The Secret of Powerful Playing

Ah, where to begin. This morning I continued my Kreutzer review focusing for some 40 minutes or so on #18 – it’s in volume 2 of Kreutzer for Violin Mastery.

On first glance it looks like just another trill study; there are 10 in this section of Kreutzer’s book of etudes.

On second, third, fourth glance, however, it becomes much, much more. And on one of the deeper levels it’s about leveraging ‘timing’ to create the complete illusion of force, or power.

In fact, powerful playing on the violin is almost COMPLETELY illusion. If, in the search for ‘power’ on the violin, one brings more and more muscle to bear, the results can quickly devolve into cacophony.

Not something most of us want.

Rather, the secret of creating power-full effects on the instrument lies in timing, and the very precise use of small, yet focused amounts of ‘muscle.’

Kreutzer #18 is a great case in point.

In the middle of the etude there is an extended passage of ‘prepared’ trills with little ornaments at the end of each that take you to the next one. The whole passage has the implied expressive marking of ‘con forza’ – ‘with force’.

However if physical force is what one brings to it, unless he or she happens to be a 20 year old dynamo, I can almost guarantee one’s left hand and arm will freeze up solid in short order trying to play this passage.

If, on the other hand, you use the muscle between your ears to ‘problem solve’ – i.e. Lighten the finger pressure to a minimum, and sharpen the timing of the grace notes, bowing accents and ornaments – something quite force-full can emerge.

Now, this is just one small example of using LESS to create the effect of MORE.

I do the same with literally every aspect of my playing, whether it’s vibrato, triple stopping or playing ‘gran detache.’

The real power comes from the powerhouse lying between my ears. Of using it to maximize the efficiency of every inflexion and movement my arms, hands and fingers make.

Keep your attention on this and your playing will take off like gangbusters, only to be outpaced by the pleasure you’re getting from it.

All the best, Clayton Haslop

P.S. You know, there’s a very nice discount to take advantage of when you invest in all 4 volumes of Kreutzer for Violin Mastery.