Viola G4..., ...part of my "get used to exams again" plan...& a rando Options

[sarah-flute]

Hey folks. I'm thinking of going for G4 viola at Christmas: mainly G4 because I like enough pieces from the syllabus (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) I am not keen on the G5 pieces and G6 is not exactly "easing myself into exams" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (Yeah, I am a coward (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) well I scraped violin G6 about a billion years ago so I don't consider myself back up to scratch yet...)

My current probables:

List A:

Chanson Favorite d'Henri IV

-> backup plan, Telemann Recitativo and Arioso - I like this but can't get the Recitativo to sound right at all. May change my mind after trying it with a piano...

List B:

Schumann - Traumerei

-> back up plan, Le Cygne - but Oh! it's SO beautiful, and SO well known - I am not sure I would do it justice.
Tempted by Chanson de Matin but don't think I can justify shelling out for another £9's worth of book at the moment...

List C:

Shostokovich Romance from the Gadfly - ordered the music today (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) but can hack through the scary violin version so think the viola version with no scary double stopping should be do-able!

-> back up plan - Bridge Lullaby, but don't have the music to this either (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) so here's hoping that the Shosti is doable... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Any comments/help/thoughts/suggestions?

Oh and a random Schumann question, if anyone has the Loy Viola Music For Beginners book - in the Schuman, 2nd line, last bar, there appears to be a grace note C to a C... Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?? I'm confusled... do you just stop the bow for a moment or what? Really weird. Never come across that before.

[Nicia-Clarinet-Flute]

Ooh sounds a nice programme!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I didn't know you played viola?! I thought you played flute and violin!!!!

Good Luck!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[sarah-flute]

I'm a serial instrument addict.

Flute is my main/best instrument. Violin the one I have been learning the longest.

I also play, to greater or lesser degrees of competence:

Viola (used to be OK - worked toward G7 - very rusty)
Piano (did G3 years ago - now approx G4 having restarted a year or so ago)
Clarinet (never done any grades, self taught and a bit pants)
Recorders (did grade 1 treble last Christmas, working toward doing G3 at Christmas or maybe Easter
Clarsach (celtic harp) (have my G1 pieces, keep losing them (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif))
Tin whistle (am rubbish!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif))
And I sing (grade 5 at Christmas all being well)

Jack of all trades, master of none (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Oh can I can play about 3 chords and can read chord tab on the guitar. But that's worse than my penny whistle playing... lol.

I'm a lost cause!

[Nicia-Clarinet-Flute]

Sounds a bit like me!!!

Clarinets my main instrument! Doing a dip. not sure when but have got the papers ready to send off!!!
Flute doing gd. 5 in the winter.
Piano did gd. 5 in 2003 hopfully will do 6 sometime!
Violin hoping to take gd. 1 challenge
Saxophone self taught can play quite well but don't really like it!
Recorder did gd. 4 descant when i was 10 still play but only now and then,
and have tried the oboe once, never ever again.

the ones i enjoy most are clarinet and flute! am enjoying the challenge of violin but it is oh so very very different to my usual woodwind instrument choice and can be a little frustrating at times!!!

[bohemian]

Tempted by Chanson de Matin

Woo! If you don't do it for the exam, you sooooo have to do it anyway, because it's a really nice piece (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Good choice with the Shosti.

Best of luck (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[sarah-flute]

Tempted by Chanson de Matin

Woo! If you don't do it for the exam, you sooooo have to do it anyway, because it's a really nice piece (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Yeah, I will - it is a lovely piece! But I already have two possible for that list so I just couldn't justify spending any more at the moment!

Good choice with the Shosti.

It's a lovely piece - it does sound scrummy on viola (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) (even with me playing...!)

Best of luck (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Thanks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Nicia: I am much more naturally suited to woodwind, too. I think if I had started on woodwind I might never have taken up strings.

[Rainbow]

Wow Sarah, you are doing some seriously nice pieces - I love the Romance from the Gadfly! Recitativo and Arioso is beautiful, a lot better than Chanson Favourite (IMHO).

Just a hint, if you're unsure on any of the scales, start practising them now and get someone else to listen to them (this is probably unnecessary, as I'm sure you're fab at scales but I was fairly confident with the grade 5 scales and only just scraped a pass in that section in the end)
Good luck with it all, let me know how you get on.

