July 2007
July 26, 2007 18:48
I'm amazed at how fast the summer is flying!!! Ah!!! Exactly three weeks from today and I will officially be a college student. Scary. I had a lesson today — the first one since my teacher got back in town after her summer traveling and one of the last ones before I start classes. It went well, although I don't have anything terribly exciting to report.
The really interesting thing from today wasn't my lesson, but what I did before my lesson. See, I decided to go to a local antique mall to search for a nice old-fashioned wooden chair for my bedroom (to replace the metal and blue-plastic hand me down I currently possess. I'm sure it looked spiffy in the 80's but it is now rather hideous). I'd been in this antique mall a few times before, but I was always with other people and walked through pretty quickly. This time though, I had a whole hour to myself to just wander at will. It may sound odd, but it was an almost exhilerating experience. First of all, there was just SO much stuff to see. Wall-to-wall shelves and tables without a spare inch of free space on them. China and glassware of every kind imaginable, books and magazines, clothes, shoes, purses . . . and everything in between. I even ran across a sad-looking old fiddle with the neck fallen off, no bridge or strings in sight, paired with a emaciated bow minus the horse hair. Although, with a little love, it could be some pretty neat wall art. Hmmm . . .
And then there were the LP's! There were stacks and stacks of vinyl albums and singles, some just lying around naked, but most in their distinctively worn cardboard covers. My gosh, I could flip through them for hours. A friend of mine has been giving me a crash course in classic rock, so the first thing I hunted for was Beatles records. And sure enough within seconds, I discovered the Fab Four adorning the cover of Let It Be. I was highly tempted to snatch it, but being a poor almost-college student, I also figured I should probably refrain from shelling out $25 for wall art and get a playable recording so I actually knew all the songs on it (ha!). You see, I'm in about kindergarten where my Beatles education is concerned. In an attempt to remedy my ignorance I'm reading the book Here, There, and Everywhere which outlines the (supposedly) top 100 Beatles songs. It's pretty fascinating because it not only gives the gist of each song, but also details about the recording process and lots of little bits of history. Just listen to this factoid: "In 1982, composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein said that fifteen years after first hearing it, 'A Day in the Life' 'still sustained and rejuvenated me.'" And did you know that Paul McCartney got the idea to use a piccolo trumpet in "Penny Lane" after hearing a Bach Brandenburg Concerto? And all fellow gig musicians will share my amusement at the fact that "The four members of the string quartet George Martin hired to record 'Yesterday' had never played together as an ensemble before the session." Classical music and rock apparently aren't as alien as I had assumed . . .
But pardon my digressions . . . well, I didn't buy any Beatles records (yet) but I did find one pretty nifty vinyl that I just couldn't resist (especially given the $3 price tag) — Itzahk Perlman's recording of the Paganini Caprices. They didn't have many classical LP's compared to rock albums, so I thought this was a bit of a lucky find, even though it apparently isn't worth much. It's funny, I don't own a record player and I'm pretty sure this hunk of vinyl wouldn't play even if I tried it, but it still feels pretty cool to own a little bit of history like that. It's in the original 1972 case, and somewhat battered (although I prefer the term well-loved). Looking at it makes me wonder where it's been and who originally owned and listened to it, and how many hands it has passed through to get to me.
At this rate, the antique store may turn out to be my favorite secret refuge. I've always loved browsing through places like Borders or Barnes and Noble, or a cute gift shop or jewelry store, but they pale in comparison to the things I found in this antique mall. After the commercialized perfection of normal stores, it's kind of thrilling to see all this random stuff crammed into one place. It's the perfect juxtaposition of the mundane and the beautiful, junk and treasure — everything is unique and has a history to it. I'm not sure what's gotten me into this nostalgic mood (I suspect Beatles 101 may have something to do with it) but I can guarantee you'll browsing the antique mall again in the near future. : )
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July 18, 2007 09:31
The other day one of my student's parents gave me some photos she'd been carrying around since a recital of mine back in February. It was the nicest surprise — I'm not sure why, but afterwards it almost made me cry a little. Seeing all those sweet smiling faces together, and knowing that I was their teacher, it just touched me.
Not that I'm naive about the challenges of teaching . . . believe me, as loveable as they are, my little munchkins can sure try the patience some days. I've been through more than one Saturday of sleepy 8 year olds, disorganized parents, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for the umpteenth time after 6 hours straight in a cramped, windowless studio. There are days when I'm forgetful or frustrated, or both.
