BARTÓK, Béla
Concerto for viola and orchestra Sz 120 BB 128 (reduction for viola and piano)
I. Allegro moderato
Jonathan Brown, guest professor
Hugo Sergio Hidalgo Herrera, student
Antonia Valente, accompanying pianist
After the professor listens to the performance of the entire movement, he congratulates the student and points out that he has improved his habit of moving his feet to mark the beat. He goes over a specific point where he found the student was having difficulties, and the professor gives him guidance to improve that point.
In the 2nd theme, he has also seen that musicality needs to be improved, and to that end he asks him about the harmonies and the phrasing to be done according to them. In addition, he asks for more clarity in playing, and that the bow division should also be in keeping with the music. The relationship between one motif and another also influences how to play them and the phrasing they require.
Professor Brown insists on listening to and analysing the harmonies produced both in the viola and in the accompaniment. In a certain section, they go over the bass line, which is important to sound as good as the upper voice. They then review the end of the passage in detail: the harmonies that rise chromatically and those that descend should be heard, without over-accenting the B natural. Brown suggests a way of practising it so that he maintains the activity of the left hand and the phrasing sounds clearer.
Brown continues analysing the harmonies so that, where there are connections or differences to highlight, the student plays them while taking care of bow speed and phrasing, and thus shows them better.
The professor also gives indications regarding bow distribution and amount, always with the idea of achieving the phrasing most appropriate to the harmonies that are being produced. He asks the student to play certain phrases pizzicato to better check the relationship between the notes.
Language: Spanish
