No. 13.
This graceful and interesting étude partakes of the qualities of the French school with added dignity. The andante must be smoothly played, the portamento work being given especial value through position changes.
Strange as it may seem to the amateur, artistic phrasing begins with études; for instance, many of the Études Brilliantes, by Mazas,[11] furnish excellent examples. A natural crescendo occurs in the last four measures of the first line. The andante is graceful and dignified, a perfect example of legato playing. Transitions from third to first position should be made without disturbing the beauty of phrasing. It would be well to analyze this andante with students, pointing out simple rules of phrasing. In groups of two notes, accent the first slightly and pause between groups, closing the phrase with a slower tempo. It is of the utmost importance that rules of phrasing should be taught in études and applied to the standard Concertos. If études mean anything, all that is contained in them should be brought out. This relieves dry and lifeless study, and gives us ample opportunity to make musicians, not machines.
The Presto must first be practiced slowly until a command of bowing and technic is possible. The octaves are played in the upper half of the bow, with a slight accent on the first note of each group, the groups also being slightly separated, though the bow is not raised from the strings. Keep nearer the point than the middle of the bow. Do not hold any note too long. Make phrasing clean-cut.
The fingers work simultaneously, and must not leave the strings during a passage. In playing octaves, relax the wrist inward and curve the fingers well. Keep the thumb free and in advance of the first finger. Everything depends upon the holding of the violin with the chin, not with the thumb and first finger. The bow-arm must be very free. The player should not be timid, sliding the fingers into place. The hand and fingers move together. The trilled notes should be played with a sharp accent, the legato being contrasted with a short, crisp staccato in the upper part of the bow, about two inches from the point. This passage should be played near the upper third of the bow.
Notes not marked staccato are to be played freely, with a forearm stroke. Place the fingers at once in position for arpeggios. Note the suggestions of the Kross edition of Kreutzer, in this respect. By the time the student has reached Fiorillo, he must be familiar with all forms of bowing. He is now to apply himself to technic.
String-transfers must be made easily. Returning to the octaves, one must play with a free running legato in the upper third of the bow. Note the arpeggios, which must be played staccato very crisply near the point of the bow. There is a prevailing tendency among students to play the slurred legato notes with a longer bow than the single detached notes. A freer style is that of uniform length of bow throughout. When it is possible, play a long swift stroke in preference to a short one in passages of this kind:
In a sudden transition to high D on the A string, the portamento is allowed. The stroke is a forearm one. Now we return to the octaves. If there is any trouble at this point, play the notes together until the pitch is quite accurate. There is also another advantage. In octaves the bow lies on two strings, and this is an aid to the mastery of a pure legato in a passage in which the notes are not played together. Note the almost perceptible crescendo as the octaves progress. After several measures in which the forearm stroke is used, we come to short groups near the point of the bow. In the fourth line from the end, we return to the short passage, to be treated somewhat freely.
In passing to the seventh position on the D string, avoid a nervous jerking or undue pressure upon the bow. The portamento is naturally desirable.
The arm should be well under the violin in the octaves on the G and D strings.
The last chords are not played like arpeggios. They must be full of decision. The down-bow is used in each case.