Sibelius concerto question

April 23, 2005 at 03:01 PM · My question is about the first cadenza in the first movement of the Sibelius concerto, where it begins the velore scale on the G string. After the scale, there is the section of broken diminished chords across three strings. In the edition I have, the bowings work out to be upbow every downbeat. I find this tedious and absurd. Upon looking at the piano score, the bowings were different and more economical. With little alteration, the bowing could work out to be downbow on the downbeat at this section. Does anybody know of a good bowing that has worked for them? Also, the g minor arpeggio section in the next cadenza has funky bowings, any ideas?

Replies (5)

Marty Dalton

April 23, 2005 at 09:41 PM · Starting the Largamente on an up bow gets you on a down bow when the 16ths become separately bowed (starting on the F#). In this case you're doing a downbow on the 1st and 3rd beats of measures.

Rita Livs

April 24, 2005 at 05:10 AM · Yes, that's good idea. In my music (too lazy to find it now) it also starts up bow, but this pattern (two 16th are slured and two separated)continues, and starting from f#(in the 3rd measure of Largamente) all rest section of 16th notes are played separately, starting down bow. I am not sure, but as I remember, I have Mostras's edition. In 2nd Cadenza, you can divide this big slures by two bow directions, 32nd notes passages always start down bow (actually you can create your way with bow directions. It is Cadenza...).

Good luck.

violetcat (rachel)

April 25, 2005 at 03:50 AM · My music is marked identically to what Rita Livs posted, but there is always the option of starting the slurred 16ths downbow, and then stopping the slur one group of 16th notes early, so that the bowing works out downbow on each of the first 16th notes afterwards.

Jose Garza

April 29, 2005 at 10:46 PM · Thank you for your responses everybody. I've found the suggestions comfortable and I really like being able to play these sections with more ease. Isn't this a fantastic concerto?

Wei-Ning Sun

May 17, 2005 at 11:13 PM · This took me about 7 hours to perfect, it's so hard...

I basically start the 16ths upbow thats already printed in my music and then do separate bows later

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