Mazas Étude Op.36 n.5 : Allegro non troppo

I would start Mazas's studies with this study ( or number 6 ). This is a fundamental study ( as is number 6 ) because it deals with détaché, which is perhaps one of the most important and common bowing strokes in violin playing. How can a violinist survive the baroque repertoire without a supreme détaché. Détaché must be mastered over and over at every stage, each time reaching new levels in terms of equality ( the up strokes are often weaker than the down bows ) and sonority and note binding power. This last quality is essential : some players cannot join the notes and play a semi off-the-string spiccato, with little wrist suppleness, and this chops up all the notes ruining any chance of a singing phrase. Détaché is such a long subject, as so many right arm components must come together in the right proportions to produce a great technique and musical result.

 

 Use a Steady Tempo : Beware of too fast a tempo.... Mazas knew that right hand qualities are best developed under a slow tempo, so one has a chance to control the weights and consistency of the bow on the string. Going too fast will lose the best qualities of your détaché, and the singing power of your bowing will become degraded and careless. Détaché studies are often marked moderato or "not too fast". A good détaché is firmly in contact with the string at all times. The term alla corda indicates this quality, usually. On changing bows, rigidity is likely to spoil this stroke, and in the worst cases, the bow actually leaves the string, producing more noise than sound. I would suggest a slow motion tempo, for practice purposes, playing each note 2 times :

One may gradually increase the tempo, week by week, and eventually play each note once, as written....all this as one's skills, quality and technique improves. 

The 3 main components of détaché are lower arm ( forearm ) wrist and fingers. Too much finger or wrist action can turn things into little more than party tricks, as the true adherence of the bow on the string is weakened by excessive actions. One sometimes sees wavy wrists in détaché, and this too achieves more show than an actual musical result. Please refer to my page on détaché for further enhancement on this bowing stroke.

Broad détaché : In the following, very sonorous passage ( in B flat major ) one needs to maximize the breadth of sound and bowing style by using a very broad détaché, which greatly enhances the volume and emission or projection of sound. I would suggest more bow than that illustrated below - it seems rather conservative - and a more accurate graphic would depict more bow area to be used. The following passage also needs careful study in finger pattern ( chord placement  style ) and of course it requires supreme skill and clarity in string changing with the bow. Remember to minimize the string levels, so that the bow effectively seems as it is playing on the same string. For optimal string crossing the elbow should lie in between the E and A string and the forearm should effect most of the string changing. An elbow that bounces up and down, clumsily, following each string change is bound to ruin the fluidity and smoothness of the performance. String crossing is a big chapter in itself... this passage is a fine example of classic string changing over 2 (adjacent) strings.

For those who would like to hear (albeit a very mechanical) midi rendering of this piece, download it here, and you can always try to import it to print out - though beware of any enharmonic corrections that might be needed for it to look right.

 

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Last modified: January 31, 2001