WEBER, Carl Maria von
Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra in F major, J 127, Op. 75 (reduction for bassoon and piano)
I. Allegro ma non troppo
Mor Biron, Guest Professor
José Manuel López Agarrado, Student
Juan Barahona, accompanying pianist
Professor Biron instructs the student not to stop while playing, but to let the music flow and move more, with the audience in mind. The focus should not be on technique, but on making music, feeling and expressing it more. One also cannot play displeased, angry, or frustrated because something is not working, as this is conveyed through gestures and attitude, and the music will not align with that feeling. Ultimately, technical details do not matter as much as the listener having a good musical experience: thinking less about oneself and more about sharing and communicating with the listener while playing.
In this case, Weber was also an opera composer, so one should think in terms of singing and representing an aria or a scene.
Biron continues with recommendations on the musician’s expressiveness and attitude in concert. Right at the beginning, for example, one must act with pride, and it should sound more like a Fantasy and not like an Etude. The professor continues with instructions on accentuation and phrasing, dynamics, and a clearer direction of the musical line depending on the character. He also advises moving the body in a relaxed manner (imagining it as a ball of water that changes and molds with the music) to achieve a warmer sound. The student must be in tune with the piano’s harmonic changes, reacting to them but without exaggeration, maintaining proportionality.
Biron asks the student not to play so rigidly and squarely, but to be carried away more by the spirit of the music and always addressing the audience. In conclusion, Biron suggests working more on the sound so that it does not become too aggressive at certain moments.
Language: English
