We began again with Winter, this time hooking 8th notes (4 to a bow) so that they sound more like the first flakes of snow that fall in a winter storm. Still underspeed, we worked toward a continuity of sound and a conformity of bowstroke in passages with faster notation. Violins will play double down bows for the first two notes in the 32nd-note passages, and these double down bows must be taken at the frog to achieve the right style. Think winter storms!
After a brief look back at the Allegretto from Beethoven Op. 16, we moved on to some sight reading. Die Forelle is a famous piece written for many different ensembles, but it's playful rhythm can often be tricky. As an introduction to the piece, we played the melody in unison (all in our own clefs and octaves) and took turns using our breath and body language to start the piece. Breathing is essential to an ensemble who hopes to play together, and it becomes more difficult when "pickup" notes are involved. All of our breathing leaders did a great job!
Also discussed in this rehearsal was tuning etiquette for a string orchestra. This is the procedure we decided on:
1. Principal cellist would check his/her intonation with a tuner.
2. Concertmaster, when entering onto stage or beginning rehearsal, would request the principal cellist to play an A.
3. Once the principal cellist plays his A, the concermaster checks his own instrument before "giving" the A to the rest of the orchestra.
4. Using broad bowstrokes in the mp to mf range, the orchestra would check the tuning of their strings.
We practiced this, and will continue to tune this way in the future.
Be sure to check the folder outside of the orchestra room (labeled "Chamber Strings") for practice parts to the Allegretto and Die Forelle.
In attendance:
Joe Sipzner
Gloria Zhao
Ali Gohlke-Schermer
Katie Gonick
Arianna Barnum
Bill Dong
William Wang
Erin Templeton
Marko Crnkovic
Rachel Swyer
Emma Pearson
Catherine Rafferty
Karthik Ramesh
Andrea Long
Naila Brown
Cody Ingraham
We're sorry we missed:
Michelle Burmistrova
Katie Yang
Sydney Marotta
