My Mahler Nightmare

June 29, 2010 at 2:45 AM

I may die of shock soon. Literally. My school has posted the placement audition requirements. And, it looks rough from my end at least. Mahler I, movements I and IV. And of course, they won't specify what parts of each movement they want until the day of. The first movement doesn't look so scary but the last one with a few fun-looking flats and 8va all over the place have sent my head spinning. How can I ever hope to be able to play these things for an audition of all things? How can I hope to play well when I know that I will be auditioning with (against?) returning students who might just be able to eat me alive for breakfast?

I am dreading August 20th 2010.

From erik liu
Posted on June 29, 2010 at 2:08 PM

I hate to say I told you so....

From Bart Meijer
Posted on June 29, 2010 at 4:45 PM

More than six weeks is a lot of time. Prepare well, and good luck.

Bart

From Lisa Van Sickle
Posted on June 29, 2010 at 10:16 PM

The good news is that Mahler looks harder than it really is. Slow down, breathe deeply, and start taking it apart. (Everyone else is probably having a cow about it too.) Get a recording, of course, and listen to it, part in hand. Then start looking for patterns, modulations, the associated scales, positions, etc. You have several weeks. Plug away, and you'll be fine.

From Michael Divino
Posted on June 30, 2010 at 12:35 AM

I don't know whether to separate the bowings in the part just for the sake of "ease." I just---- don't know how to attack it.

From Patricia Baser
Posted on June 30, 2010 at 2:47 AM

Listen listen listen. Use practice rhythms on note-y stuff. Make a lovely chart of metronome markings and start ridiculously slow. Break the music into sections and then go up one notch on the metronome at a time.

From Laurie Niles
Posted on June 30, 2010 at 5:30 AM

Dear Michael,

That's some of the most beautiful music ever written. Hard, yes, but less so if you love it and want it. I'd advise finding a good recording, or even going to a good performance of this work and then listen to it in some kind of extremely peaceful setting and just enjoy every note. Then continue to listen to it a ton, until it's really banging around in your brain. But hopefully it's banging around in your brain like something you love and are excited about and not like a persistent worry.

Certainly you will have to do your figuring-out and put in your reps. But any time you can also spend listening and enjoying this piece is time very well-spent.

Gingold's Symphonic excerpts Vol III might give some ideas as to what might be some of the key parts...

Laurie

From Stephen Brivati
Posted on June 30, 2010 at 6:44 AM

Greetings,

aside from really getting to know and love the whole score and following lauries advice about the gingold I think you should just relax a bit. It semes to me that part of your problme is some kind of mentla distinction between orchestral parts and cocnertos. IE you would expect to build up the Beethoven concerto thoughtfully and efficiently ove rtime but somehow you feel you ought to be able to bang out some tehnically demanding orchesral work straightaway.

You would be much better off recognizing you have time and making a plan. What kind of plan?

Obviously locate the truly difficult secxtions and decide how you are going to allocate them practice time. During that time employ all th4 practic etehcniques you would on any new cocnerto. Make sure you play them through in a broader context after the detialed pracitc ein the same wya you would with a cocnerto. After doing this refine your plan to work on the bits thta still arent going well. Just stay with this cycle.

OPay agreat dela of attention to rythmic control with extensive us eof the metronome. Not necessraily fast, but under control and build up slowly. make sure you have a clear mentla imgae of the rythms -without- the isnturment. If you cna play it mentally then the physicla side will come up veyr rapidly.

`Pay a lot of attnetion to the dynamics. You will wnat to show in your audition that as a reliable orchetsral player you pay attention to what is on the page.

Cheers,

Buri

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My Mahler Nightmare

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