Hi everyone,

I've arranged to try to play the violin for this with my teacher's most talented oboe pupil, which should be great fun. She's a brilliant musician.

I'm a bit daunted as I did see this piece as beyond my ability, but since I have learned to shift on the viola it doesn't look so scary. I need to limit my violin/viola playing so I need to be smart about how I practice....so, if anyone has any tips on playing this piece I'd be very grateful.

Thanks,

Toni xx

Which version are you playing? There are in fact two arrangements, one in its original C minor and the other in D minor.

Having sat on both sides of the fence to play this piece - ie. played both the oboe and violin part - the oboe part should be allowed to sing through in the first and last movements, with a give-and-take for both instruments in the second movement. In the first movement particularly, don't let the violin semiquaver sections drown out the oboe - which can happen very easily if the violinist gets a bit carried away.

It should be played lightly and joyfully, with a real sense of 'a lift' in the music.

Overall, great fun to play and audiences love it

No tips on playing the violin part but I've done the oboe part on a number of occasions. Wonderful work - I do hope you'll enjoy the experience.

I guessed you'd have played this Amanda, if anyone had!

Sorry, I forget to say that we're actually only going to do the slow movement for now - the first and third are definitely beyond my abilities as yet, though the oboist would certainly be able to manage! I can just about play the oboe part myself- the problem for me is that I run out of breath too quickly though! I like the idea of "give and take" between the oboe and violin.....I guess we should concentrate on being able to die back and let the other instrument sing out when they have the melody.

Amanda, did you find that it helped to be able to play both parts, in that you could empathise with the other player as you understood how it was to play their part?

I really want to be able to do this well, so it's not a bore for the oboist to play with me! She is really very good.

ETA: We're playing the original version in C minor. I saw that as the more difficult version at first, but I'm OK with it now. My teacher sees it as the better version - what do you think?

In answer to the first question, yes, if you can play both parts then you will have an advantage. The slow movement is almost like a series of questions or statements in one instrument, which then passes to the other to either give an answering phrase or a repeat of the statment.

The D minor version is slightly different and I know a lot of purists wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, mainly because Bach didn't write in that key to begin with.

C minor for me every time........

I'll also point out that one 'arrangement' has the solo violin playing pizzicato in the second movement.

No, no, no. The second movement should have the solo violin using the bow. The accompanying strings, if playing the full orchestrated version, will have pizzicato. To have the soloist playing the same would mean losing the entire shape of the 'musical conversation' between the two solo instruments.

We're using the Peters Edition so no pizzicato, thankfully!

c minor definately. and that also applies to the Marcello Concerto for oboe too. I don't know how it suits violinists, but c minor is a great key for the oboe.

Better than most keys with flats in them - as far as violinists are concerned.

D flat for example on the violin, is horrendous. Nothing lies comfortably on the fingerboard in D flat.

C min is not nice on the violin- I have both editions and the dm is infinitely easier and more natural too play! It does arguably sound better in c tho...