intro and rondo cap chords instead of false harmonics?

May 30, 2005 at 05:17 AM · I think the double stops and chords are far more convincing an answer to the dramatic scale than the relatively weak harmonics that Saint-Saens originally wrote. I play double stops of F# over D, then G# over D, then an a minor chord of A,E,C,A. After the second scale I play double stops of top line (E string): F,F#,G,G# with bottom line (A string) of D,D,D,D, and then the same a minor chord. Haven't checked the Heifetz record to see hear whether it's note for note the same, but it's the same general idea.

May 30, 2005 at 07:48 AM · Yes I absolutely agree with you Oliver on the chords being more convincing especially if you are going to play this with orchestra. I think Heifetz was the one that started this trend, now you hear lots of people playing it that way. From hearing the recordings a gazillion times I'm pretty sure those are the exact notes that Heifetz did. He also I think started the trend of doing the e-major scale an octave higher than notated the second time the passage repeats on the 1st line of the 3rd page.

May 30, 2005 at 10:57 PM · yeah he does do the scale an octave up the second time, and some other players have done that as well.

i think the harmonics can be convincing if they're played right, but it requires tight vibrato and a particular sharp accent in my mind to make it come out enough.

but i like the chords too, i dunno.