TCHAIKOVSKY, Pyotr Ilyich
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, Op. 35 (reduction for violin and piano)
I. Allegro moderato – Moderato assai
Miriam Fried, guest professor
Elea Nick, student
Alina Artemyeva, accompanying pianist
The student performs the first movement of the Concerto, and the professor congratulates her on the improvement since the previous lesson. They then begin to review from the opening theme, for which Fried offers suggestions regarding bow movement.
She continues with indications on phrasing and articulation, bow amount and speed, pulse, character, and expressiveness… always considering the function of the music at each moment (formal and harmonic). The message to be conveyed when playing should be one of enjoyment, not effort. She also advises not to lengthen the final notes of phrases more than necessary and not to use as much vibrato when they are not important. In the bridge, not all notes are equally significant because their function is transitional; therefore, they should flow without sounding too heavy. Later, Professor Fried provides guidance on vibrato, the conversation between the violin and the orchestra, and the most appropriate sound based on the role of the instruments in the orchestra (for which one must know the full score), metric freedom, etc. Furthermore, the sound should not be forced so that it projects better. The student also receives further instruction regarding vibrato and which principal notes to emphasize.
In conclusion, Fried reminds her of the great transformation in her playing compared to the previous day and encourages her to reflect on what caused that change so she can control it and always deliver her best.
Language: English