And yet . . . and yet despite all the challenges, teaching is still one of the most rewarding things I've ever attempted. I never tire of hearing my 7 year old beg to play "Brother John" with me again, or of watching as a parent smiles in delight while her child plays "Twinkle" for the first time. I've seen students make breakthroughs after weeks of seeming stagnation. I've watched the most shy little girl change from whispering to her mom every five minutes to spontaneously opening up to me about school, friends, and life. I've taught a brother and sister violin as their baby brother coos adorably through the lesson. I've chatted and laughed with my high school student about everything from summer camp to prom dresses. I feel lucky knowing that not only can I be a teacher and role model to these young students, but a friend as well — a big sister, almost. When I'm going through a tough day — or week, or month, all I have to do is look at these pictures and I remember, this is why I teach.
"To laugh often, to win the affection of children, to earn the appreciation honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch . . . to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!" — Ralph Waldo Emerson
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July 15, 2007 16:59
Well, before I wrap up my little bits of nostalgia about my favorite musical place on earth, I can't resist sharing my favorite quotes from Sound Encounters. Some are universal, others about specific technique; some serious, others funny; but I think they all have something important to say.
Quotes from great teachers:
"The greatests musicians are those with the fastest ear." - Brian Lewis
"The secret to good shifting is timing, not speed." - Harold Robinson
"Our job as musicians is to fill the space around us with sound" - Brian Lewis
"Spiccato is legato that is off the string." - Brian Lewis
"What separates great artists is what they find in the music." - Dorothy Delay, via Brian Lewis
"Bow speed is destiny!" - Jeffrey Irvine
"Don't hold the bow, balance it." - Richard Aaron
"Virtuosity is not about speed." - Brian Lewis
"Practice feeling, not reflexes. Reflexes are the first thing to go when we are nervous." - Richard Aaron
"The difference between good musicians and great musicians is this: good musicians practice until they get it right; great musicians practice until they can't get it wrong." - Amy Barston
"Shift from position to position, not finger to finger or note to note." - Donald McInnes
"Artistry is measured by the number of notes one cares about." - Paul Kantor
Other little bits of wisdom I have picked up randomly while at SE:
"Whatever you can do or dream you can do, begin it; boldness has genius, power and magic in it." - Goethe
"Our life is what our thoughts make it." - Marcus Aurelius
Enthusiasm comes from a Greek word meaning "inspired by the gods."
"Confidence comes not from always being right, but not fearing to be wrong." - Peter McIntyre
Einstein's definition of insanity: doing the exact same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
And finally, in a category all its own, Bargisms, : ) i.e., favorite sayings from one of the most special conductors and mentors I've ever known, David Barg. Just for fun we thanked Mr. Barg this year by giving him a t-shirt with a list of our Top Ten Bargisms on the back. I never got a picture of the actual shirt, but here's what it looked like:
Here are some more that didn't make the cut:
"Life begins outside the comfort zone."
"It's the little notes that are important"
"A rest is never a rest. A rest is the release of a note."
"Practice makes permanent."
"Fake it till you make it"
"Don't attack the note—attack the phrase."
"Play it like you mean it"
"Model the behavior you want in others."
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July 8, 2007 20:09
When I went to camp this summer, some of the best technical advice I picked up came from the viola, cello, and bass master classes I watched. No kidding. I was really impressed with how well these teachers gave suggestions universal to all stringed instruments. When I came home from camp I was actually excited about practicing, just so I could try out all their ideas. Here are some of my favorites:
Jeffrey Irvine, viola
Mr. Irvine was very enjoyable to watch. He has a great way of giving students one or two specific compliments before jumping into the piece with his own suggestions — a quality I always appreciate in a teacher. I saw him work with two young violists on the Hoffmeister Viola Concerto and the Marcello Sonata in G Major. One thing he spent a good time on was using the bow to its full capacity. This means not only being comfortable all the way from frog to tip, but also planning the right balance between bow speed, sounding point, and weight. He said there are basically 5 sounding points on the viola, from right next to the bridge to right near the fingerboard. He suggested experimenting with each sounding point and consciously choosing the right one for a given passage. He also encouraged a faster, longer bowstroke when you need to project more. "Bow speed is destiny!" he said with a smile.