[joyjoy]

Wow you are definitely a multi-instrumentalist! Good for you! I didn't realise you play viola too? I have got one, and can play some simple tunes on it, but I've never really hit it off, prefer the violin. But I WILL get back into the viola .. I am inspired now!

I'd say go for it with your exam, why not?! I can't offer any advice on the grace note thing, but I would be interested to know what others have to say about it.

Good luck with your musical adventures... how's the jazz, addicted as much as me yet ??

Joy

[sarah-flute]

Wow Sarah, you are doing some seriously nice pieces - I love the Romance from the Gadfly! Recitativo and Arioso is beautiful, a lot better than Chanson Favourite (IMHO).

I really like it - I just can't get the Recitativo to go right. I hope to be able to practice it with the piano at some point and see if that helps.

I was always a bit weak on scales so I was practising them yesterday!

I am sooooooooo looking forward to playing the Romance properly...

Wow you are definitely a multi-instrumentalist! Good for you! I didn't realise you play viola too? I have got one, and can play some simple tunes on it, but I've never really hit it off, prefer the violin. But I WILL get back into the viola .. I am inspired now!

If I can be of help anytime Joy, let me know (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[purple viola]

Oh and a random Schumann question, if anyone has the Loy Viola Music For Beginners book - in the Schuman, 2nd line, last bar, there appears to be a grace note C to a C... Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?? I'm confusled... do you just stop the bow for a moment or what? Really weird. Never come across that before.

I don't have that book so I'm not sure what you're looking at, but could the grace note be there to indicate where the accent should be. If it is an acciaccatura then the accent is on the main note, so if both the grace note and the main note are at the same pitch, then the accent would be after the start of the note. You could do that just by putting a bit more pressure on the bow as you are playing the note, but not stopping it. Sorry I'm not making much sense.

The pieces you have chosen sound really nice. Enjoy playing them!

Edit: What I'm trying to say is if it is an acciaccatura then play the grace note, then without stopping the bow put in an accent on the main note. The effect would be that you would play a C that starts softer, then gets louder then gets softer again, but the louder bit is an accent rather that a gradual crescendo. I have seen this before.

[gummidge]

good luck at Christmas, your programme sounds lovely. The Telemann is beautiful, and Le Cygne.I passed Grade 3 on Wednesday, and hope to try grade 4 at Christmas as well.Started on the scales, but the Trinity syllabus gives you a chance to try a scale sequence, which is less hassle for the failing memory.!!!Chanson de Matin looks lovely as well.
Good luck with your choices.

[sarah-flute]

I don't have that book so I'm not sure what you're looking at, but could the grace note be there to indicate where the accent should be. If it is an acciaccatura then the accent is on the main note, so if both the grace note and the main note are at the same pitch, then the accent would be after the start of the note. You could do that just by putting a bit more pressure on the bow as you are playing the note, but not stopping it. Sorry I'm not making much sense.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) Maybe. I've never seen anything even vaguely similar before. If I am feeling more awake/organised in the next couple of days I will post it in case anyone sees it and goes "Oh it's that!" - I'll also re-read this, my brain is mush right this minute... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

[joyjoy]

Wow you are definitely a multi-instrumentalist! Good for you! I didn't realise you play viola too? I have got one, and can play some simple tunes on it, but I've never really hit it off, prefer the violin. But I WILL get back into the viola .. I am inspired now!

If I can be of help anytime Joy, let me know (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I just might take you up on that, thanks! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Happy violining and violing (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[sarah-flute]

Wow you are definitely a multi-instrumentalist! Good for you! I didn't realise you play viola too? I have got one, and can play some simple tunes on it, but I've never really hit it off, prefer the violin. But I WILL get back into the viola .. I am inspired now!

If I can be of help anytime Joy, let me know (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I just might take you up on that, thanks! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Happy violining and violing (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Felix]

"Oh and a random Schumann question, if anyone has the Loy Viola Music For Beginners book - in the Schuman, 2nd line, last bar, there appears to be a grace note C to a C... Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?? I'm confusled... do you just stop the bow for a moment or what? Really weird. Never come across that before.
[/quote]"


It sounds odd. Could it be a misprint? (When you play the guitar a lot you get used to misprints, and end up assuming that anything you don't understand must be a misprint. Or at least I do).