Usual number of first and second violjns
1st: 16-18
2nd: 14-16
Purpose of vibrato effect
Increase intensity of sustained note/pitch without disturbing original pitch excessively
Difference between gliss and port on string instruments
- Gliss: The slide between notes is purposefully loud and audible
- Port: usually to connect between two notes separated by a great distance. More natural
What is fingered gliss?
Gliss with pitches notated in between two notes. The general sound will be a blurred gliss
The usual bowing when starting an anacrusis (up-bow or down-bow?)
Up bow, unless specified
A slur between two identical pitching notes is notated with the same bowing (e.g. up-bow), but a dash is placed at the second note. How will the performer play this?
Play both pitches with up-bow but with a brief pause between notes (the dash indicates brief separation between the two notes, not a tenuto)
Which bowing, the up-bow or down-bow, is it easier to execute a crescendo?
Up-bow, because the bowing pressure at the frog is greater (hand is closer)
If many notes are to be played by one bow, what are two solutions?
- Split the bowing
- Split players to stagger their bowing (this can produce a seamless long legato)
What is détaché?
Changing the direction of bowing for each note:
- Fast passages: usually upper-third of the bow is used
- mf/f passages: bowed closer to the frog
Bowing to achieve strong and vigorous effects?
Down-bow on consecutive notes at the frog
What is Louré (french) or portato (italian)
Separating each note slightly while maintaining a bowing (e.g down-bow all the way on four same notes)
Staccato vs Loure/Portato
Staccato: Shorter notes, usually with different bowing with longer pauses between each notes (can also be same bowing indicated by slurs, but notes are way shorter)
Loure/portato: Notes only separated by a brief pause, played using the same bowing and noted with a dash underneath with slur indicating bow-changes
How are semiquavers with staccato notation played by strings?
If a long note precedes that note, down-bow the long note and use a up-bow to play the note lightly
- Note: usually such notes are played at the tip of the bow using up-bow
What is Martelé and bow is it notated?
Well-articulate separate heavy bow strokes resembling sfz. The bow DOES NOT LEAVE THE STRING, although there is a short pause between each note. Each new stroke is initiated with a heavy accent
- Notation: accent, staccatissimo, or symbol that indicates choked triangle
What are the three types of spiccato?
- Conscious spiccato: purposefully bouncing the bow in the middle during passages at slow/moderate tempo
- Saltando (aka spontaneous spiccato): Short quick motion of the wrist while playing makes the bow auto-bounce off the string in fast passages
- Slurred spiccato: Group of notes played using spiccato in a single bow. Notated by staccato with slurs indicating which notes to spicc
