[06/16, 21:00] Piet Koornhof: I have already brought to your attention the requirement to read a score properly. Proper reading saves you from having to unlearn unnecessary mistakes due to careless reading, and saves your teacher from having to point out basic reading mistakes that should have been avoided in the first place. In short, it saves time for both you and your teacher. Who wouldn’t want that?!
Please note, a musical score can be thought of as having three levels of information:
The stave
Above the stave
Below the stave
The stave contains the clef, key signature, meter, pitches, note values, rhythms, and rests.
Above the stave are indications of tempo, character, articulation, phrasing, fingerings and bowings.
Below the stave are mostly expressive indications, including dynamic levels and fluctuations, tempo fluctuations, and phrasing and articulation of notes with their stems pointing upward.
Negative hallucinations
It is all too easy to read only and carelessly what is on the stave, while missing most of what is above and below it. Look again at the lists above, and count the number of different categories. There are more than fifteen (15) different categories of information present on a page of music notation. It easily happens that much of it is missed in a careless reading. Please guard against it.
It requires acute awareness and discipline to thoroughly read all three levels of musical notation. Please be reminded of it. I do not like having to point out negative hallucinations. (Negative hallucinations = not seeing what is in fact visible)
Let me explain a few principles of fingerings and bowings that will improve your reading of scores.
These are the criteria for deciding on fingerings and bowings:
Musical sense (is the interpretation supported by the choices? Does it sound like I want it to?)
Technical efficiency (is it the least effortful way to achieve the musical goal?)
Expressive devices which may (or may not) be independent of the overall interpretation.
The ideal is to have “musical sense” (nr.1) as the highest criterion. Sometimes, in rare circumstances, we have to compromise. Hopefully, very seldom. In the vast majority of cases, musical decisions should override technical comfort. There are exceptions, of course. When a musical outcome is unattainable, due to technical inability, it is conceivable to choose fingerings and bowings that are at least playable for the time being.
Unfortunately, many students reflexively use the fingerings and bowings which they find most comfortable, ignoring the indications in the score. They fall back on their default habits. This usually involves preferring to play in first position and, if unavoidable, third position, with other positions seemingly avoided at all cost. It also usually involves substituting open strings for the fourth finger. The consequences, in the longer term, are continued ineptness in other positions, and a fourth finger that remains weak from lack of use.
Leaving your comfort zone
Improvement, per definition, is a process that requires us to venture outside of our comfort zones. If we never attempt something that is less familiar and therefore less comfortable, we cannot improve. Therefore, if you want to improve you have to have the courage and the discipline to move outside of your comfort zone. You have to try things that are uncomfortable and/or unfamiliar. If you remain comfortable for any extended period of time, the chances are that you are not learning anything new. Comfort should not be your default position if you want to develop as a musician. Those who learn the most and improve the quickest are those who seek out and welcome discomfort as learning opportunities.
I am often asked, incredulously, why a passage cannot be played in first position and with open strings. My answer usually involves the following:
The first position/open strings option doesn’t make nearly as much musical and/or technical sense as the indications in the score (those that I approved or indicated).
You need to develop proficiency in other positions than the one or two that you are comfortable with.
Your pinky needs to be strengthened and exercised so that you can use four fingers with equal proficiency instead of just three. Who wants to be a three-finger violinist if you can learn to use all your fingers equally well?!
Now, here are some specific musical and technical criteria for choosing fingerings and bowings.
Minimizing string crossings.
Often we have to choose between discomfort in the right hand/arm and discomfort in the left hand. The choice depends on the context and the musical goal. I often choose fingerings that minimize big or awkward string changes with the bow. It can save energy, as well as ensure better articulation and coordination.
Staying within timbre zones (different strings and positions have different “tone colours”).
Sometimes, depending on the context, I might prefer to keep the timbre the same for a complete phrase. This might require going into a higher position on the same string, which might be less comfortable for the left hand, but sound better musically. So be it. Musical considerations should usually trump technical ones. At other times, in different contexts, one might decide to change the timbre within a phrase, or between phrases for subtle contrast. It has implications for choices of fingering.
Iterating/maintaining finger and/or bowing patterns, including string changes.
If possible, and it very often is, it saves much effort and brain power if a pattern of fingering and/or bowing can be repeated (iterated), provided that results in sound don’t conflict with the musical goals.
Rules for score reading and finger and bow setting when indications are absent:
Stay in the position of the last fingering indication, until there is a new indication. Do not revert to an “easier” position, simply because you feel like it. Only change to a different position when there is an explicit indication to do so.
Use an up-bow for an upbeat, if nothing is indicated, especially at the beginnings of phrases after rests. Usually (there are always some exceptions), it sounds and looks more musical. The principle is congruence = looking the way you sound = up-bow for an up-beat; down-bow for a down-beat). Congruence has persuasive power. If you look the way you sound, you are communicating the same message in two perceptual channels, instead of two contradictory messages.
Use down-bows for endings of phrases, whenever possible, unless explicitly indicated otherwise by the composer (not the editor, who may or may not be any good!). It allows for natural decrescendos/diminuendos, and it looks the way it sounds, making for congruence.
