Posted by Charles D. Ortega on January 30, 1999 at 03:01:38:
In Reply to: Mahler 5 posted by Greg on January 30, 1999 at 01:45:41:
What follows are some techniques I used to prepare this movement for an audition last year. Of course, you would start out with the regular preparation you would do with anything you were trying to learn, and get under your fingers. In this order...
Listen to recordings. Get a feel for the piece.
Listen to recordings following along with the part.
WITH A METRONOME ON, slowly, review the part.
Break the movement down to the parts that give you trouble.
Take these particular excerpts to the woodshed. Be able to sing these parts...
Mouthpiece...
Slowly, speed the metronome up, usually in increments of 5 beats...only moving ahead when you can play it at the tempo perfectly X times in a row.
Mouthpiece...
When you get to the targeted tempo, play along with recordings.
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Here are some of the things I did specific to Mahler #5.
Some of the recordings that I heard gave this movement a decidedly IN ONE feel. That is hard to do with these lines because they are so low and the rhythms are so tricky. So, I would try some different techniques.
Slur the ascending lines around 16, then lightly tongue the notes. Slurring these notes will help your body remember that constant air feel. Then work the tongue back in. Work for a light tongue feel, the harder you try to tongue, the muddier it may become.
Ease up on the volume in these sections while you are at the woodshed, volume doesn't count if you can't clearly deliver the notes. Once you feel you have achieved the clarity, add the volume.
15 bars before rehearsal #25, remember that IN ONE feel. Give a little pulse to each first note of every measure. Pay attention to the accents, and to the dashes on the notes. Remember to make a difference in the dynamics. Mouthpiece buzzing will help tremendously.
Rehearsal #27, can be very tricky when you are under the gun, if you haven't put time in the woodshed. Remember to start slowly, and pay attention to the accents. USE A METRONOME.
Entrances in this movement can be tricky as well, if you don't have the feel down. As with any preparation, get to know the music around you. It will help you visualize when you are under the gun, in an audition. Be able to sing the part of the music right before you come in.
One final note, there are some entrances that can be overlooked. These are the ones that are soft, and delicate. Although not technically, challenging, they can be musically challenging. These light entrances could easily be asked in an audition, and could catch an unprepared musician by surprise.
These, in my humble opinion, are some good tips. I hope that they help. If there are any other suggestions, I would love to hear them, and incorporate them into my own preparations.
cdo