After working on bowing, Mr. Irvine went into some vibrato exercises. You know the usual exercise where you take one finger at a time and rock it back and forth on the string to a metronome? Instead of having the finger planted on the string, Mr. Irvine suggested doing that vibrato exercise in harmonics, setting the finger very gently on the string. If you practice all the fingers this way for several weeks, it can really free up your vibrato. A wide vibrato is essential for any violist, but this exercise would be useful for any string player in need of a freer vibrato.
Richard Aaron, cello
Mr. Aaron has got to be one of the most amazing teachers and musicians I've ever seen. His playing is immaculate and he sets high standards for his students, yet he is extremely personable and friendly, and has a great sense of humor too. I honestly learned enough from him in one thirty minute master class to work on for an entire year or more. One of my friends played the Prelude from Bach's Cello Suite No. 2 for him. The biggest point Mr. Aaron worked on in the class was developing as many ways as possible to practice a piece, so you don't just learn it, you really know it. Here's a summary of his ideas:
1. Play the whole piece in double stops for intonation, smooth transitions, and shifting. While doing this you should pay special attention to your left hand position, making it as relaxed and natural as possible.
2. Practice sections using "ghosting." You do this by touching the strings very lightly and allowing the fingers to sink in gently without squeezing or pressing. The idea is to eliminated as much tension as possible
3. Another way to practice is to play very slowly with a metronome (using soft hands with no vibrato or tension), observing that all joints in the left hand are curved. The purpose of this is to "practice feeling, not reflexes." According to Mr. Aaron reflexes are the first things to 'go' when you are nervous.
4. Try using a metronome set to one click per fastest rhythm in the piece, then slow the metronome down to larger and larger rhythmic divisions. For example, if you started at 200 with one click per eighth note, then you'd do 100 with one click per quarter note, 50 with one click per half note, and so on until you're down to one click for each measure or even every other measure. Mr. Aaron said that many musicians consider metronome practice constricting — this kind of metronome work is actually liberating. It trains you both to develop good internal subdivision and think in larger musical segments.
5. To practice coordination in slurred string crossings, play the passage as if it is in up bow or down bow stacatto (depending on the situation) only, instead of doing one articulation per pitch, do at least 2 or as many as four. For example, instead of slurring open G-D-A-E, you'd articulate G-G-D-D-A-A-E-E all in the same bow. This trains you to use the bow evenly and make clean string crossings. Be careful to have a relaxed bow hold. Actually, Mr. Aaron said that "bow hold" is a poor description, because we shouldn't hold the bow, but rather balance it. So, keep your "bow balance" relaxed as you do this. : )
One final idea he had was that in Bach especially, you should take some time to play a few of the chord progressions on the piano. The chord names aren't important — the purpose is to examine the tonal qualities of the chords, and see how each is beautiful. This will then influence your choice of phrasing and color when you go back to play the piece.
Harold Robinson, bass
In addition to seeing Mr. Robinson teach a bass master class, I was able to play for him myself in my quintet, which was learning the fourth movement of Dvorak's Quintet in G Major (for string quartet and bass). At first I was nervous about playing for Mr. Robinson, who is not only on the faculty a Curtis (along with Edgar Meyer) but is also principal bassist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. However, after meeting him after a recital, I realized what a friendly, down to earth person he is. Here's a picture with bassist Dennis Whittaker, my friend Elizabeth, Mr. Robinson, and me after the recital (which was, by the way, one of the most AMAZING performance I've ever seen in my life. To give you just an idea, Mr. Robinson played Bartok's Romanian Folk Dances — better than most violinists I've heard. No kidding.)
Anyway, during our quintet coaching, Mr. Robinson was really friendly and helpful. Most of his comments were specific to the piece, but he did give one general suggestion which made a big difference. Whenever we had unison sections consisting of small repeated phrases, he told us to back off a little with the dynamics so that we'd have room to crescendo to the end of the passage, giving it more direction.
In the bass master class I watched, the student played Koussevitsky's Chanson Triste (literally "sad song") which I'd never heard but which is a beautiful, melancholy piece. Most of his advice was specific to bassists, but he had one great practice technique which I've found really helpful. In passages with lots of shifting, simply play through slowly, putting slurs between every note. For example, instead of playing BDF, you'd play B, B-D, D-F and so on.
