BRAHMS, Johannes

Sonata for viola and piano in F minor op. 120 no. 1

II. Andante, un poco Adagio

Gérard Caussé, guest professor 

Martina Bonaldo, student

Antonia Valente, accompanying pianist

According to the professor, the student's performance of the second movement was better than that of the third. They then focus on working the contact with the string in order to achieve the sound projection best suited for a concert hall, particularly considering the piano dynamics required in this movement. The sound must be clearer and more defined, and achieving this depends greatly on a proper attack. Without that clarity, the audience would lose interest, and the music would sound more like background noise. Additionally, in order to project towards the center of the hall, the bow must also move in that direction.
They return to the beginning of the movement, keeping these indications in mind to better adapt to the hall’s acoustics, including tempo adjustments. They continue to work on sound projection passage by passage, focusing on bow movement and ensuring the sound is effective for the audience rather than just pleasing under the player's ear. They also explore bowings, fingerings, dynamics, articulations, and other performance details.

Language: Spanish