JAVS Fall 2003

time away of the performance. Dynamically speaking, make sure this passage is not too loud until the ff in the second ending (notice yet another open string fingering suggestion). I would like to discuss my unusual fingering in bars 173-178. I have tried doing this in position, but found it too taxing, especially as a section to get this really dead-on in tune. So, I advocate jumping strings in the forte passage, and going to third position when it comes back as an echo in bar 210. To accom plish this string crossing, I play the middle C in bar 173 on the short side; however, I very pur posefully back away from any hint of shortness or accent in the ensuing middle Cs through the next 3 bars. I also really back off the open D string in bar 178, although a solid articulation will restore the true pulse at that point. At the end of the excerpt it is nice to make a small diminuen do and disappear into the atmos phere with a tight vibrato on the final A. Beethoven Symphony No. 3, Movement 3, Scherzo The Scherzo of the Eroica Symphony is a great excerpt for control issues. It hits four major categories; rhythm, dynamics, left hand and right arm. The most difficult thing for me in my approach to this excerpt, is to be mindful of the practice discipline of varying practice tempi, so that all of the above categories get a full workout in each setting, or more basically, finding the time to

get all of these issues addressed. Just eight clicks on the metronome will toss you into a different world of coordination. Tempi vary in this movement greatly from conductor to con ductor, and sometimes even from performance to performance. There is only one bit of general advice that I have that fits all tempi. Start on the string. The bowings printed here are per formance bowings for the Indianapolis Symphony. Some of the starting bowings are designed to match what is happening around us and not necessarily designed for optimal playing as a single player in the audition set ting. I have to say though, that this bowing is serviceable for an audition, if approached in the right way. The biggest problem with the bowing, in my view, occurs in bars 100-118. It requires a right hand technique similar to an up-bow staccato. The difference is that one approaches the first note from a slur, rather than a stop. This requires a bit more grace. When one starts from a stopped or even opposite direction (down) bow, the first digit on the right hand is the most responsible for providing an impetus for the stroke. When one is coming from an up-bow slur or long note and then re articulating a note, I believe it is important to concentrate on the impetus placed on the pinky fin ger of the right hand. It need not be overdone because that finger is weak by nature, so it needs help from the right elbow at least being in a slightly higher trajecto

in the lower half of the bow for the crescendo coming in bar 67. It is the same in bar 71, but be careful not to reach too loud a dynamic as we need to save ourselves for bar 83. In bar 64 there is a fingering problem that has a couple of solu tions. If you are uncomfortable with a lot of string crossings the fourth finger comes in handy, but this requires a little shifting from the second finger on the D to play the G four times in a row, which can get tedious. So as a safety, and because it fortunately happens each time on a strong beat, I play these Gs with the open string. It is a very soft passage, so just touch ing the string will get the note to speak. Starting with the pick-up to bar 147, I like this note full value but separate, with the first eighth note articulated and longish. I think the eighth note passage at the begin ning of this excerpt needs to swing or pulse by the bar, despite the tempo. When the quarter notes come with the pick-up to bar 150, a more arched phrasing can begin with the top being the downbeat of bar 152, and then back to a bar per bar feel at 155. For audition purposes the passage needs to be practiced with repeats. Always ask for guidance from the proctor at the audition if it is not clear as to whether one should play the repeat or not, and for that matter, how one should count extended rests. I think it is always a good idea to keep lines of communica tion open with whoever is admin istering the audition with these kinds of concerns, as long as it does not begin to take too much

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY 74