I've been trying to apply these idea in the month since I've been back and am finding them all highly useful. For example, I've been practicing my Flesch octaves using both Mr. Robinson's slurred shifting idea, and Mr. Aaron's emphasis on relaxed left hand technique. I could notice a difference immediately — they're getting much more smooth and in tune. (Oh and speaking of Flesch, did you know Mr. Aaron said that he has has students practice scales for 2 hours every day?? Once they can do that well, they can do anything). I'm using a lot of Mr. Aaron's suggestions in the fifth movement of the Lalo as well, and they're helping a lot. I'm realizing more and more that it's not usually the notes themselves, but what comes in between the notes that is most important. Shifts, intervals, string crossings — these are where I have the most challenges, and if I can make them more smooth and consistent, my playing will get much better.
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July 1, 2007 17:00
Continuing on with my notes from Sound Encounters . . .
"The greatest musicians are those with the fastest ears" — Brian Lewis
In addition to my own master classes with Brian Lewis, I was lucky to have time to observe several other violinists play for him. Here is a summary of his advice on various pieces:
Bach E Major Preludio
One of Brian's most important suggestions for the Preludio (and for solo Bach in general) is to thoroughly study its architecture. He recommended looking for patterns and numbering them 1, 2, 3, etc., and using those sequences as the foundation for dynamics and phrasing. That way you always know you're going and where you've been. Another comment Brian had on the Preludio is that the faster you play it, the closer (and easier to hear) the harmony changes are. A faster tempo also allows you a little more freedom to take time where appropriate. While discussing Bach he also brought up the concept making a tempo chart. Whenever you learn a new piece, it's a good idea to listen to your recordings of it, and using a metronome, write down the tempo of each artists. This then allows you to compare the interpretations of different violinists and gives you a general range of how fast the piece has traditionally been played.
Barber Violin Concerto, Movements 2 and 3
In addition to playing the first movement of the Barber for our group violin repertoire class, I listened to master classes on the last two movements. One interesting fact that Brian kept bringing up in relation to the Barber was the that it was premiered by American violinist Albert Spalding. Brian highly recommended Spalding's autobiography Rise to Follow, which I had never heard of but am now itching to read. (Brian was also proud to say that he owned Spalding's very own travel trunk). As far as the actual concerto goes, Brian had some beautiful pictures for the opening of the second movement. A general way to imagine the beginning, he said, is like waking up in the glow before sunrise — that lazy, comfortable, half-conscious, stretching kind of atmosphere, which then changes suddenly at the Piu mosso as the sun clears the horizon. Brian also told his own personal story of what this passage reminds him of. Once while on tour in Australia, it just so happened that his birthday fell during that week. So, for a birthday present to himself, he decided to go watch the sunrise over the ocean at a beach in western Australia. He went to the beach while it was still dark, and happend to run into a group of senior citizens who met there regularly to swim in the mornings. Then invited him to join him, so he did. An elderly couple led him out bit by bit into the freezing water as it was still dark. There he stood shivering in the blackness until they told him to dive under the water, and then emerge on their signal. Brian dove, and the moment his head cleared the water, the first blinding ray of the sunrise hit the top of the water, bathing the ocean in light. Whenever Brian plays the opening of that second movement, he imagines the beginning as the cold, dark ocean until the sunrise emerges at the Piu mosso. Quite a story, eh? Brian's other main advice for this movement was simply to enjoy the gorgeous theme on the g string at the Tempo I. Keep everything really connected, and just go for it, and don't feel afraid to take time on notes or shifts that you especially love. He also suggested paying very close attention to the orchestra/piano part when phrasing in Barber — arrival points often come when there is a special harmonic change in the accompaniment. For the third movement, Brian offered the idea that "spicatto is legato that is off the string." He suggested playing on the string to practice, and then when you do play it off, to keep the bowstroke long enough for a good, healthy sound throughout the movement. He also emphasized good posture, because keeping the violin consistently held up helps balance the weight of the bowstroke, resulting in less work and more evenness.
