JAVS Spring 2006

ORCHESTRAL TRAINING FORUM:

RAVEL DAPHNIS & CHLOE, MAHLER SYMPHONY #I 0

By Basil Vendryes

violas. l recommend stayi ng away from the bridge and using a slight ly faster, shimmering vibrato. T here is a rhythmic passage at fig ure 164 that often goes awry in the fourth bar. Super-imposing the fi rst th ree measures over measures 4-6 (by humming or just hearing it mentally) will expose a rhyrhmic simi lar ity that should aid in stabi lizing any problems. Exaggerating the hairpins within these three bar phrases wi ll help to shape the line. The final melodic surge on the A string (figu re 165) should be approached with a deep bow and faster vibrato to compliment the louder dynamic. I have indicated two slides, both of whi ch are taste ful and in line with the passion of the passage. Mahler Symphony # 10 T his last, unfinished symphony of Gustav Mah ler receives perhaps the least performance exposure (i n 27 seasons and four different orchestras l have performed it only once), and so direction/in forma tion on how to prepare this mate ri al is often limi ted to reference recordjngs. It is a beautifu l, albeit quirky work, and d1e material used for viola audi tions comes from the first movement. T hese two excerpts usual ly complement or replace the common excerpts

wi ll address two common technical challenges to performing lyrical music under pressure: large shifts and inadvertently bouncing bows. Ravel Daphnis et Chloe, Suite 2 Wh ile this excerpt requires several basic orchestral skills (dynamics, in tonation, etc), the primary goal is tone and color, very much like Roman Carnival. T he major di ffer ence between these Lwo French excerpts lies in the openi ng, where rhe tone of the low strings is emphasized (the melody in the Berli oz is all on the upper strings). Choosing a wa rm vibrato- medi tun speed and with some width wi ll help the viola resonate and bring out the lower overtones. T n this impressionistiel roman tic music we can afford to take some artistic risks with choice of string (playing the fifth measure up on the C string) or the occasional slide. Phrase length cannot be stressed enough- it is all too easy ro allow the slurs to chop up the longer lines. Be sure to si ng through each phrase and deter mine breathing points with you r voice. Singi ng ofren shows us more natu ral phrasing/breathing poi nts. Once we arrive on F# (figure 161) the part becomes accompanimen ta l and one must remember to keep rhe A string tone honeyed/ less bright - a big task on many

Every work on an audition list has a goal or purpose in the eyes and ears of an aud ition committee. Like etudes and studies, if we approach the excerpt with a sense ofwhy it is being asked (as opposed to merely the hazards Lhat it con tains) we wi ll be able to better focus on and complete the goal set. Most excerpt lists for viola include "The Big Fivc"-Strauss Don juan, Beethoven Symphony #5, Shostakovich ~ymphrmy #5, Berlioz Roman Carnival and Mendelssohn Midsummer Night's Dream Scherzo. Each addresses a specific aspect of a violist's playing ability: Don Juan fo r technique, Shostakovich fo r shifting ease in upper positions, Roman Carniva l fo r tone/melodic line, Mendelssohn spiccato and Beethoven rhythm/intonation. There are several excerpts in the repertoire that may be substituted in place of any of these five, allow ing for variety and challenge in a list while still covering the requi sites demanded of an orchestral violist. T he two excerpts Twi ll dis cuss below arc primary examples of works rhat will make the occas ion al appearance on an audition list. Both require skills found in one or more of the big five, and are valu able add itions to the violists' audi tion repertoire. ln conclusion, I

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