RAVEL, Maurice
String Quartet in F Major
I. Allegro moderato
Walter Levin, guest professor
Beethoven Quartet of Crédito y Caución
Margarita Sikoeva, violin
Erica Ramallo Lucini, violin
Alexandru Bota, viola
Antonio Martín Acevedo, cello
Maestro Levin begins the explanation by establishing the appropriate tempo for this piece. He explains how to obtain the correct color of the “très doux” sound and the meaning of the diminuendo, which is not there by chance. The direction of the bow is closely related to the phrasing. He is a proponent of the maxim “if it sounds good, it is correct.” They discuss the sound quality of the beginning. Levin also associates phrasing with dynamics and says that the pizzicato should be played with sound and clarity. They work on the balance between the parts and play to differentiate layers. The fast figurations should sound like a harp. Levin gives them an important piece of advice: you have to look for the difficult places and work on them. Professor Levin always has the score as a reference to find all the answers in it.
Language: English
