Double Bass Sterling Cello Suite Notation/Fingering

[JamieParkinson]

Hi,

I've just bought the Cello Suites (Sterling Edition) and am somewhat confused by some of the writing - my puny pianist brain can't handle it, they're probably stupid questions.

1) Harmonic/Open notation - I know harmonics are notated with the perfect circle above a note but in the first bar there's a G, the same note as open G, notated with the circle - does this just mean open G?

2) Weird position brackets - Couple of instances of the position brackets above the stave which I don't get - one in bar 2, with the top line doubled - I'm not sure what this means, I know I can't reach the high F and A under this without moving (does it mean to pivot?). Also a separate bracket under an IV bracket in bar 8, no idea what that means.

3) Fingering and positioning - this is less to do with notation, more to do with my incompetence. Where should I be playing the stuff with no suggested fingering? ie bar 6, 11, 12 etc etc... A lot of this I immediately assume to be around 1st/2nd position etc ('lower' positions) but I have no idea if this is right.

Apologies for my stupidity. This piece will take a lot of work, slurring the whole sets of semiquavers looks nasty.

Thanks!

 

[neilG]

1) Harmonic/Open notation - I know harmonics are notated with the perfect circle above a note but in the first bar there's a G, the same note as open G, notated with the circle - does this just mean open G?

Yes.

2) Weird position brackets - Couple of instances of the position brackets above the stave which I don't get - one in bar 2, with the top line doubled - I'm not sure what this means, I know I can't reach the high F and A under this without moving (does it mean to pivot?). Also a separate bracket under an IV bracket in bar 8, no idea what that means.

Everything under the bracket is within one position. In this case you extend your first finger and/or open your hand to reach back to play the A, and in bar 8 the E. The double bracket is there to explain it as an extension within the upper position. The "IV" refers to the fourth position as taught in the German or Simandl tradition. Both examples could have been notated with the double or the single bracket.
Most bassists would not have any trouble playing the minor sixth in that position.

3) Fingering and positioning - this is less to do with notation, more to do with my incompetence. Where should I be playing the stuff with no suggested fingering? ie bar 6, 11, 12 etc etc... A lot of this I immediately assume to be around 1st/2nd position etc ('lower' positions) but I have no idea if this is right.

If there are no suggested fingerings, do what you want or what makes sense. You can even ignore the suggested fingerings.

 

[JamieParkinson]

Thank you very much! That all makes complete sense now, stretching the strict Simandl positions seems sensible.

I'm having real difficulty slurring the whole minim-length groups of semiquavers now (any advice on that?) but apart from that I'm making decent progress.

Thanks!

 

[Bill Bentgen]

I've been playing these for years. Try playing 2 bows per measure in the first movement of the first suite. Treat that long 1 measure slur as a phrase marking.

 

[JamieParkinson]

I think it's that that I'm struggling with (slight transatlantic language difference too, I *think* what you'd call a measure is for me a bar and my 'minim' is a half note), ie for the first bar, playing the first 8 semiquavers (16th notes, total length of one half note) in one bow and then switching to an upbow for the next 8. Is that what you mean? It just seems like there isn't enough bow to play it!

Shifting in one bow is pretty hard too - I need more practice on it, my slurred bowing is AWFUL. Guess I should slave over the bowing patterns in Simandl...