Breval Cello Concerto No 2 in D major for Cello and String Orchestra

Bréval: Cello Concerto No. 2 in D major for Cello and String Orchestra

Bréval's Cello Concerto No. 2 in D major is one of the most useful pieces in the cello teaching repertoire: a three-movement Classical concerto that covers a wide range of technical and musical ground at Grade 7, and that prepares a student thoroughly for the larger Romantic concertos that come next. This arrangement sets it for solo cello and string orchestra, giving young soloists the experience of performing a full concerto with a real ensemble behind them.

Like the Seitz concertos for violin, the Bréval works because it integrates technique and music-making rather than treating them separately. The left-hand work covers the ground a Grade 7 cellist needs to consolidate: scales and arpeggios across different positions, shifts, and passages that require clean articulation at moderate tempi. The bow arm is asked for a range of stroke types: sustained legato, clearly articulated détaché, and the light, dancing bowing that characterises Classical period style. Working through all three movements gives a student a genuinely comprehensive technical and musical workout, but always in the service of melodies that have real grace and shape.

The string orchestra adds a dimension the piano version cannot offer: the experience of playing with an ensemble, listening across a larger group, projecting the solo line, and managing the balance between soloist and orchestra. These are skills that no amount of practice with piano accompaniment can fully prepare a student for, and this concerto is an ideal context in which to develop them for the first time. The orchestral parts are accessible for an intermediate string ensemble and give the accompanying players their own musical role within the Classical textures.

At twelve minutes across three movements, this is a proper concerto that gives a student the experience of sustaining a large-scale musical structure from start to finish, with a full ensemble responding to them throughout.

See and hear the difference

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear picture of the engraving quality and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key features

• Instrumentation: Solo Cello + String Orchestra (Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Double Bass)
• Difficulty: ABRSM Grade 7 (solo); Intermediate (ensemble)
• Duration: approximately 12 minutes
• Technical focus: bow stroke variety, scales and arpeggios, position work, Classical style
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

Who it's for

This is a strong choice for Grade 7 cellists who are ready for their first full concerto experience with a string orchestra, and for teachers looking for repertoire that consolidates the technical and musical foundations needed before moving on to the larger Romantic concertos. It works well in student recitals, school concerts, and examination programmes where a complete, well-structured Classical concerto is needed at an accessible level.