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Editors' BlogsEditor and Founder V.com Intern Friday Fun CanadaSalmon Arm/Canoe Italyflorence JapanGifu NetherlandsGroningen United StatesAlaska California Florida Georgia Illinois Kansas Maryland Massachusetts Missouri Nebraska New York Oregon Pennsylvania Texas Virginia Washington Wyoming Violin BlogsHere are recent selected individual diary entries from Violinist.com readers who are maintaining personal violin journals on Violinist.com. For additional posts, browse our list of active writers on the right.
Hilary Hahn/NSO Published: May. 9, 2008 at 5:04 PM One of my old roommates from college now works in the subscriptions department at the Kennedy Center, and can sometimes get free tickets for concerts there, and last night I got to see the NSO with Hilary Hahn playing the Paganini first violin concerto. This is the second time I've seen her live (the first was the Barber concerto with Philly a couple of years ago), and my impression of the way she plays is really similar to the first time, despite the remarkable differences in repertoire. Overall, a few things really stuck with me: -Her bow control is AWESOME. The way she can conserve it or be super liberal in her bowing is crazy. The degree of control she exhibits, especially in a piece like the paganini which has such a variety of bow issues, is astounding. -Her intonation, as to be expected, is nearly flawless. But that's not all. During the first movement, her violin went fairly out of tune, but her intonation was still sparklingly good. Playing in tune on an out of tune instrument is so incredibly difficult, and it was great to not even notice that she had to adjust for it (the only reasons I noticed were the tuning after the first movement, and a unison open D and a D on the G string that wasn't perfect, not due to her fingers, but because her D had slipped). -Her approach to the concerto seemed more like a piece of chamber music than a solo concerto with orchestral accompaniment. Throughout the tutti sections, she was jump in and play the orchestral part for a few bars, which was really cool and refreshing, especially when she played the second violin part for a couple of measures. She also seemed to have a really palpable connection with the orchestra, which I certainly appreciated. -WHAT A GREAT ENCORE. After several minutes of standing ovation from the audience, she decided to play the Sarabande from the d minor Partita. I really admire violinists who are willing to play a slow movement of Bach for an encore, which can be a tough sell after something as technical and flamboyant as the Paganini, but it was the perfect ending to her performance. Even after the finger-bending concerto, her Bach was pure and not overly extroverted. Well, back to practicing, I guess.... Comments (1) | Add comment | Archive link “GPS” –– 5.1 Bow Published: May. 9, 2008 at 4:55 PM
The bow is most subtly involved with all we do in playing the instrument. Without a truly personal tone we can have excellent left hand technique, but it will be grossly limited in all areas of artistry. With a truly personal tone the sound resonates beyond the ears and into the very mind, heart and soul of the listener. It is the purist of artistic achievement. Coming from the very depths of expression, the artist literally steps into the music with the goal of portraying its characters, depictions and realizations of moods and actions.
Plan actions > Accuracy, Fluidity > MASTERY This is the fifth category in a series of blogs dealing with: 1. Left Hand They will be kept under the heading of ”GPS” for those who wish to follow the articles. I hope it is of benefit to you. Intonation is one of the primary areas of focus in all we do. This applies to the intervallic measurements set about for the left hand fingers and also the contact variables of the bow hair to the string –– the 1) point of contact, 2) speed of bow, 3) weight of bow, 4) amount of hair, 5) string selected and 6) vibrating length of string/position number are brought together in order to accomplish the desired dynamics and character of the music.
When practicing, when do you begin practicing and thinking of your sound? Hopefully it is on the way to opening up the case, but, at the very least, it should be as you approach the string with the bow for the first tone of the day — tuning the instrument and yourself (your ear, your hands, your arms and your posture). In my books, there is a section titled Planes & String Crossings. It deals with the all-important basics of drawing the bow on the various planes dealing with a single string all the way to 4 strings. The examples given are done with open strings and then should be applied directly to other studies and repertoire. When playing tricky and/or difficult passages we will use open strings to acclimate the bow’s actions to the various string combinations. This is especially done in chords and double-stops. Whether a beginner’s piece or the Brahms Violin Concerto, chords will be practiced with open strings to achieve the desired tone and understand/master the required technique. This involves those 6 points above and the bow is further modified to compensate for the various strings and their lengths when fingers are added to the mix. 1. Higher/nearer. 2. Lower/further.
