The Fine Points of Playing, Part 1

Summer’s turned hot here in Red Rock country. And that’s a good thing, actually. Soon we’ll be treated to spectacular thunder storms as moisture from the gulf rushes in behind the rising air. A great season in Southwest.

Now, for the next couple days I thought I’d look at what I call ‘fine points’ of violin playing. Today’s could be seen as rather controversial.

You see, there is a popular belief, especially amongst conductors trying to get large ensembles to play together, that putting little holes in the fabric of sound helps folks play more in rhythm.

Specifically I’m talking of notes tied over from one beat to the next which are immediately followed by quick notes – for example, a quarter note tied to a sixteenth, which is then followed by detached sixteenth notes.

And very often, in such places, players are told that it is best to stop the sound on that tied over sixteenth so that they won’t be late on the following notes.

Now in my humble opinion, one has nothing to do with the other.

Sustaining the tone or dropping the tone have neither to do with whether one plays in time.

To begin with, stopping the bow on the tied note and restarting it, in itself, requires time. Seems to me keeping the bow in motion without interruption to the change of bow is actually MORE efficient, not less.

And secondly, the interruption of sound often creates a break in the flow of energy – once I have an audience’s attention I don’t want them to have any excuse for taking their attention elsewhere, if you get my drift.

No, the secret to good rhythm are efficient fundamentals – no wasted movements impeding bow changes; a continuous, ongoing awareness of the flow of time; and an eye to what’s ahead.

For my ears, the ‘tidiness’ that comes with inserting rests where they are not indicated often misses the very point of the fast music.

Drive. Forward progress. Finding the edge, and staying on it.

That’s the kind of velocity that gets, and keeps, my attention.

All the best,  Clayton Haslop

P.S. Now, if this has your engine started and you’re looking for a great course to test it on, try Kreutzer #31. This etude is just the kind of music we’ve been talking about. And you’ll find today’s advice and much more on this virtuosic caprice in volume 3 of my best selling program, ‘Kreutzer for Violin Mastery.’