How is it best to regard violin technique?
I think of it in the frame of the music itself. Music should dictate the technical means to be used. The composition and its phrases should define bowing and the tone quality employed. One should not think in terms of down-bows or up-bows.
In the Brahms concerto you can find many long phrases: they cannot be played with one bow; yet there has to be no obvious change of bow. If the player doesn't know what the phrase means; the proper way to give intepretation to it, how will he be well placed to bow it correctly?
And there are so many different nuances, especially in legato. It is as a rule produced by a slurred bow; yet it can also be produced by other bowings.
Thinking as a Violinist
To secure a good legato tone watch the singer. The singer can establish the perfect smoothness that legato calls for to perfection. To secure a like effect the violinist should convey the impression that there's no point, no frog, the bow he uses is of infinite length.
And the violinist should never think: 'I must play this up-bow or down-bow. ' Artists of the German school are more inclined to begin a phrase with a down-bow; the French begin to play a good deal at the point. Down or up, both are secondary to finding out, first of all, what quality, what balance of tone the phrase demands.
The conductor of a symphonic orchestra does not care how, technically, certain effects are produced by the violins, whether they use an up-bow or a down-bow. He only says: 'That's too heavy: give me less tone! ' The result to be achieved is always more important than the method of accomplishment.
The Phases of Violin Technical Achievement
All phases of technical accomplishment, if correctly bought, have a tendency to become 2nd nature to the player in the course of time: staccato, a brilliant trick; spiccato, the reiteration of notes played from the wrist, etc...
The martellato, a nuance of spiccato, should be played with a firm bowing at the point. In an exceedingly broad spiccato, the arm might be brought into play; or otherwise not, since it makes quick playing not possible.
Too many newbies try to play spiccato from the arm. And too many teachers are contented with a trill that is merely brilliant. Kneisel insists on what he calls a 'musical trill, ' of which Kreisler's gorgeous trill is an ideal example.
The trill of some violinists is invariably brilliant, whether brilliancy is suitable or not. Brilliant trills in Bach always appear misplaced to me; while in Paganini and in Wieniawski's Carnaval de Venise a high brilliant trill is effective.
And obviously, if you should chance to play a great instrument, say a Strad, it all gets better. A Yamaha violin could be a Strad clone that is close enough.
On Double Stops and Harmonics
As to double-stopsâ€"Edison once announced that violin music should be written only in double-stopsâ€"I practice them playing first the single notes and then the 2 together, and can recommend this mode of practice from personal experience.
Harmonics, where clearness is the most vital thing, are typically a matter of bowing, of a sure attack and sustaining by the bow. Naturally the harmonics themselves are made by the fingers; but their tone quality rests altogether with the bow.
I think of it in the frame of the music itself. Music should dictate the technical means to be used. The composition and its phrases should define bowing and the tone quality employed. One should not think in terms of down-bows or up-bows.
In the Brahms concerto you can find many long phrases: they cannot be played with one bow; yet there has to be no obvious change of bow. If the player doesn't know what the phrase means; the proper way to give intepretation to it, how will he be well placed to bow it correctly?
And there are so many different nuances, especially in legato. It is as a rule produced by a slurred bow; yet it can also be produced by other bowings.
Thinking as a Violinist
To secure a good legato tone watch the singer. The singer can establish the perfect smoothness that legato calls for to perfection. To secure a like effect the violinist should convey the impression that there's no point, no frog, the bow he uses is of infinite length.
And the violinist should never think: 'I must play this up-bow or down-bow. ' Artists of the German school are more inclined to begin a phrase with a down-bow; the French begin to play a good deal at the point. Down or up, both are secondary to finding out, first of all, what quality, what balance of tone the phrase demands.
The conductor of a symphonic orchestra does not care how, technically, certain effects are produced by the violins, whether they use an up-bow or a down-bow. He only says: 'That's too heavy: give me less tone! ' The result to be achieved is always more important than the method of accomplishment.
The Phases of Violin Technical Achievement
All phases of technical accomplishment, if correctly bought, have a tendency to become 2nd nature to the player in the course of time: staccato, a brilliant trick; spiccato, the reiteration of notes played from the wrist, etc...
The martellato, a nuance of spiccato, should be played with a firm bowing at the point. In an exceedingly broad spiccato, the arm might be brought into play; or otherwise not, since it makes quick playing not possible.
Too many newbies try to play spiccato from the arm. And too many teachers are contented with a trill that is merely brilliant. Kneisel insists on what he calls a 'musical trill, ' of which Kreisler's gorgeous trill is an ideal example.
The trill of some violinists is invariably brilliant, whether brilliancy is suitable or not. Brilliant trills in Bach always appear misplaced to me; while in Paganini and in Wieniawski's Carnaval de Venise a high brilliant trill is effective.
And obviously, if you should chance to play a great instrument, say a Strad, it all gets better. A Yamaha violin could be a Strad clone that is close enough.
On Double Stops and Harmonics
As to double-stopsâ€"Edison once announced that violin music should be written only in double-stopsâ€"I practice them playing first the single notes and then the 2 together, and can recommend this mode of practice from personal experience.
Harmonics, where clearness is the most vital thing, are typically a matter of bowing, of a sure attack and sustaining by the bow. Naturally the harmonics themselves are made by the fingers; but their tone quality rests altogether with the bow.
About the Author:
Mark is a violinist, as well as a busy entrepreneur. He feels he'll find his true self only when he's playing his violin. He maintains a blog about violin reviews, where he also covers the diverse flavors of Yamaha violin. A Yamaha violin could be a superb choice when searching for a violin to start playing.