Bruch Violin Concerto, Movement 1
There's a certain "tradition" at Sound Encounters that always makes me smile — if you see a violinist tuning not her A, but her G string to the piano, it's a tell-tale sign that she's about to perform the Bruch Concerto. This tuning method is Brian's suggestion whenever playing Bruch with piano since it makes the prominent sustained G's sound more in tune with the accompaniment. (On a side note, have you ever tried screaming into a piano? One year when I myself played this concerto for Brian, he had us both yell into the piano to see how much the strings vibrated and hear how resonant it was. Laughter aside, he was trying to get across how carefully we should listen to our intonation when playing the piano). Anyway, in this particular masterclass, Brian suggested inventing characters to go with the different sections of the piece — the more detailed the description, the better. Male or female? Old or young? Body type? : ) etc. Then, after re-playing the section with that character in mind, you can analyze exactly what you changed in your technique, such as different vibrato, bowspeed, or sounding point. You should not only know what character you want, but how to create that character. Alternatively, he said, you could ask yourself what color a certain passage should be, or what texture. Is it dark, or light, transparent or opaque, hard or soft?
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, Movement 3
One of Brian's key points for this movement were relaxation and good intonation. He stressed feeling flexible, and taught several stretches he recommended we do before playing, including one where you swing your arms in forward and backward while bending up and down at your knees. One particular spot in the piece that requires relaxation is the large run with the flute on the first page. He said it should be played with "forte bows, but piano fingers." Brian also noted that E major is one of the most difficult keys for violinists to play in, and recommended practicing E major scales in drones with open strings. As you play the scale, try to adjust any out of tune pitches in a single bow — don't keep retaking or sawing back and forth until it is in tune. This forces you to develop a faster ear and gives you more realistic practice for the kind of intonation adjustment needed in performance.
Saint-Saens Violin Concerto No. 3, Movement 1
Before going into the specifics of this concerto, Brian gave a little background to the composer. Saint-Saens wrote this work shortly after the deaths of his two children and a separation from his wife. Though nothing in the piece refers explicitly to those tragic events, Brian thinks the second movement sound like a lullaby for Saint-Saens' children, and the dramatic theme of the first movement may have been triggered by the composer's emotional state during this period. Brian also wanted us to know that the metronome markings in this concerto are from Saint-Saens himself, and not an editor, and noted that the piece was dedicated to Sarasate. Then, delving into the music itself, Brian really wanted the opening theme to be strong, with clear accents, bow-speed energy, and appassionato vibrato. He said it's okay to have a bit of a hard "k" sound at the beginning of each note, because you wouldn't be able to hear that over an orchestra. While we're on this subject, I can't resist digressing a bit . . . have any of you heard the words that you're suppposed to sing to Saint-Saens No. 3? A bass teacher (of all people!) told me about this at Sound Encounters this year. They go like this: "Oh my God I'm scared . . . that I'm never going to hit this note!" I have to admit, that really cracked me up. : ) Anyway, back to "serious" topics of interest . . . Another of Brian's very helpful comments on this concerto was to keep track of all the expressive markings, especially with the lyrical themes. Saint-Saens give very descriptive instructions for how he wants the various sections played: espressivo, dolce, tranquillo, etc. Following all these expressive markings really adds a layer of beauty to the piece.
Sibelius Violin Concerto, Movement 1
I'm not as familiar with this concerto as some others, so I can't terribly specific here, but I still have a few interesting notes to pass along. Brian pointed out that Sibelius wrote in metronome markings that are actually slower than most violinists today play this concerto, particularly in the third movement. So he recommended seeing what tempi Sibelius actually called for before simply copying recordings. Brian's main technique comment was to play most of the octaves near the end fingered as 1-3 rather than 1-4 to give your hand more stability (although, of course, you should always use the fingering that works most comfortably for your own hand.) Also, octaves should always be played with at least 60% of your bow weight on the bottom note and 40% on the top. (He said you could even do as much as 70% / 30% in some cases). This always helps octaves sound more in tune.
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Movements 1 and 3
Again, I am simply not familiar enough with this concerto to give more detailed notes, but I'll do my best. : ) One thing Brian stressed in the Tchaikovsky is to use "simple rhythm." For example, you should try playing the opening of the first and third movements a few times with no rubato, just to see the rhythmic architecture before you decide where to take time. In the first movement when there are long runs, Brian recommended using vibrato and bow speed to accent high points, rather than taking time. This makes things much simpler when you play the concerto with orchestra. For the third movement when you come to the ascending double stops near the end, he suggested that you know exactly what the shift patterns are. It sounds simple he said, but knowing exactly when to shift and when to stay will simplify your life. : )
Whew! I didn't realize how much information I picked up from these classes until I typed it all out. And I even left some things out! Hopefully some if this is useful you y'all . . . I'm sure as I keep expanding my repertoire I'll be glad I kept all these notes. : )
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