Hi,
Wouldn't it be great if we could just say: "Play Mozart like this..." I am afraid your question would take years of answer and discovery. THIS is WHY we go to music school and have private teachers, to understand stylistic differences and different eras of music. Why, do you suppose, Mozart is generally played in a lighter, more spiccato manner, than Strauss? What does a teacher mean by a "Beethoven staccato?" Or terms like "martalé" "marcato" "staccato" "Spiccato" "leggiero" "battuto" etc ... what significance do they have, how does one execute them, what are the techniques required? These are all what advanced studies of music, especially stringed instrument playing, is about. We are trained to do specific kinds of articulations for specific composers, and general techniques for eras. It would be impossible to "get it" from a text-based forum.... though I will attempt some:
Mozart, though at times is often played on modern instruments and in the "correct" style, is now often played on "Period Instruments" for a certain (albeit controversial) sound that people believe Mozart was hearing (though may not have truly wanted... but that's another topic). On a modern double bass with a modern bow, you must learn to play spiccato (jumping, bouncing bow) well, especially through fast sixteenth-note passages. It must be ultra-clean, clear, projecting, and dynamic... and IN TUNE! Though Mozart wrote few dynamics, phrasing is required (inflection and following of the line with the inflection). All musical lines, even accompaniment, are interesting and must be played with energy to keep the line interesting.
Beethoven, a late Classical period composer, wrote a lot more dynamics and was also VERY specific about rhythm. Though spiccato is used, you might consider it heavier in general than Mozart, and for some loud and fast playing, in Beethoven, use a quick and heavy staccato, not lifting off the string, not bouncing. Again, this is a generality, not specific about passage. Some of the "lightest" and bouncy music has been composed by Beethoven. Mozart's 40 Symphony is as heavy and contrapuntal as Beethoven's 3rd or 4th Symphony. So Marriage of Figaro has a different "feel" than his 40th Symphony and must be reflected in your playing.
The Strauss is an early-ish work in his career and is not as bombastic as some of the later operas and waltzes. Is is "light" - ish, but compared to Mozart, a much more "Into the string" approach is used. A lot of the bass playing here is simply to keep the beat. Lots of loud down-bows!
Overall, always match the articulation of the rest of the string section. En-masse their education about eras is directed by the conductor. Hopefully he/she has a good ideas about string articulation and how it has evolved over the centuries.
Best of luck!
PN
Quote:
Originally Posted by dbassnut  Hi,
I am playing the following pieces for an upcoming concert & would appreciate any tips you have on them.
WA Mozart – The Marriage of Figaro: Overture
WA Mozart – G Minor Symphony (No 40)
Johann Straus, II – Die Fledermaus Overture
Beethovan – Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
I understand the desired sound/feel for different composers would not be the same as the double bass was evolving would sound & be played differently during each era the composer was living in.
Someone told me that I should play mozart pieces with a light detached feel.
I play with with a french bow by the way and am the sole double bassist in the amateur orchestra so there isn't anyone else here I could consult with.
Thanks,
Dbassnut |
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