The proof is in the pudding. 1. Play 2 open strings and experiment with the plane of the bow. You will find the resonance increases as you slightly favor the lower string. You will be tonally shocked if you favor the higher string. 2. Now experiment with the bow’s angle to the strings. Look at the contact point and note the shape of the box or rectangle that is outlined by the 2 strings, bridge and bow hair. Remember the angles are not truly right angles. A “straight” bow isn’t a true perpendicular to the instrument and it is not a true parallel to the bridge. They are not mutually compatible. Note how the great artists subtly, and sometimes not so subtly, modify bow angles to the string. I am not referring to the bow tilt and side or flat hair at this time, simply the actual visual angle of the bow as it crosses the string. THIS IS NOT BY CHANCE, BUT BY DELIBERATE CHOICE OF THE ARTIST AS THEY SEEK OUT THE PRECISE SOUND AND CHARATER DESIRED. The “straight” bow is convenient terminology, but is actually false and has probably tied more string players technique up in knots of tension then I care to hazard a guess. Of course, some will say I am being too detailed and it really doesn’t matter to such a fine degree — HOGWASH! (It is a good thing I do not have any opinion on this:-) All agree the bow path must fluidly flow. Curves are easier to draw, more forgiving in accuracy of path and more flexible in modifications in any direction and degree. A “straight” bow either is or isn’t! When approaching a string crossing we anticipate by adjusting the bow’s plane accordingly — it is a rounding over, if you will. The rounding of the bow’s path is equally important as it instantly guarantees a fluid action in the joints of the wrist, elbow and shoulder. Just make sure you are “rounding around” the left hand or scroll — a very, very slight orbital path, hence my term of “Crescent Bow.” Banana Bows works well, too:-) Too be continued… Hope this helps — Author of Technique is the tool by which we accomplish
Comments (1) | Add comment | Archive link Quartet - Quintet Published: May. 9, 2008 at 8:25 AM Tonight was the first quartet practice I've had in a long time. My group has been on "spring break" for over a month due to scheduling conflicts of one sort or another. We also switched cellist - our previous cellist had too many schedule conflicts, so he recommended a friend of a friend. Tonight was quartet practice with our new cellist at his house. We started with the Motzart dissonant quartet. His teenaged daughter lounged on the couch listening to us play while she studied. After we completed the quartet, she asked her father if she could play with us. Turns out she plays both viola and violin. Our second violinst also plays viola. After some discussion, she goes to her room and brings out her viola and violin. Our regular second violinist and the cellist's daughter drew straws on who would play second viola. Our regular second violinist won, and got to play the 2nd viola part (violas rule!). Out comes the Motzart Quintet. The violinist and I were unsure of her playing ability. However that question was soon ansered after the first measures. She is good! Very good! This young lady played with a passion. She looked to her father for tempo and rhythm guidance. It was a bit strange having the cellist take the lead on the tempo and queues, but it seemed to work. It was apparent that father and daughter have been playing music together for years and that the daughter looks to the father as most others would towards the 1st violinist. So now I have to question: are we a quartet or a quintet now? Comments (2) | Add comment | Archive link The joy of playing with othersBy PM RolfPublished: May. 9, 2008 at 7:22 AM I really really enjoy playing with others. I am starting to think that picking an instrument to learn is a complicated decision, among other things, personality must also be taken in to consideration. I'm a very outgoing person, I love to be around people Playing in an orchestra fits me well. We have fun making music together. We also had a very small section rehearsal for the 2nd violin (only 3 ppl showed up),but I learned so much from them!! I enjoy every moment of this. I remember after I went to the first rehearsal, I was like "dude, I ain't going back in a year or two". Here I am, still sticking with it. For the slower parts, I can play most of them. The fast parts, I play what I can. As long as the conductor allows me to stay, I'll stay!! In one dream I was the snow, and my music came out as water. Published: May. 8, 2008 at 10:57 AM In a sodden state I lay melting, high up on an overhang. Peering down below, I spied a reflecting pool--an obsidian portal into the conservatory world, beyond which were great teachers and prodigious students and all that is good and ideal. Not that I myself could gain entrance as it were, but if I aimed my drips carefully, my music would then dissolve into theirs. I watched as tiny ripples formed in the looking glass--drip, drip, drip--and hoped that they wouldn't notice. Just in case that sort of thing wasn't allowed.
Getting GaugePublished: May. 7, 2008 at 10:19 AM End of the year recitals come every year, just like birthdays and spring breakup. Each year, I take a deep breath before addressing my audience that’s gathered in the church pews, checking off the familiar faces and noting a couple of new ones. Then, I watch each of my students display what they learned this year. Afterward, the parents mingle and talk. “We didn’t bring a camera this time. What’s there to take a picture of, anyway? Same photo as last year and the year before.” They laugh, and in return I cock my head with a furrowed brow. Same? No, I don’t think so. Every year, you could try your best to set up the same photo, but you would only display how things have changed. Line up the people, and you will notice right away the changing fashions, the different hair lengths, maybe a new wrinkle or two, or a pound or two. End of the year recitals are for showing change, not similarity. I gained another year on May 5th. I try my best not to observe the changes that have taken place on my body over the past year, but I can’t help but sneak back to the closet to try on those pale green pants that are three years old. I look at my reflection in the mirror just to see how they fit. Not bad, not bad--but I think it’s time to move onto a new pair of pants. But we’ve been waiting for change, haven’t we? We go out every day and glance at the lake to see if it’s finally open. Has the ice gone out? It’s late again this year, isn’t it? I look back through the dates on my photos to compare today with past springs, to see how our progress measures. Johnson lake is thawed at last, so ours is soon to follow. Then we drive out to the Kasilof river to marvel at the ice that still lies on the shore. Was it like this last year? Remember when you caught that king salmon on May 6th that one year? Now look at the ice, and the quiet river and the lack of fishermen. There's signs of spring if you look, though. I went to my garden to check. The columbines I planted last year chose to make a return and save me the trouble of planting another row. I stoop down to take a peek at the fresh, tight folds that prepare to replace the musty brown stalks. You’re the same flower from last year, aren’t you? You’ve just been hiding down below, waiting out the weather until it favors your fancy. I’m glad you came back to see me again. Now I’ll settle down at the coffee shop to try out a present that I received by mail. A fellow v.com member sent me some hand spun balls of yarn and a pair of handmade needles–-happy birthday to me! I plan on making her a hat and mailing it back to her, but first I have to get gauge to see how the stitches will add up. Every ball knits up a little different, you know.
