Principles of Violin Playing (VIII)

5.1.3.Points on playing chromatic scales

1.5.1.3.sometimes, a player, due to different reasons, may decisively want to play continuously two notes with a half-step by means of the same finger, in such a case, it’s necessary to open the interior curve of the finger like a spring. Naturally coming back, the curve of finger should be closed and the finger should become curved shape again (see paragraph 3.1.2.1).

Just like playing Fa-natural immediately after playing Mi-natural by forth finger, at Do major scale and first position of the second string.

2.5.1.3. Considering the way of playing this scale and using the same finger continuously for playing interval, beware not to apply extra vertical force on fingerboard by your fingers.
Because, the more is the applied force on the fingerboard by fingers, the more difficult it would be to open or close the interior curve of fingers and consequently the performance speed would decrease.
In such a case, in order to play the interval, the player inevitably needs to move her hand’s position forward or backward, and the role of finger gets weaker.

3.5.1.3. When changing the position or shape of finger for playing the interval of chromatic scales, player should avoid changing the position of left thumb.

Also playing the chromatic scale, sometimes the player may mistakenly flex the part of palm that is joined thumb. The player should avoid such a flex that may cause her feel cramps in her hand.

4.5.1.3. Since playing chromatic step always involves shifting fingers, it is necessary to be careful about playing the exact tempo (see notification 15).

Pattern number 4/1

Playing the doubles

There are some points that must be considered when playing doubles of the notes. They must be practiced step by step so that you find mastery over these doubles.

1.1.4. The first point is to be skilled at bowing on two open strings simultaneously and creating harmonious and perfect sound with the instrument. Hence, the practice of playing the double of open strings can be performed for the independent right and left bows that are played thoroughly (from frog to point).

Here, acquiring dominance and skill at creating perfect and harmonious sound with bow is achieved by practicing in a slow tempo. (such as playing three Whole note play on open string doubles at tempo 60 Bpm during a whole bow length).

Notification 18: the technique of bowing for playing doubles by right hand and the direction of different parts of right hand to each other and to body will be discussed later in the section on the techniques of right hand. Here, from now on, we only discuss the points related to left hand.

2.1.4. The next point is to find mastery over playing a double involving a finger and the neighboring open string. In fact, this is at this state that left hand makes its first attempt at playing the double.

To do this, the player should place each of the fingers at different distances from the nut(for playing different intervals) and practice double finger placing with the neighboring open string. It should be mentioned that here it is also needed to practice at slow tempo and with separate bows for each double.


Fourth finger at its natural state and with curved shape

Forth finger with opened curve and being straightened for

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Transition to Enlightenment: Six Lectures on Mozart’s String Quartets (2)

The Enlightenment era championed innovation, creativity, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge, values that resonate prominently in Mozart’s string quartets. Mozart, a luminary of the Enlightenment, used the quartet form as a playground for his inventive spirit, pushing the boundaries of traditional structures and harmonic progressions.

From Tradition to Trend: The Evolution of Decorative Arts in Iranian Dafs

The daf is one of the percussion instruments related to the Kurdistan region of Iran, holding a special place in Iranian music. In the past, animal skins were used for the drumhead, but now most of the dafs available in the market are made with synthetic skins, which are designed with various decorations.

From Past Days…

Is the Iranian National Anthem a Copy? (I)

The alleged similarity between the Iranian and South Korean National Anthems has been a matter of discussion among musicians in Iran for several years. Earlier in 2021, the issue was taken to the media again with not only claims that the anthem is very similar to another song but also the suggestion that its musical content should draw more on the Iranian national music. Some even went to the extent to suggest replacing it with the song “O, Iran” composed by the late Rouhollah Khaleghi. Before delving more into the main issue, it would not go amiss to consider some technical characteristics of the song “O, Iran” composed in 1944.

Iranian Fallacies – Composition and Arrangement

In the tradition of classical music, it is generally tried to use the same technical terms related to music in all countries. Even in the cultures in which native terms exist to refer to musical terms, usually the better known universal terms are employed.

“Pledge of Love”

The “Pledge of Love” is the first album in a series composed based on the tasnifs by the renowned Iranian tasnif-maker Mohammad Ali Amir Jahed and recorded by Sahba Kohan Ensemble with Ramin Bahiraie as signer.

Negation of Changes in Iranian Music: Embracing Tradition

The perspective that denies any alteration or innovation beneath the realm of Iranian music, and more broadly, the performance and even the structure of Iranian music instruments, stems from the discourse of “tradition-oriented”* and the “return to self” movement in Iranian music. Given that some educators still adhere to this discourse and emphasize the necessity of preserving tradition, a perception is formed among art students that Iranian music, including Radif, lacks dynamism and is confined within a rigid framework.

Iranian Fallacies – School of Vaziri

Iranian Fallacies – School of Vaziri

The term “School of Vaziri” is often used in writings on Iranian music, but the exact meaning of the term is not clear; some of the authors have used the term to only refer to the group of Vaziri’s students, including a large group of his conservatory students and his Tar students such as Abolhassan Saba, Rouhollah Khaleghi, Ahmad Foroutan Rad, Hossein Sanjari, Heshmat Sanjari and others. But can we consider all Vaziri’s students as followers of his school of thought? This is definitely a mistake, because we know that some of Vaziri’s students have chosen a completely different path than that of Vaziri.

Musical Sense or Technique?

One of the most popular terms used by Iranian instrumentalists is the existence or a lack of musical “sense”. Both musicians and fans of music consider having “sense” while playing music as an important principle to the extent that they use it vis-a-vis having technique.

Developments in Iranian Music Since Qajar Era (I)

At the end of the Qajar era and as Iran entered the power transition period, known as the constitutional era, the Iranian music went through a lot of changes. These changes gained momentum as the students and followers of Ali Naqi Vaziri’s entered the musical scene. These changes greatly influenced designs of instruments, playing methods, singing, composing, etc.

Gholam Reza Khan Minbashian: a pioneer in Iranian music (I)

Gholam Reza Khan Minbashian, a.k.a Salar-Mo’azez, was a pioneer in several domains in the history of the Iranian music. He is recognized as the first Iranian musician who was educated in classical music. He is also the first Iranian the score of whose works were published in Europe. He is the first Iranian to have launched courses on Western classical music and was also the first Iranian teacher of classical music. Moreover, he is the first founder of a string orchestra in Iran, the first author of the Iranian Radif which was available in oral form. Minbashian is also the first Iranian who studied music in Europe.

Henry Cowell: “Persian Set”

Persian Set: Four Movements for chamber orchestra: Moderato; Allegretto; Lento; Rondo

Henry Cowell, one of the most innovative American composers of the 20th century, was born in 1897. Cowell and his wife visited Iran in 1956 and stayed there the whole winter, upon the invitation by the Iranian Royal Family, when he composed his album “Persian Set” in four movements for chamber orchestra. His composition is expressive of the characteristic quality of the Persian or the Iranian music.

The Structure of Kurdistan Daf (III)

“Our ancestors believe powerful blows upon the Daf scatters evil spirits of disease and distress to create a clean and holy space filled with health and prosperity. Adding tools to Daf increases this instrument’s purification, spreading, and summoning powers of evil forces and goddesses. Daf was mostly depicted by red, color of blood, in ancient times or sometimes it was depicted with green, the color of plants and nature. There were probably some mysterious designs painted upon the wooden body and frames of these instruments just like today” (Pahlavan, 2013: 44).