6. Integration/Remembering How to Compose

February 18, 2012 at 7:49 PM

Integration

Last night, after my student recital (which went well), I began integrating my vibrato and new bow hold into my playing using actual works. It's seemed a bit daunting and I put it off about a week. But last night I went slowly through the 4th page of Mozart Concerto No. 4, and played that 4th page about 6 times. Each time I discovered I was reverting back to my old ways, and my tempo slowed significantly over time to account for these un-foreseen "mistakes." The last technique and most significant to integrate was the bow arm, which opened and closed so automatically in my scales and long bows on open strings, but so un-automatically once my eyes hit a page of music. My vibrato is still slow and finicky sometimes, and very rarely, reverts to arm vibrato. I always wanted a wrist vibrato, so this is good. Now I can begin to "sound" like everyone else, for what that is worth.

Here's a reminder on Chord Progressions, as I must write a piece for my work, and I simply forgot how to write music:

iii vi ii/IV V viio I

Cm Dm, EbAUG, Fmaj, Gmaj, Adim, Bdim, Cm

I often start with the melody; as a violinist this is understandable! But the foundation MUST be laid before a melody is established, I've found. The whole form and chords must be planted solidly in the mind. It's like creating a road, before you drive down it. So here is my current structure for this piece:

Jubilee

As you can see, I developed a Bach-feel "main theme" (A) in Eminor, which has a "pop" feeling ending to it and am now going to transition into a softer, more lyrical B section. This is as far as I've gotten today.

From Roy Sonne
Posted on February 19, 2012 at 10:49 PM

Anna, please don't "sound" like everyone else. You have too much to offer.

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