Mazas Étude Op.36 n.6 : Allegro non troppo

Number 6 is a more adventurous détaché study which looks into lower half détaché and mixed bowing détaché. In both cases the notes must sound equal and even, and also sustained throughout the semi-quaver, of course. The détaché in the lower half is harder than the one in the upper half, but it should take example from the easier one and it should sound as good. The main difficulty lies because of the temptation to chop up every note into a staccato because of tightness or non-flexibility of the wrist. This would destroy the joining of the notes at the change of bow direction. The wrist has a most important role ; that of slowing the bow down, keeping it firmly connected to the string, and producing a smooth, non-abrupt change of direction to the stroke. 

The first 2 bars set the initial bowing pattern which calls for détaché in the lower and then upper half of the bow. In all probability one won't actually be using half the bow ; depending on tempo the correct amount of bow is likely to be around a quarter or an eighth. The crotchet is the note which leads us to the opposite side of the bow, and it needs length of bow in order to sing. The accents marked will ensure proper rhythmic tightness and good accuracy of the stroke. When practising slowly, it is best to concentrate on evenness, and to add the accents only at the end of one's mastery of détaché.

 

The mixed bowing variation of the above must however take place in the middle of the bow. Use little bow on the accented notes (.) and little on the accented crotchet. The crotchet must not lead the bow away from the middle where it reaches its greatest potential during détaché. Limiting the amount of bow in détaché and on the string bowings ensures better contact between bow and string.

The above passage is fingered so that it string crosses once a crotchet ( or every 4 semi-quavers ). The bowing accents ( performed by "throwing" the bow and using twice as much bow for that particular note - i.e. it is produced by the doubled quantity and speed of the bow which "projects" that note ) will help coordinate the position changes with the notes. The new position ( from 1st to 3rd or from 3rd to 1st ) must be arrived at prior to the bowing accent, and producing the right hand accent ensures that the left hand has made a timely shift.

By adding the commas (,) above, it is meant that the bow needn't play and sustain the notes between the string change ( from A string to G ). It can stop the end of the crotched as if it were a staccato, and a little pause would fill the gap while one change string. Make sure the first of the four semi-quavers is practically accented in order to give good shape and solidity to the ascending runs. In fact the first note should be the loudest, with the volume diminishing, even for the accented crotchet which finishes the run. The bowing pattern depicted above also occurs 4 lines further down the page.

 

 

 

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Last modified: January 31, 2001