Cello, Bow and You: Putting it All Together
Oxford University Press Inc (Verlag)
978-0-19-049740-8 (ISBN)
The book is organized as its playful title implies. In the Cello and Bow sections, Benedetti explores the natural physical and mechanical properties of the instrument and bow, the laws of movement, the influence of gravity, and the dynamic interaction between them. The "You," or the one who plays, is explored from the point of view of the player's musical conception, anatomy, and principles of movement based on the Alexander Technique and bio-mechanics.
Cello, Bow and You allows students and professionals access to Benedetti's vast performance and teaching experience. She has pioneered an approach to playing that is a synthesis of the cellist's musical thought, the knowledge of the dynamic properties of the instrument and bow, and the ability to move effectively according to the mechanics of the human body. The synergy of these elements leads to physically healthy playing and frees players to be musically expressive. Written in engaging, informal prose, the book is a must-read for cellists and cello teachers - beginning, intermediate, or professional.
Evangeline Benedetti has been a member of the New York Philharmonic for more than 40 years. She is also a cello teacher and practitioner of the Alexander Technique.
Table of Contents
Prelude
Forward
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part I: Sound Image, Cello, Bow and You
Chapter 1: The Sound Image
The sound image, or what you hear in your head
Playing by ear or reading music
Shaping the sound image
Becoming your own conductor
Becoming your own teacher
Elements of the sound image
Non- negotiable elements of a musical image
Negotiable elements decided by the artist
The cellist's objective
Part II: Cello, Bow . . .
Chapter 2: The Cello and The String
Observation, the approach to the cello and bow
The beauty of the instrument
The bridge and the sound post
The strings
The nut, tailpiece and fingerboard
The role of the bow
Chapter 3: Stringing
The intersection where the bow meets the string
Stringing: the quintessence of string playing
Chain reaction of vibrating the string
Newton's laws in cello playing
A sound: beginning, middle and end
Articulations
Volume of sound
The varying amplitude makes the phrase
Analogy to a triangle
An exploration of placement
Amount of hair touching the string
The shape of the string
Optimal placement of hair on the string
Using placement for dynamic changes
Placement on the four strings
Chapter 4: The Fingerboard
The fingerboard grid: an image-based approach
The blueprint
Harmonics
Playing the grid
Notes in one location
Changing locations
In support of intonation
Learning the fingerboard: positions versus the grid
Chapter 5: Tools of the Trade: The Left Hand and The Bow
The left hand
The left hand tool
The bow
Introduction to the bow
Characteristics of the bow
The hair
The screw
The length of the bow
Gravity, natural balancing point and center of gravity
Chapter 6: A Gravity Based Technique for Bowing
The natural laws and how they affect bowing
Gravity
Weight
Balance: the CG is the NBP
Gravity-centered approach to the whole bow
Differences in approach to learning: gravity based compared to traditional learning
Changing the vocabulary for bowing instruction
Legato, the soul of the cello
The neutral whole bow
Equalizing the weight of the two ends of the bow
The shape of the bow guides the movement
Changing directions respecting Newton
Imbalance as an ally
String crossings or changes, using the unbalancing factor
Chapter 7: Short Notes as Part of the Whole Bow Stroke
Short Notes: on and off the string
On the string: détaché, martelé and accented notes
Off the string: the bouncing bow
Some things all bounced bows have in common
Bounced bowing techniques
The "scoop" spiccato
The "ball bounce" spiccato
Bowing techniques with more than one note in each direction
Up or down-bow staccato/spiccato
Ricochet or jeté
Arpeggiated richochet
Coda
Part III: . . . and You: Putting it all Together
Chapter 8: An Overview of You
Coordination and the Alexander Technique
Whole body playing
Opposition as cooperation: co-handedness
Chapter 9: Sitting and Holding the Cello: Anatomy and Application
Anatomical vocabulary
Sitting: the first technique
The overview of the spine, torso, pelvic basin, legs and feet in playing
Details of the pelvis
The legs and feet as part of cello playing
The coccyx, sacrum, lumbar spine and thoracic spine
The anatomy of the head and cervical spine
The role of the brain and spinal chord in playing
How to sit: moving from standing to sitting
The squat-sit process
How to squat
How to squat-sit
Holding the cello: the relationship of the cello and the cellist
Holding the cello: the perspective from a biomechanical engineer
The weight of the cello
The neck and the scroll
The length of the endpin
The size of the person
Bring the cello to meet your body. Do not take your body to the cello
Chapter 10: Breathing: Anatomy and Application
Breathing
The anatomy of the dorsal spine, ribcage, and breathing
The function of breathing
The cycle of breath
The role of breathing when playing
Breathing naturally
Breathing for a purpose
Chapter 11: Hands: Anatomy and Application
Anatomy of the hands
Functions of the hands
Function of the metacarpals
Function of the thumb
Rotational function of the forearm and humerus
Function of the fingertips
Function applied to cello playing
The left hand
The three grips applied to the left hand
Rotation of the left hand when playing
Anatomy of the shape of the end of the finger and its role in playing
Thumb position
The right hand
Rotation of the right hand when playing
Chapter 12: The Arm Moves the Hand: Anatomy and Application
The shoulder girdle and the shoulder joint
The anatomy of the shoulder girdle versus the shoulder joint
The movement of the shoulder girdle
The movement of the shoulder joint
The role of the shoulder joints when playing
The anatomy of the wrist and elbow joints
The elbow
The wrist
The anatomy and function is over
Chapter 13: Playing the Cello: Anatomy and Application
Bowing
The whole bow
Détaché
Martelé
Bounced bow strokes
Shifting
Shifting when using thumb position
Timing of the shifts
Vibrato
The finger on the string
The sound of vibrato
The speed and width of vibrato
Energetic force for playing
Direction of force to the strings with both hands
Equalizing the energy used by both hands
Part IV: Practice
Chapter 14: Practice as Process
Creative practice as experiment
Creative practice as research
Progress is never a straight line and it takes time
Two paths of learning
Creating your practice space
Creating concentration and consciousness
Setting an agenda
Assessments
Pitfalls
Embrace what is right
Chapter 15: Rhythm, Melody and Harmony
Rhythm
Rhythm as coordinator: the time-space relationship
Location of the beat within the body
The intellectual beat
The sensory beat
The emotional
The all inclusive beat
Illustration of the inclusive beat
Scales and Harmony in Music
Scales and melody
Scales and harmony
Chapter 16: Auralization and Visualization as Learning Techniques
Using auralization
Using visualization
Learning the skill
Visualization as looking inward
Chapter 17: Warming Up
A practice warm up routine
Warm-ups before playing
A rhythmic routine away from the instrument
Warming up at the Instrument
Putting it all together
Chapter 18: Practice Techniques
Preserving our energy through no-energy practice
Just the beginning of the note
Correcting wrong notes
Changing learned habits
Reversing
Postlude: Putting it All Together
About the Author
References
Index
| Erscheinungsdatum | 13.10.2016 |
|---|---|
| Verlagsort | New York |
| Sprache | englisch |
| Maße | 155 x 231 mm |
| Gewicht | 363 g |
| Themenwelt | Kunst / Musik / Theater ► Musik ► Instrumentenkunde |
| ISBN-10 | 0-19-049740-8 / 0190497408 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0-19-049740-8 / 9780190497408 |
| Zustand | Neuware |
| Haben Sie eine Frage zum Produkt? |
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