Lesson 33 - Stodgy staccatos

Today we dived straight into Satie's Chez le docteur and worked on techniques. For ages, I've always thought of pieces as a treat or a bonus level you get to when you've established the techniques up to that level. I cannot be more wronged. I've been reading Cello by Bill Pleeth and in the early chapters, he explained how some students think of pieces separately from technique studies and exercises when it is also very much a study in itself and even more so when it encompasses everything you have learnt up to that point.

And that was exactly what happened with Satie's piece. I am still green, very much so, in analysing a piece and to apply all I have learnt effectively. The whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts! With Deryn's patient and thorough explanations and demonstration, I am now more comfortable at approaching the piece with that analytical mind that I have yet to use :)

I also learnt that I have played a few wrong notes and my staccatos are as stodgy as ever when played correctly. My subconscious keep moving the bow off the strings when they should be absolutely on the strings, no matter what. I might have to actually pay attention to what my bowing hand is doing, at least until I get staccatos done right! The banana shape exercise should be the focus for next week along with dynamics of the piece and phrasing as I tend to stress on the quavers, which shouldn't be the case.

Since I am struggling with staccatos, Deryn assigned me bowing exercises (8 and 9) from Feuillard's 60 Etudes. I do like the exercises in this book, not only are they great at consolidating techniques but they sound good musically which makes it fun to practise :)

Finally, we played through Air Tendre from Couperin's Concert. I need to play this piece more smoothly as I find my slurs are still unexpected and choppy. Deryn suggests I try vibrato! We've only briefly covered the preparatory exercises for vibrato in the past and I have yet to even attempt one so this will make next week's practise exciting.

Before I left, Deryn gave me a bottle of isopropyl alcohol to encourage calluses on my fingers. This was something I've never thought of doing at all but it makes perfect sense as the calluses will prevent my fingers from hurting when I play. I am to dip them before and after practise along with some moisturiser so as to not entirely ruin my fingers. It seems this is something that both cellists and ballerinas do for their art!