Avoid string crossings for single notes, i.e. avoid going to a different string for a single note in a group of notes which could otherwise be played on one string, unless a string crossing with the bow is less problematic than a shift or stretch in the left hand.
Avoid shifting down to first position for only one or two notes, and then back up again, simply for the momentary comfort of playing in your default comfort zone.
Resist the temptation to play open strings when you see the notes E, A and D that correspond to those open strings. Again, being in your default comfort zone should not be your only criterion for choice of fingering. Open strings sound quite different from other notes. They tend to stand out like sore thumbs in the midst of musical phrases of notes that are pressed down and are coloured with vibrato. Usually, we want consistency in phrases, with subtle, and not sudden and glaring changes. Open strings, depending on the context (mostly in lyrical passages) can sound too glaringly different. In fast passages, however, for purposes of articulation, and for more comfort, they can be useful.
Rest assured, I spend a lot of time and effort deciding on fingerings and bowings. Usually, when I have completed the process of deciding on fingerings and bowings (with minor changes still possible as work on a piece progresses), most of the learning process is done. Think of it as plotting the logistics of a piece. To me that is usually more than 60% of the work required to technically play a piece. It is also based on the most important musical decisions. What remains then is fine-tuning of the technical and musical execution. That is how much thought and experimentation goes into fingering and bowing decisions.
Of course, there is scope for your individual differences and tastes, but not as much as you might think, and not this early in your violinistic education. First of all, the constraints imposed by thorough musical and technical considerations, keeping in mind the rules of musicianship, the universal characteristics of the human anatomy, and typical violinistic practices, don’t usually leave much room for substantial differences in fingerings and bowings. Not if we are dealing with a well thought-out, consistent interpretation of a work, and a responsible violinistic approach. With a completely different interpretation, yes, different fingerings and bowings might be suitable, but still constrained by well-tested violinistic practice. But first you have to learn about musical and technical thinking within a consistent framework. Once you understand that, you’ll be free and capable of developing different and unique frameworks.
Part of my job is to expose you to the complete process of musical interpretation/conception of a composition AND the technical execution of that interpretation/conception. We strive for consistency in that process. Once you have been sufficiently exposed to the process and developed a fundamental understanding of the principles involved, you’ll be able to apply it on your own.
But before you can do that with any measure of success, you’ll have to follow the instructions of your teacher. Your ability to make musical and technical decisions will increase in proportion to the discipline with which you learn from people who have already walked the path. Musical and technical independence is acquired through disciplined study, not a birthright.
It is my hope that these principles, rules and practices will become clearer to you through practical musical examples.
Please note, a musical score can be thought of as having three levels of information:
The stave
Above the stave
Below the stave
The stave contains the clef, key signature, meter, pitches, note values, rhythms, and rests.
Above the stave are indications of tempo, character, articulation, phrasing, fingerings and bowings.
Below the stave are mostly expressive indications, including dynamic levels and fluctuations, tempo fluctuations, and phrasing and articulation of notes with their stems pointing upward.
Negative hallucinations
It is all too easy to read only and carelessly what is on the stave, while missing most of what is above and below it. Look again at the lists above, and count the number of different categories. There are more than fifteen (15) different categories of information present on a page of music notation. It easily happens that much of it is missed in a careless reading. Please guard against it.
It requires acute awareness and discipline to thoroughly read all three levels of musical notation. Please be reminded of it. I do not like having to point out negative hallucinations. (Negative hallucinations = not seeing what is in fact visible)
Let me explain a few principles of fingerings and bowings that will improve your reading of scores.
These are the criteria for deciding on fingerings and bowings:
Musical sense (is the interpretation supported by the choices? Does it sound like I want it to?)
Technical efficiency (is it the least effortful way to achieve the musical goal?)
Expressive devices which may (or may not) be independent of the overall interpretation.
The ideal is to have “musical sense” (nr.1) as the highest criterion. Sometimes, in rare circumstances, we have to compromise. Hopefully, very seldom. In the vast majority of cases, musical decisions should override technical comfort. There are exceptions, of course. When a musical outcome is unattainable, due to technical inability, it is conceivable to choose fingerings and bowings that are at least playable for the time being.
Unfortunately, many students reflexively use the fingerings and bowings which they find most comfortable, ignoring the indications in the score. They fall back on their default habits. This usually involves preferring to play in first position and, if unavoidable, third position, with other positions seemingly avoided at all cost. It also usually involves substituting open strings for the fourth finger. The consequences, in the longer term, are continued ineptness in other positions, and a fourth finger that remains weak from lack of use.
Leaving your comfort zone
Improvement, per definition, is a process that requires us to venture outside of our comfort zones. If we never attempt something that is less familiar and therefore less comfortable, we cannot improve. Therefore, if you want to improve you have to have the courage and the discipline to move outside of your comfort zone. You have to try things that are uncomfortable and/or unfamiliar. If you remain comfortable for any extended period of time, the chances are that you are not learning anything new. Comfort should not be your default position if you want to develop as a musician. Those who learn the most and improve the quickest are those who seek out and welcome discomfort as learning opportunities.
