JAVS Spring 2011

Example 9. Schubert, “Arpeggione” Sonata, movt. III, mm. 1–8.

Example 10. Schubert, “Arpeggione” Sonata, movt. III, mm. 9–16.

down into a controlled tempo. Gradually move the viola up into a playing position. Now, experiment with different combinations of fast, slow, wide, and narrow vibratos in order to have perfect control and the widest expressive possibilities. Thomas Riebl’s playing is ground ed in his many years of perform ing, recording, and expanding the viola repertoire and from teaching it to talented students. He allows students to become frustrated with their technical problems by waiting until they can hear the musical problem themselves and then attempt to fix it. When they can’t fix it on their own, he will suggest effective solutions. This helps stu dents to stay active and independ ent while learning. For example, if they need to go closer to the bridge and use flatter bow hair, they must first hear that the sound is weak or forced. He does use a mirror in lessons and suggests it for practice, but he prefers it as an occasional method of checking things rather than a constant practice companion. It’s better to feel the way to play and to hear the sound connected to it.

dents to rid ourselves of bad habits— each moment is new, each note and phrase is heard more clearly. Here we learn a deeper respect for the score, but avoid a stilted style of “urtext playing,” by combining historical knowledge with our own interpreta tion and imagination. We involve our more freely moving body in the production of sound and focus on creating a swinging feel and ringing sound. The final performances are striking showcases of what is possible to learn in just one session. Each stu dent improves dramatically and has been challenged by Mr. Riebl to add a new dimension to his or her play ing. Students leave with more than a surface of new phrasings, deeper musical understanding, richer sound, more provocative expression, and more accurate notes and markings. We take with us the smile Thomas has taught us to express, and we are able to enjoy our music and better share it with others. Janice LaMarre performs chamber and solo recitals in the Northeastern United States and Canada during the year and in Europe during the summer. Her current research proj ect involves the 160 viola transcrip tions of David Kates. Find her lat est news and concert schedule at www.janicelamarre.com.

book on violin playing. In the trea tise, Mozart dryly laments a malady affecting many violinists of his day— a “high fever” in vibrato. He suggests instead to simply “move the finger up and down a bit” and to think of vibrato more as an ornament than a constant texture. Mr. Riebl uses the metaphor of a house so covered in decoration that you don’t see the house any more, or a window so cov ered in flowers that you can’t see through it. He asks us to be clear enough with phrase, bow speed, con tact point, and swing to express with out vibrato. When added, vibrato then releases and translates the bow’s weight into the left hand. Start the vibrato from the sound: listen for the “whoah-ah-ah-ah” and really hear the oscillation in detail. Check how the motion works without the viola. Shake the hand while holding the viola in “rest” position under the arm, allowing the finger to slide up and down. Now, fix the finger on the string, keeping the free feeling in the wrist, but using more of a fore arm impulse rather than from the wrist. The thumb touches the neck of the instrument without any pressure. From this swing, give an impulse toward the bridge. Speed it up in a steady pulse to become fast and intense, then slow it back

Visiting Thomas Riebl’s summer stu dio at Bad Leonfelden allows stu

J OURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA SOCIETY 58