Comments (10) | Add comment | Archive link remember Published: May. 7, 2008 at 9:55 AM
I played for a holocaust memorial service on Sunday. The speaker was a Rumanian child survivor. From his family, only he and his mother survived. My husband was elsewhere that evening, playing a concert that featured music about the immigrants who passed through Ellis island. My husband's grandparents were such immigrants, as part of the Greek population forced out of Turkey in the early 20th century. I live in a city still marred by racial tensions. Will we ever get it right? Comments (6) | Add comment | Archive link Embrace confusion Published: May. 7, 2008 at 5:40 AM Today my seven-year-old son was fumbling over some lefthand maneuvering required by "Musette" during his piano lesson. He kept coming to a halt. "You are confused!" his teacher, Nancy Mitchell, said jubilantly, as if delivering fantastic news. He paused from his frustrating efforts to consider this. "When you get confused," she smiled, "that's when you really start to learn." He turned to her, "Really?" "Yes!" Nancy said. "The parts of your brain go BZZZZZ! and then you start really figuring it out!" They traced the source of his confusion to two notes that just couldn't seem to follow one another. They zeroed in and drilled, just getting from A to B. And once he could do that, the entire passage fell into place. It took about five minutes. Problem solved!
Comments (10) | Add comment | Archive link Spring is definitely here Published: May. 6, 2008 at 11:22 PM Where did the winter go? I realize I haven't updated in four months. Fortunately, my practicing habits are far better than my blogging habits! I'll have performed Vivaldi's "Spring" three times in three weeks by the end of this season, for progressively tougher audiences: my daughter's preschool, my church's talent show, and finally my teacher's studio recital this Sunday. It sometimes takes a little while for a teacher to know a student well enough to direct him or her to appropriate repertoire, and this time I think we've got it. I've really enjoyed and learned a lot from working on this piece. It's popular and at just the right difficulty for me---not so easy as to be boring, but not so hard that I have to focus exclusively on technical matters at the expense of musicality. I've learned things that I'd never even thought of before, such as the importance of bow distribution and the fact that playing forte by bowing slowly near the bridge gives a really different sound from bowing fast and with lots of pressure farther from the bridge. And that when you're in high positions on the E string, you really don't have to press hard at all to get the notes you want! The only sad part to all these revelations is realizing how much I missed out in my childhood violin education, where the only goal ever imposed on me was to play most of the notes mostly in tune and vary the dynamics once in a while. To anyone who questions the importance of a good teacher, I am living proof that it DOES MATTER. But better late than never, I always say, and I'm grateful for the opportunity now to work toward my full potential. On another subject, I've written before that I hope one day to have a family string quartet. My three-year-old daughter has caught on to this idea, albeit with a twist. "Mommy, you and Kiera [5-year-old sister] can play violin, and Daddy can play the cello, and I will play...DRUMS!" Comments (3) | Add comment | Archive link When Work & Music CollidePublished: May. 6, 2008 at 4:34 AM I show up for orchetra practice 30 minutes early. I have conference calls with Asia right before rehearsals which end just before rehearsals start. I hold these calls from the parking lot. Doing the work/music switch is challenging enough most weeks. Tonight, I showed up 30 minutes early as usual. Since the weather was nice, I sat on one of the benches outside to conduct the call. While holding the call, I see my fellow musicians heading into the rehearsal room. A few of them mimed to me asking if I was on a conference call for work. The call went over by 30 minutes, well into rehearsal time. By the time the call ended, the 2nd piece was complete and the orchestra was starting on the 3rd piece. I sneak in, the 2nd chair 2nd violinist, bless her heart, gives me an A so I can tune quickly. We practiced the 3rd piece took a 10 minute break. I recieved a scolding from my section for making them play the hardest pieces "all by themselves", followed by some symphathy. The conductor said that she assumed things were "not normal" when she noticed me pacing outside while on the call. This Thursday I have another conference call just before quartet practice. I hope this scenario is not a repeat performance. Comments (3) | Add comment | Archive link
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