I am often asked, incredulously, why a passage cannot be played in first position and with open strings. My answer usually involves the following:
The first position/open strings option doesn’t make nearly as much musical and/or technical sense as the indications in the score (those that I approved or indicated).
You need to develop proficiency in other positions than the one or two that you are comfortable with.
Your pinky needs to be strengthened and exercised so that you can use four fingers with equal proficiency instead of just three. Who wants to be a three-finger violinist if you can learn to use all your fingers equally well?!
Now, here are some specific musical and technical criteria for choosing fingerings and bowings.
Minimizing string crossings.
Often we have to choose between discomfort in the right hand/arm and discomfort in the left hand. The choice depends on the context and the musical goal. I often choose fingerings that minimize big or awkward string changes with the bow. It can save energy, as well as ensure better articulation and coordination.
Staying within timbre zones (different strings and positions have different “tone colours”).
Sometimes, depending on the context, I might prefer to keep the timbre the same for a complete phrase. This might require going into a higher position on the same string, which might be less comfortable for the left hand, but sound better musically. So be it. Musical considerations should usually trump technical ones. At other times, in different contexts, one might decide to change the timbre within a phrase, or between phrases for subtle contrast. It has implications for choices of fingering.
Iterating/maintaining finger and/or bowing patterns, including string changes.
If possible, and it very often is, it saves much effort and brain power if a pattern of fingering and/or bowing can be repeated (iterated), provided that results in sound don’t conflict with the musical goals.
Rules for score reading and finger and bow setting when indications are absent:
Stay in the position of the last fingering indication, until there is a new indication. Do not revert to an “easier” position, simply because you feel like it. Only change to a different position when there is an explicit indication to do so.
Use an up-bow for an upbeat, if nothing is indicated, especially at the beginnings of phrases after rests. Usually (there are always some exceptions), it sounds and looks more musical. The principle is congruence = looking the way you sound = up-bow for an up-beat; down-bow for a down-beat). Congruence has persuasive power. If you look the way you sound, you are communicating the same message in two perceptual channels, instead of two contradictory messages.
Use down-bows for endings of phrases, whenever possible, unless explicitly indicated otherwise by the composer (not the editor, who may or may not be any good!). It allows for natural decrescendos/diminuendos, and it looks the way it sounds, making for congruence.
Avoid string crossings for single notes, i.e. avoid going to a different string for a single note in a group of notes which could otherwise be played on one string, unless a string crossing with the bow is less problematic than a shift or stretch in the left hand.
Avoid shifting down to first position for only one or two notes, and then back up again, simply for the momentary comfort of playing in your default comfort zone.
Resist the temptation to play open strings when you see the notes E, A and D that correspond to those open strings. Again, being in your default comfort zone should not be your only criterion for choice of fingering. Open strings sound quite different from other notes. They tend to stand out like sore thumbs in the midst of musical phrases of notes that are pressed down and are coloured with vibrato. Usually, we want consistency in phrases, with subtle, and not sudden and glaring changes. Open strings, depending on the context (mostly in lyrical passages) can sound too glaringly different. In fast passages, however, for purposes of articulation, and for more comfort, they can be useful.
Rest assured, I spend a lot of time and effort deciding on fingerings and bowings. Usually, when I have completed the process of deciding on fingerings and bowings (with minor changes still possible as work on a piece progresses), most of the learning process is done. Think of it as plotting the logistics of a piece. To me that is usually more than 60% of the work required to technically play a piece. It is also based on the most important musical decisions. What remains then is fine-tuning of the technical and musical execution. That is how much thought and experimentation goes into fingering and bowing decisions.
Of course, there is scope for your individual differences and tastes, but not as much as you might think, and not this early in your violinistic education. First of all, the constraints imposed by thorough musical and technical considerations, keeping in mind the rules of musicianship, the universal characteristics of the human anatomy, and typical violinistic practices, don’t usually leave much room for substantial differences in fingerings and bowings. Not if we are dealing with a well thought-out, consistent interpretation of a work, and a responsible violinistic approach. With a completely different interpretation, yes, different fingerings and bowings might be suitable, but still constrained by well-tested violinistic practice. But first you have to learn about musical and technical thinking within a consistent framework. Once you understand that, you’ll be free and capable of developing different and unique frameworks.
Part of my job is to expose you to the complete process of musical interpretation/conception of a composition AND the technical execution of that interpretation/conception. We strive for consistency in that process. Once you have been sufficiently exposed to the process and developed a fundamental understanding of the principles involved, you’ll be able to apply it on your own.
But before you can do that with any measure of success, you’ll have to follow the instructions of your teacher. Your ability to make musical and technical decisions will increase in proportion to the discipline with which you learn from people who have already walked the path. Musical and technical independence is acquired through disciplined study, not a birthright.
It is my hope that these principles, rules and practices will become clearer to you through practical musical examples.
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