Had a good day. Spent about an hour in the afternoon on Bocherini. I finished what I'll consider the first half-way mature passes of my 1st major goal today: Boccherini. And tonight, when I got into my formal program, I played it pretty nicely even. I've been after this point for two years now, and other than being over excited and sloppy for the first year plus, found Boccherini decidedly fairly easy. Uh, I don't feel like jumping over to my main blog so I'll get philosohical here for a minute.
I was thrilled that I worked right through Boccerhini--literally. Either this is an excellent example of the power of passion, or the piece is that easy. I think it's partly both--I can feel it as I blog. I also jammed right through the little theme from Bach's minuet (anna) that I hadn't learned and even had it sounding nicely--with pretty good bowing. That too was an awesome pleasure--this theme I've wanted to learn for literally years on piano ;)....
My general playing is improving somehow--abstractly. I'm sure it's my new improved attention to flat hair; and, I'm learning to use bow speed a little more sophisticated. Things like slowing down the bow for soft lingering vibrato, and experimenting with the bow in 3rd/5th position in terms of speed an pressure.
Crossing strings is becoming easier and more fluid. I'm 'starting' finally, to be able to implement the elbow's roll a little better in string crossings--bubble gum--and I think the colle, martelle, staccato, and bow change element exercises are also helping with depth.
Element-wise. I'm doing pretty good. I need to regroup and tighten up on several things but my discipline has been notable. And I feel the elements are helping. As blogged already, I recently added Spicatto, and have been bringin Staccato online 'a little'. I've begun really hitting Wohlfahrt pretty hard, and I think it's showing in detache. I also alternate regions.
My colle is sneaking little improvements in there, and my martele depends on my focus--I run scales etc. I've also been hitting bow changes routinely, and I feel a good breakthrough in instinctiveness developing. All of these I have questions about, but try and take them as far as I can.
Concering bow changes for example, what if one is using half or quarter bows? Is there a graduation of pinky pressure at frog/and f1 release at tip dynamics that graduate towards shorter bows? And my confidence on spiccato leaves alot to be desired. On my double stops I'm still having good and bad days, but they are coming along.
So, I have another good year of just very basic work to keep me plenty busy. For instance adding some different Wohlfahrt (no3) in there is one example. But I need to explore some things more fully. I need to get into 3 octave scales and appregios. I need to understand shifting better, and get more serious about some exercises. I'm happy and it fits my needs currently, but I could be doing alot better; and, more apt to utilize at least 3rd and some 5th.
I have to understand shifting above 3rd--there's a video there. I'll followup and continue this later, but it's getting late.
