Double Bass Scherzo from Mendelssohn's Mid-Summer Nights Dream

[basscleff94010]

I have been asked to play the Scherzo from Mendelssonhn's "Mid-Summer Nights Dream" in my local chamber orchestra. I find it very challenging to maintain a clear articulation of the 16th notes in the piece at the stated tempos. My sound is muddy and often late coming off the pattern.
Any advice on how to bow this piece accurately?
(I did search this forum several time but found no results. The Mendelssohn Scherzo is very popular, so I have to believe that others have encountered this problem. Please excuse my miss-post if this if I missed it.)

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[PaulCannon]

I suppose the biggest consideration is what kind of stroke makes the most sense, and that will depend on the tempo. When it's on the slow side, the stroke is offish. Not a super bouncy spiccato, but still slightly bounced just past the balance point on the stick.

If it's very fast, you should use a proper sautillé stroke. The stick will still jump, but the hair should never leave the string. Every bow has a slightly different point where this works best, but it tends to be close the center of the stick -- often just inside the lowest point of the stick's camber.

If that doesn't help or doesn't make sense, just use more rosin.

 

[basscleff94010]

Thanks for your suggestion. I haven't studied the sautillé stroke with my teacher yet. I guess this is the next conversation. (I have confused sautillé with spicatto.)