TCHAIKOVSKY, Pyotr Ilyich
Pezzo capriccioso (Capricious Piece) for cello and piano in B minor, op. 62
Emil Rovner, visiting professor
Ignacio García Núñez, student
Miguel Ángel Ortega Chavaldas, accompanying pianist
After the student plays the piece, the professor congratulates him and they begin to review it from the start. Rovner asks him what he thinks about before he begins to play, because for him it is important at the beginning to think about projecting and sending the sound to the back of the auditorium. To sustain that sound, as if he were an opera singer, outward-opening body gestures will also help, without hunching in. Afterwards, a little more rubato can be used before beginning the lyrical, cantabile section. In the professor’s view, he would avoid such short articulation; even if it has dots, rather than making it so dance-like he would do it more as if reciting with melancholy, but without reaching the sentimentality that Tchaikovsky avoided.
When he plays the D string, he should think about drawing out more sound so that it does not remain so muted. He continues with phrasing and expressiveness indications for this section. Afterwards, the professor recommends increasing the dynamics and the speed of execution slightly for the virtuosic passage, and then making it freer by opening the sound a little more on the long notes. In the professor’s opinion, a certain central harmony should be prepared a bit more, modifying the dynamics in the score slightly if necessary. For the later passage of fast notes, Rovner suggests using less bow and making it more spiccato, because that will also help him play faster. He also gives him indications regarding coordination and sound balance with the orchestra.
In general, he suggests there should be more contrast between the cantabile section and the virtuosic one: in the former, sing in a more operatic way and take more time and freedom, and in the virtuosic section, play with great agility and speed, with precision.
Rovner continues with indications of expressiveness according to the character of the music, and points out that at the end it is important not to rush too much or play it too loudly so that it does not feel heavy. In addition, he gives some guidelines for practising this final passage.
They return to the cantabile section before the end, with some further indications of expressiveness and style, and finally they work more slowly on the final virtuosic passage.
Language: Spanish
