(no subject)

[violachic]

There are two things I want to post about, but I am going to make two separate posts, since they are things that are very different from one another.

This post, as might very well be indicated by the seizure-inducing icon, is about music.


I don't know how many of you know this, but this past June, while in Quebec, I got a new viola. Its a long story of serendipity and generous help, and I won't tell it here- but if you want to know sometime, ask me and I'll tell you.

The viola I bought eleven years ago to replace my student viola was 16 3/4", with a wide, thick body and wide neck; nobody should have let me buy it, as I have the hands and arm span of a child, but it sounded incredible when I tried it, was in our price range, and I didn't have much guidance from teachers. It was too huge for me, and I have struggled with it since then, thinking the limitations were mine. I mean granted, I had a pretty successful stretch of gigging with it, but nothing superbly strenuous. But since this chronic pain cropped up, I've been even more limited in playing it. I really thought I'd never play again.

The new viola is 16", with a proportional body, and a lovely slim neck- it feels unbelievably natural under my hands. And it plays like absolute butter. When I got home from Canada with it, almost the first thing I did was to play them side by side, and the new one, while smaller, plays rings around the old one- which I got lots of compliments on when I was gigging, about the great deep viola sound it gets. Its been an amazing thing in helping me get back in the saddle, vis-a-vis playing and all. To wit- I can.

I've played a couple times at church over the summer, choosing stuff that is less athletic, to kind of get back in the game. But now that I know I can play again, I've been trying to ramp it up. A week from today I'm playing a Bach sonata movement that tests the stamina of my left hand- which has been hard going to revive, although my technique seems pretty intact. And for Christmas Eve, I'm going to do the first group from the Vaughan Williams Viola Suite, which includes a spirited third movement called "Christmas Dance", that has a 6/8-3/4 time signature that is very fun.

So I'm excited by all this. Very excited.

**If you ever want to visit my church, or hear some great music for free, next week is the week to show up. The choir is doing an amazing Vaughan Williams piece, and I'm doing my Bach. w00t!**


I am looking for a piece of advice, though, from the viola players on my flist. As I mentioned, while my left hand technique hasn't suffered too much, my muscles are slack, and need to build and stretch. While doing my 3-octave scales, I'm finding I'm having trouble stretching much beyond the F scale. What can I do, beyond continuing to do scales up there, to help stretch the muscles? In my regular practicing days, I could do all the way up to a B scale, even on my huge viola, so this is disconcerting. Any advice?

So yeah, I think that about wraps that up, at least for now. I'll write more on it as it happens.

Comments

[pixelene.livejournal.com]

I'll need to visit your church sometime if I ever have a week off from mine...

[violachic.livejournal.com]

Our choir is looking for sopranos.... ;-)

[pixelene.livejournal.com]

I doubt I will get sick of getting paid for singing alto at PRCC anytime soon :)

[rosindust.livejournal.com]

For left-hand stretching, I would practice ninth-double stops, alternating between chords where I extended the pinky and chords that extended the first finger. They sound horrible, but it makes octaves feel natural.

Trill exercises are also great, did Sevcik do any for viola?

[violachic.livejournal.com]

No, unfortunately. Somewhere I have a Mazas book that has some good stuff, I should find that. I'm having trouble with octaves themselves, I'll start with that, see if I can stretch it to ninths. Thanks for the advice.

[pickleboot.livejournal.com]

i wish i could tell you. i am finding that i can't play at all anymore, something that is making tears spring to my eyes right now, since the strokes have left my left side so weak. i know that when i was trying to further my reach before- i am not built for viola, i have small hands, with short but narrow fingers, i used some sort of rubber band device my teacher came up with. it worked a charm. ugh. of course, now i can't even remember how it came about. i need to see if it is still around- it was like doing push ups for fingers- really kind of funny.

[violachic.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I knew you used to play the viola. I am so, so sorry you can't play anymore. I know how that feels- I feel so blessed that I've improved enough I can start playing again.

[geezerlee.livejournal.com]

Yay for being able to do something you thought you couldn't anymore!

[ironheadjane.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear that you've been able to get back into playing - though I admit most of what you talk about technique wise goes over my head as that it all is amazing to me. I'm glad that you're excited - it sounds exciting :). I am looking forward to that second post.:)

[simienwolf.livejournal.com]

Wow! How cool! I'm so happy for you.

I might have to work on some ninths, since my fingers need a stretching as well. Nice to just be a violinist, though. ;)

[eviloverlord42.livejournal.com]

My viola teacher here was extremely big into relaxing. Lessons with him made me realize that I was tense in all sorts of places that I did not think I was and that I didn't think would effect my playing, but i found did. Even a little bit of tension anywhere can affect reach.
My violin teacher had me doing weird things to extend my reach. Basically, in first position, he would have me put all four fingers down each on a different string and then leave three down while tapping, then moving back a half step, and then fount a half step with the forth. It builds strength and flexibility. I'd do it with both the first finger on the G (that was violin so viola C) and the fourth on the e, and with the four on the g and the first on the e.

I hope that helps and isn't too confusing. (I just got out of first an opera performance of Romeo and Juliette and a twice run through of some one act American opera in a row and logic and apparently conciseness isn't my thing right now...)

[violachic.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm really trying to stay relaxed. Having the smaller viola helps SO much with that. I think what you said makes sense, I'll try it tonight when I practice, thanks.

[sweetzicke.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad to hear this good news! Very happy for you. First of all, I would suggest you take it easy while building up your muscles - I don't know how many times I've gotten myself an RSI by playing too much too soon after my summer break. If you get tired, or anything hurts, stop. I certainly wouldn't recommend playing 9ths unless octaves are easy. I too have very small hands, and a short fourth finger, and tend to use my fourth finger where others use a third (like the first chord in the Stamitz concerto, F# on the C and A on the G - a helpful hint from my dear teacher Michael Tree). I would recommend doing scales in thirds and sixths, I use the Carl Flesch books for that.
I've got more finger exercises and warm ups that I could write down and send to you, if you like!
By the way, I passed a falafel place yesterday called Habibi here in Berlin, Kreuzberg, and thought of your little cutie.

[2049live.livejournal.com]

New viola? Can that mean new viola jokes soon? :)

[violachic.livejournal.com]

One can hope!