tpter1

Hi. I was messing around this afternoon while the wife and kids were away, and got the 2nd movement of Ewazen's Sonata recorded. It's somewhat crude (some tempo issues, split note or 2, a cough...) I used SmartMusic to record and save as .mp3. I've been working seriously on it for about a week or so.

http://media.putfile.com/Ewazen-Sonata-mvt-2

Please share your thoughts!

trumpetnick

Hi. Tpter!

Nice try, thoug as you say it is too crude...Sometimes the sound is nice but it is not regular and certainly you have to go over this tempo problem...It sounds to me like lack of confidence or like if you wre not sure what were you doing. The vibrato is a quite irregular especially on soft dynamics, which creates nervous atmosphere. Take more attention of the decrescendi: this pitch tends to change in the procces. I don't know the piece, as I never heard or played it so I will leave to others to comment on interpretation. It sounds like a nice piece to play. If I was you, I would work more on attacks, confidence and probably trying to achieve more steady vibrato. Anyway, it is not bad for a week...Keep the good work and post the better clip on the TM! We will be glad to listen to it again!

Manny Laureano

Glenn,

That was really nice of you to share what you've been up to; thanks for that.

As I listened, I could very clearly visualize you playing based on what I was hearing. If you were standing you need to find a more relaxed way of doing so. If you were sitting, same thing. I'd notice places on my body that weren't flexible and mobile. That might be hard because it's easier for a person observing to do so rather than the player.

Next, I'd avail myself of much longer, relaxed breaths before the start of any note. In fact, Glenn, think of notes as continuations rather than "starts", you know what I mean? Let the note start in your head and continue through the bell.

What I looked for in your performance was just a greater opening of the sound, more acoustics and less of a sense of depending on a mic for sound enhancement. Let your instrument vibrate obnoxiously on each tone. Tuck that chin down, breathe, and resonate.

It's a very pretty piece and I thank you again for sharing that on a cold Minnesota morning!

ML

tpter1

Thank you, both of you.

I don't know why, but I've begun to stand during practice sessions. This is carrying into my teaching in lessons, too. I think because I want to open up my posture a bit, so, Manny, your comment about relaxing and finding stress points physically is really right on the mark with what I'm trying to work on. I suspect that somewhere, unbeknownst to me, I am not balanced. I often find myself leaning forward onto my toes. When I'm just sitting, as I am right now, I feel my shoulders rise and consciously must drop them. I wonder if this is creeping into my playing...

Anyway, thanks to both of you. I have a new direction to look in now.

Vulgano Brother

Do you really?

trumpetnick

It may be a good idea for you to record few practice sessions on video. Manny made a very good point concerning the tension. The video will help you check if you are moving shoulders or doing something else nuisable to your playing. Playing in front of a mirror can be another solution, but probably you will see more clearly the problems if you are not involved in playing while observing yourself.

Derek Reaban

Glenn,

A pretty good start on this! I hope you have a copy of the CD "An American Portrait" with James Thompson and Rebecca Wilt from the ITG several years ago.

If this would have been a "vinyl" album, I would have worn the grooves off of it by now (thank goodness for CDs and iPods!). I listened to the Ewazen and the Halsey Stevens on this CD everyday on my drive to and from work for months! I would suggest that you start flooding your musical mind with his sound.

As Manny suggested, "Let your instrument vibrate obnoxiously on each tone." Jim's sound on this album is literally ringing the bell off! Spend a lot of time with it and you will get this sound in your head.

There are several entrances where I feel you are waiting for the accompaniment instead of pushing ahead. You will fix this by listening to this CD everyday for a week. The excitement in this movement is generated by this urgency. When you sit back, it just loses the intensity. The several intonation issues and couple of cracked pitches will fix themselves when you are really hearing the music in your head. LIVE with this CD until you can't stop hearing this music in your head all the time.

Those slower, relaxed intake breaths that Manny suggested when you have the opportunity to take them are crucial. They will help your sound to ride on top of this more pressurized, energized air and add the intensity that you hear in Jim's sound. This will also allow you to explore the subtle dynamics without as much effort (it sounds like your softer dynamics are missing that intensity). Breathe! It will really help to sustain the energy.

Thanks for posting that. I always enjoy hearing the Ewazen! It's one of my favorites.


Take care,