Practice Notes, Ep. 26 - Combining vertical dexterity and supple lateral movements

A bedeviled practice session, focusing on one of the most haunting, mercurial, and fun parts to study - the cadenza from Giuseppe Tartini’s “Devil’s Trill” Sonata.

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I entered the mode by faintly knowing how I wanted to sculpt the harmonic progressions and gestures, and throughout the minutes, ended up with something that was far less geometric and symmetrical than I expected - the end result was a more fluid, legato approach. Probably will change tomorrow. Such is practice...

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Coordinating vertical finger movements with horizontal movements of the hand and arm is a long-standing challenge, and this particular section puts it to the test. Mindful awareness of different amounts of counter-pressure exerted by the thumb against the neck board and its lateral adjustability directly affects the agility of the fingers, which are engaging in fleeting interactions with the elastic strings. The bow’s contact point in the playing area is constantly varying as well to ensure a solid core in the sound, regardless of which strings being played on and regardless of which double stop hand frame being operated in. Lot to think about... Work in progress.

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#violin #violinist #giuseppetartini #devilstrill

Practice Notes, Ep. 25 - Intensive mode unleashed for Eugène Ysaye's Sonata no. 3, "Ballade"

Back in full intensive mode with Eugène Ysaÿe’s Solo Sonata no. 3, which I will be recording next month for @twelve.thirtyfour.music. The choreography of the conclusion is challenging - the poetic nature unflinchingly underscores a particularly virtuosic section, framed by a simple, taut harmonic progression, and the body is faced with rapid string crossings... the mind is on fire, in a state of at once hyperactivity and composure!! Imagining the movement coming from the sternoclavicular joint, where the collarbone connects to the sternum, and the arm as suspension system of springs (joints).

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#violin#violinist#eugèneysaye

Impressions from Travels - Naples, Florida.

4th live performance after the lockdown last year - a memorable experience sharing Mozart’s Turkish thrills with the Naples Philharmonic and Mo. Radu Paponiu on two consecutive nights in the acoustically magnificent Hayes Hall. Here's a clip of one of my absolute favorite moments in the concerto - the solo entry in the second movement, "Adagio". Some words to characterize this movement: ethereal, plaintive, wistful, all underscored by a sense of calm buoyancy.