Double Bass Trout quintet, Theme and Variations question

[Anne Millington]

I am listening to various versions of the Schubert Trout quintet, watching how other bassists are approaching things. Regarding the Theme and Variations, I have seen Variation V played pizz up to the last 8 mm, which is NOT how my part is marked, or played arco throughout. Is there any convention about this? I kind of like the pizz version; it's so "progression in octaves-y". But I want to do what's right.

 

[neilG]

It's not pizz. in any score or part I've ever seen. Get your pizz jollies in Variation 1.

 

[Anne Millington]

It's not pizz. in any score or part I've ever seen. Get your pizz jollies in Variation 1.

Thanks, I can't find any indication but arco as well. I just saw one YouTube performance where it was pizz, and it set me wondering.

The whole piece is full of jollies, eh?

 

[neilG]

I just saw one YouTube performance where it was pizz, and it set me wondering.

People do all kinds of things, some of them in questionable taste, IMO. My pet pizz peeve is the Air from Bach's 3rd orchestral suite. There's no indication anywhere that the continuo strings should play pizz, but a lot of groups do it. It sounds contrived and out of place to me. I think it was a Stokowski thing.

 

[Anne Millington]

People do all kinds of things, some of them in questionable taste, IMO. My pet pizz peeve is the Air from Bach's 3rd orchestral suite. There's no indication anywhere that the continuo strings should play pizz, but a lot of groups do it. It sounds contrived and out of place to me. I think it was a Stokowski thing.

I totally agree re the 3rd orchestral suite. Arco sounds so much better, and offers more latitude for nuance. I don't know why you would waste so much musical opportunity w/ pizz.