| James Weldon Johnson, ed. (1871–1938). The Book of American Negro Poetry. 1922. |
| |
| The Rubinstein Staccato Etude |
| | | R. Nathaniel Dett (1882–1943) |
| |
| |
| STACCATO! Staccato! | |
| Leggier agitato | |
| In and out does the melody twist— | |
| Unique proposition | |
| Is this composition. | 5 |
| (Alas! for the player who hasn’t the wrist!) | |
| Now in the dominant | |
| Theme ringing prominent, | |
| Bass still repeating its one monotone, | |
| Double notes crying, | 10 |
| Up keyboard go flying, | |
| The change to the minor comes in like a groan. | |
| Without a cessation | |
| A chaste modulation | |
| Hastens adown to subdominant key, | 15 |
| Where melody mellow-like | |
| Singing so ’cello-like | |
| Rises and falls in a wild ecstasy. | |
| Scarce is this finished | |
| When chords all diminished. | 20 |
| Break loose in a patter that comes down like rain, | |
| A pedal-point wonder | |
| Rivaling thunder. | |
| Now all is mad agitation again. | |
| Like laughter jolly | 25 |
| Begins the finale; | |
| Again does the ’cello its tones seem to lend | |
| Diminuendo ad motto crescendo. | |
| Ah! Rubinstein only could make such an end! | |
| |
|
|
|
