| Author |
Subject |
Paul
Tseng ICS Staff 
Administrator
(10/5/00 5:32:03 pm)
Reply
 |
Elements (Essence) of sound
It's apparent that we have varying
taste in the artists we like most. In regards to cello sound,
however, I'm sure we all can pinpoint different things about
different performers that make them our favorite.
For me
sound is extremely important (no less, maybe more so than virtuoso
technique, etc.) the components of this I notice so much in Slava's
playing is his vibrato and continuous flowing of the bow.
To
give you an example of how obvious this is (even to non-musicians),
I played a cd for my wife (who is a non-musician) of Slava playing
Shostakovich's Cello Sonata with the composer at the
piano.
Here are some of her unsolicited comments:
His
sound is so vocal.
You can't hear where the beginning and ends
of bows are.
It's like an endless breath.
I was impressed
at her observations because I never really discussed in detail with
her what I liked so much about Slava's playing. But she pinpointed
what she liked about it and I happen to agree.
So for me, the
two major elements of sound are:
Rich, vocal, singing vibrato
and
a smooth continuous bow where the sound is consistent from
the frog to the tip. Bow changes are inaudible in cantabile phrases.
The sound should be deep and penetrating, not just skimming the
surface (unless that is the desired "effect".)
What is the
essence of sound for your favorite cellists?
We have fans of
Nelsova,Isserlis, Greenhouse, Rose, Ma, Fuermann, Starker,
Rostropovich, etc. They are all great cellists and very different.
This should be interesting.
Paul Tseng
Crutchfield
Coupon
My Website
MP3!
Edited by: Paul
Tseng ICS Staff at:
10/5/00 5:32:03 pm
|
String4tetCellist
Registered User
(10/5/00 6:06:09 pm)
Reply |
Sound
Well, for me, Jacqueline du Pre is
it. I think what I love about her playing is her continuous
outpouring of emotion. As for her sound, I love the wide, rich
vibrato-that makes it for me. I really notice more when a player has
an extremely narrow vibrato than when they have vibrato that's a
little too wide. I guess it's just my kind of playing. I think du
Pre also moves her bow at different speeds at different times, now
that I think about it. Maybe that's a really obvious comment--but I
just thought about it for the first time...
|
Laura
Wichers
Registered
User
(10/6/00 8:31:13 am)
Reply |
Re:
Elements (Essence) of sound
What I like about Anner Bylsma: He
has a very pure tone, and he does things with phrases that I've
never heard before and might not have considered. The way he plays
them is very convincing and I like the difference.
What I
like about Starker: It's not really defineable. He sound is so
precise and clear, and the way he plays makes me believe he has a
definite reason for every single thing he is doing. The undefineable
part is his music... it is introspective and brilliant. There are
little nuances everywhere that just make the notes
sparkle.
What I like about Isserlis: Very similar to what I
like about Bylsma. Isserlis does some very unusual things with
phrases and lines, but it's so convincing. It's like that
advertising campaign, Different Is Good.
This is an
interesting subject, but it's also a difficult one. Many of the
things I really like about people's playing is next to impossible to
describe. I've found that in the last year or so, I've been doing a
lot more analyzing and thinking about the music I'm playing, trying
to find out the why's and the reasons for what I am playing/want to
play. Maybe the better I get at analyzing my OWN playing, the better
able I'll be to describe what I like about other people's
playing.
-Laura
Edited by: Laura
Wichers at: 10/6/00 8:31:13 am
|
Steve
Drake
Registered
User
(10/5/00 10:20:28 pm)
Reply |
Re:
Elements (Essence) of sound
Paul:
I think your wife may
have the key to cello sound definition. Play her some Ofra Harnoy
recordings, and then some Julian Lloyd Webber recordings, and
collect her insights on those.
My MP3's
My Cello
Homepage
|
vlcgirl
Registered User
(10/6/00 2:03:24 am)
Reply |
Re:
Elements (Essence) of sound
Timothy Eddy -- (no, I didn't see
him at WCC) Well-thought out (I mean, every note is considered,
meaningful), intelligent, musical, human, rich...need I go
on?
Edited by: vlcgirl
at: 10/6/00 2:03:24 am
|
Paul
Tseng ICS Staff
Administrator
(10/6/00 9:27:50 am)
Reply
|
Re:
Elements (Essence) of sound
Steve,
Uhh...does that mean I
have to go out and actually buy and Ofra Recording? I actually have
one that was given to me as Christmas present.
BTW, how's
parenthood going? Please email me and I'll tell you why I
ask.
Paul Tseng
Crutchfield
Coupon
My Website
MP3!
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