DEBUSSY, Claude
Sonata for cello and piano CD 144
I. Prologue
Sol Gabetta, guest professor
Guillem Gràcia Soler, student
Miguel Ángel Ortega Chavaldas, accompanying pianist
After the student’s performance, Gabetta begins with general comments on the work: its difficulty, as on one hand it is full of contrasts despite its brevity, but all indicated and written with great precision in the score, which makes it complicated to stay within the “frame” without exaggerating and to maintain the attitude without becoming radical. She suggests not “cutting” the sound so much at certain moments and allowing more resonance.
Resuming from the beginning, she indicates that there are three elements there and he must phrase with this in mind, making the line longer until the end, like a bridge. Above all, the long notes should not be a beginning or an end, but rather a transition. Gabetta asks the student to play the long notes thoughtfully in order to do so with musical sense.
They continue reviewing the phrasing and expressiveness according to the harmonies. He must also be careful with the vibrato; it should help the musical sense and not hinder it.
In general, he must be careful so that the phrase endings and pizzicati are heard in the hall. They then address aspects related to tempo and metric freedom or rigor, sound (which should be multidirectional), precision and articulation of the left-hand fingers, etc.
Language: Spanish
