especially true with an instrument as “limited” as the cello. (That’s not intended as a slam - there is just so much one can do musically with any instrument that can produce only one or two notes at a time.)
It really is important to work closely with her. As an organist I’ve played more weddings than you can shake a bouquet at, and so I’m occasionally put in the awkward position of having to say, “That just isn’t practical.” (Not that all off-the-beaten-track ideas are bad: once someone asked me to play “Sunrise, Sunset” from Fiddler on the Roof as the parents were seated. Not the sort of thing one has laying around. But the idea was so on the mark that I took the trouble to find a copy of the tune and make a suitable transcription.)
My wife and I were married in a small historic church and a single cellist was perfect for the ceremony space. We originially didn’t want to have “the usual” cellist stuff either, we wanted to be unique and not cliche. When we were picking the pieces, we had the cellist play some of the more unique selections- pop songs, movie soundtracks, show numbers, ect. at the actual church we were going to be married in. They were OK, but they did not seem appropriate- they seemed flat- almost like background elevator music or Musak.
However, when he played the more traditional music that was more appropriate for the cello, the music and the instrument really came alive and filled the space dramatically and beautifully- it was like night and day- a totally different experience. The music seemed to “soar” rather than just being played. I guess there is a reason that these pieces have become famous and somewhat cliche- they sound dang good.
I don’t know a thing about music, but looking at my hard to read notes from the time I had written down “Joy of Man’s desiring, Gigue from 3d String Cello, Air for G-string, and Ave Maria” I have no idea what those are, but they may be worth a listen.
The Swan by Saint Saens is a popular cello piece. Maybe you could get a transcription of Massenet’s Meditation from Thais. All I Ask of You from Phantom of the Opera.
The “Love Theme” from the old Romero and Juliet (by Nino Rota) is incredibly beautiful, if a bit tragic. You can hear it here . Kinda melancholy yet unmistakably passionate and emotional.
Tough since so many classical pieces usually contain a minor section, probably not appropriate for a wedding atmosphere.
The Bach solo cello suites are good. If your friend is anywhere from avid amateur to professional, she should know at least some movements, if not entire suites.
My wife-in-unlawful-lesbian-domestic-cohabitation has a lovely little wedding piece (Wedding Day) published on Sibelius.com. The arrangements she has available are for piano solo or a string quartet/quintet. She also has a great mixed ensemble piece for a piano and two cellos, (Springtide).
I believe you can listen to midi samples by clicking on the little “mp3” icons.
