Lalo - Cello Concerto in D minor (PDF Sheet Music / Digital Download)

Composed in 1876 in collaboration with Belgian cellist Adolphe Fischer, Édouard Lalo’s Cello Concerto in D minor stands as one of the most vibrant staples of the Romantic string repertoire. Blending dark, Beethovenian drama with Lalo’s signature flair for Spanish rhythms and French lyricism, the three-movement work avoids empty virtuosity in favor of rich, theatrical storytelling. It opens with a brooding, quasi-recitative Lento introduction before erupting into a driving, fiery Allegro maestoso. The central Intermezzo offers a striking study in contrasts, alternating between a tender, songlike Andantino and a nimble, scherzo-like Allegro presto. Finally, a dramatic intro gives way to a triumphant, dance-like Allegro vivace rondo that showcases the cello across its full expressive range—from deep, resonant lows to brilliant, singing high notes.

This edition is a reissue of music originally published by Edition Peters, Leipzig.