Lesson 17 - Dynamics

Today we began with dynamics.

I voiced my concerns about my inability to perform dynamics the way I wanted them to sound as they did in my head. Deryn got out Christopher Bunting's Portfolio of Cello Exercises and we went through the examples together. The exercises are dead simple but so effective, as with all of Bunting's techniques and they also come with hilarious anecdotes. Overall, a very good thing.

I tried very hard to focus on keeping the bow in contact with the string at all times whilst looping, less weight and more weight when it needs it and at the same time controlling the bow closer and further away from the bridge to adjust the volume of the notes produced; foiled by my very persistent shoulder rising to the occasion when it shouldn't. This pretty much sums up playing the cello. Everything has to come to you naturally and with ease else everything falls apart; you need to be extra focused and at the same time, let your muscle memory do it subconsciously. What a crazy state of being!

Next we started on Langin Book 2, Chapter 20 with backwards stretch position. I can finally put my abnormally long second finger to use! At first, it felt alien but after a few tries, it was all I wanted to do as my fingers fell naturally in place.

We sped through most of the exercises including new scales that were not accessible to me previously due to the extra notes we've learnt today. I am to revise through the chapter and play through the examples given. Deryn says it isn't long before the other positions are introduced since I settled quite comfortably with stretch positions.

We then played through a few revisions from Book 1 (exercises 18 and 18a) and 2 other pieces from the grasshopper book with Deryn harmonising on the cello and piano accompaniments. I thought I sounded a bit flat throughout to which Deryn said it could possibly be the different sitting arrangements here; a difference in thickness of the chair or length of endpin can make a huge impact on the overall performance for new players.

The two pieces by Küffner (Landler) and Schubert (Wiegenlied - Lullaby - Bolcsodal) respectively were composed in different eras thus played in different styles. I've not paid full, proper attention to music history all those years ago when I was learning piano. Being 8 years old, I had other things in mind - like not being at piano lessons! I was a very busy 8 year old, obviously. Anyway, this time I am more than intrigued about the entire thing as I hope to play the pieces properly as they were intended. Deryn says music history and theory remains an ongoing learning accompaniment so I'm looking forward to those.