BOTTESINI, Giovanni
Concerto for Double Bass and Piano No. 2 in B minor
I. Allegro moderato
Janne Saksala, guest professor
Erick Martínez Olivo, student
Jesús Gómez Madrigal, accompanying pianist
Professor Saksala comments that it is important not to always take the same amount of time to breathe, but to make pauses differentiating according to the specific phrasing of each moment. After making some indications to the pianist, he continues with the phrasing, indicating to the student that he should pay more attention to the most relevant notes of the phrase. Saksala also talks about the sources of color and expressiveness that can be applied and about the use and changes of the bow in relation to the phrasing.
The professor mentions some type of articulation between the slur and the separate sound, and also proposes alternative fingerings so that the student chooses the most suitable one for him. Saksala makes annotations on the score related to phrasing and bowing. In specific phrases, it is important to highlight the lower note and not rush, and on the D string, the student should play a wider bow so that he can be heard better above the orchestra. To play a single note, it is better not to use the D string because it breaks the legato and the sound, and therefore the key is to achieve the same sound with the fingering adapted to the phrase.
Regarding the character, it is not necessary to play louder if what you want is to achieve a mysterious atmosphere. Finally, the professor explains how to work the “spiccato brillante.”
Language: English
