Cellists!!

[pseudopianist]

I need a yes or no answer to this question and it is quite important.

Would this: (bass clef)
chord be playable on the cello (not broken) if not which note(s) do I need to omit?

Thank you in advance.

[ahinton]

I need a yes or no answer to this question and it is quite important.

Would this: (bass clef)
chord be playable on the cello (not broken) if not which note(s) do I need to omit?

Thank you in advance.

No it wouldn't! - on two counts.

Firstly, you cannot realistically sustain more than two notes on a cello for more than a very short time (I note that you have written ths chord as a whole note / semibreve [depending on where you come from]).

Secondly, the E flat would have to be played on the second string, which is impossible with conventional tuning as that string is customarily tuned to the G immediately above that pitch (you could achieve it using scordatura - in other words having that G string tuned down to the E flat or below); likewise, the E at the top would have to be played on the fourth string, which is also impossible as that string is customarily tuned to the A above it. So - basically, not a hope in hell's chance, really!

If you insist on cello here, you could (without resorting to scordatura) consider dividing it between two cellos, with cello 1 playing the E flat and the E and cello 2 playing the other two notes, although you'd not be that popular with cello 1 if you did! - so your best bet would relly be to divide it between three, with cello 1 playing the top two notes and the others each taking one of the two lower ones.

Sorry!

Best,

Alistair

[pseudopianist]

Thank you for that. I will try to figure out another solution. 

[I Love Xenakis]

Play the two flats as a grace to the chord and sustain the natural third.  Or you could pull some Kodaly Scordatura *** and retune the strings.  Or do some crazy snap pizz.