Form, and Your Violin Sound

Weather just turned Thanksgiving here in Sedona. Sky’s gray and close; through the mist I see a new whiteness resting on the shoulders of faceted lime and sandstone monoliths; limb and leaf wear glistening tears, sometimes losing their hold and streaking toward Earth.

Ah, well, so much for poetic. Sure feels nice to indulge now and again. Apologies if it comes at your expense.

This morning I was challenged. My body decided over night that it didn’t want to remain that of a magnificently trained and supremely conditioned artiste.

So when I picked up the violin this morning a rather rueful smile broke across my lips. ‘Please make this easier,’ it said.

Well, before THAT was going to happen I had to switch my brain on. Also had to stoke up the fires of passion that had quieted over night.

First order of business; get my form back. That is to say, I had to slowly stretch out stiff and reluctant body parts. Mostly I did it whilst playing, though periodically I stopped to do some stretch moves ‘a capella.’

The next step involved gaining back control and independence of the digits – this is where woke my brain up and asked for strict attention. At the same time I listened to my tone, maximizing the color, richness and penetration in each note.

Finally, I fine-tuned my timing and ability to sustain a musical line. At this stage I’m breathing, authoring the flow of time, and conjuring rich the mental pictures of sensations and details associated with what I’m playing.

Now, for the previous several days I’ve been immersing myself in the melody of Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight’ Sonata, movement 1 as I’ve done all this. I’ve also been on a hunt for the perfect ‘line’ through it.

In the process I’ve moved from notes, to feelings, to notes, to feelings, many times – feelings having somewhat to do with emotion, yet perhaps more to do with physical sensation; both tactile and aural.

This melody just screams violin. In fact it has been such a worthy place for some of my practice time I’m going to teach it to my ‘Allegro Players’ this month. In the bargain I believe they will get a lesson in Adagio Playing that is second to none. You, too, may join the growing ranks of self-motivated learners by becoming a member of my ‘Allegro Players’ today.

All the best,

Clayton Haslop

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