Mahler yesterday, Song today.

November 5, 2006 at 8:36 PM

So yesterday was the Mahler 5 concert. Today is play day. I am allowing myself to do whatever I want, with no pressures or negative thought. There were some fairly ragged spots in the third movement, and some ensemble problems in the finale. But I am not personally responsible and I did my best, so I am pleased. I am also pleased because I played much more of the music than I did last time I played Mahler 5. I didn't let myself fake any passages, and if I felt I wasn't right on the money in runs, I paused my bow and waited for it to become clear. Since we were using the revised orchestrated version (by Mahler), it had such exposed parts that I felt this was more responsible than my personal image.

And my bow arm was smoothe and shake-less. That is a big deal for me. I felt confident and as a result, today is happier. I still had a cold hands problem, but it wasn't painful and I took good care of my body all weekend. I now have a break from my recently crazy schedule to play viola and practice solo rep. on both instruments.

I am going to post an audio file: I am not sure it is completely violinist.com worthy, because it is a song, with string quartet accompaniment. But this is what I do for fun with music. Orchestra and practicing and the "quest" is fun as well, but this is how I relax with music. The song has 12 string guitar, two violin parts, two viola parts, and vocals. I take full responsibility for all of them, which could be good or bad.. The song was written in 1999 when I was an undergrad sophmore. Ahhh....the emotive years. It is called "Hypochondriac".

From Richard Hellinger
Posted on November 6, 2006 at 12:04 AM

My main problem is faking passages... I have been working on it a lot lately, and when we played Russlan and Lumilla (not sure if you are familiar with it) I didn't fake one passage! I was so proud of my self!

From jennifer steinfeldt warren
Posted on November 6, 2006 at 12:20 AM

That's great! I'm not familiar with that piece. Composer? Isn't it frustrating when you really work a passage and get it learned, only to miss it in the performance because either someone else is rushing, or you (aka.I) am behind, or there is a time warp in the performance hall?

Grrr. So no faking means you must have had not only preparation, but immense focus and concentration. I didn't fake, but I missed some runs I could have, with, like mentioned...the hover-and-figure-out-the beat-bow.

Congratulations.
JW

From Elizabeth Smith
Posted on November 6, 2006 at 2:30 AM

By coincidence, my daughter did an orchestra solo today and before she performed the orchestra played Russlan and Lumilla. I think it's Glinka. Lots of fancy fingerwork for the upper strings-- it was a fun piece to listen to.

From Stephen Brivati
Posted on November 6, 2006 at 4:29 AM

Greetings,
the Glinka piece isa real champagne cocktail, nothing more. It actually isn`t that difficult once you have the basic scales down. The muscial difficulty is actually a tendency for orchestras to think in two instead of one whihc can cause the peice to sit on its backside and possibly get impregnated. it is well worth learning just so you are ready when some idiot conducte rsprings it on you. Not very long.
Cheers,
buri

From Richard Hellinger
Posted on November 6, 2006 at 10:17 PM

no it isnt terribly difficult, but there are a few parts where you are doing eighth notes in cut time at half note=130 in fifth position, that is when it gets hard... but most of it is scales... but then some of it isnt.

This entry has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.

Mahler yesterday, Song today.

Laurie's Books

Subscribe