August 2012

NINE MONTHS WITH THE SAME MEZZO VIOLIN

August 17, 2012 15:07

Hi Everyone,

Six months ago I posted a blog called 'three months with a mezzo violin'. Then, Bob Spears suggested a soundbite and this I have now done.

The violin is just about played in. The strings are Infeld Red with a Jarger E Forte. The bow is a bit of rubbish from
China that I used as a stopgap until I could get an excellent bow from Howard Green in Scotland.

In the video, you will see a piece of black on the bridge. That is plastecine. Reason is, when I play second fiddle in an orchestra (I prefer to keep my inner parts smooth), the conductor might as well shift the other seconds into the firsts and let me play second part on my own. Without some sound attenuation (a 15g practise mute does almost nothing), the projection is huge.

The guy who used his Lumix camera wanted me to sit, so I obliged.

The soundbite is short because all that is necessary is a soundbite, not a performance with arm vibrato, so I have used just wrist vibrato.

One difficulty has been experienced. I have fairly short fingers. Going from bottom B flat to top B flat at the start of the Sibelius Cadenza (1st Movt.) aint a problem. But going from the opening chord to the very top E flat for Pope's Concert (esentially the 5th Red Violin Caprice) is a problem.

Because the body is 14.9 inches, my thumb becomes detached from any safe position and the ears have to be used to get 'safe' in the descending run.

The soundbite is at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba3sNHw7BQk

called 'Mezzo Violin Sound'

Archive link

More entries: January 2012