BOWEN, York
Sonata for Viola and Piano No. 1 in C minor
I. Allegro moderato
Jonathan Brown, guest professor
Irene Caldas Sánchez, student
Antonia Valente, accompanying pianist
Jonathan Brown congratulates the student after her performance of the first movement of the Sonata and suggests an alternative fingering so that the glissando in the last phrase of the movement is not cut short but flows more naturally.
He generally liked the dolce sections, but found the more specific, spoken parts too superficial and lyrical. To address this, Brown suggests she hum the rhythm of the first theme without singing. He then asks her to play it, paying more attention to articulation. Additionally, the up-bow needs more contact with the string. Overall, he emphasizes marking the rhythm more.
To help pronounce the notes more clearly, it’s not just about the arm; the right hand needs to be more active. They also review the amount and distribution of bow for certain points. Especially in thematic motifs, the amount of bow should not be exaggerated. It is also important that the use of the bow is more defined according to what she wants to achieve musically, rather than being random: she has great musicality and passion, but this energy should be more focused.
They then review the intonation of the octaves in a certain passage in detail: the professor offers suggestions to improve her study habits. Jonathan also proposes some exercises to work on muscle memory to help with octave intonation. He advises her to study calmly and without rush to improve, even though she plays very well overall and the audience may not notice these small intonation issues.
They continue with the movement, where the professor points out an error in the score’s edition. In conclusion, he reminds her to work on more precision with the bow.
Language: Spanish
