AboutDavid Expertise I mainly aim to answer questions about playing techniques--intonation,
vibrato, bowing etc. I am somewhat familiar with Baroque and Classical music, though not as much with Romantic. I am unable to answer questions about advanced music theory, violin crafters/brands or the monetary value of a violin.
Experience I have played the violin about nine discontinuous years. Most of my work has been orchestral, with some soloing throughout. I was principal 2nd violinist of the Disney Honors Orchestra in 1998, a six-time All-State Orchestra violinist, a two-time assistant concertmaster and two-time concertmaster of my All-County Orchestra. I also have perfect pitch, which I believe can be learned (though I do not claim to know how to teach it).
Since starting medical school in 2004, I have had fewer chances to play, but I hope to someday resume on a regular basis.
Question Hi there!
Two years ago I returned to playing the violin after a 57 (yes fifty-seven) year break.
I played for about eight years from the time I was seven, and during WWII played in my fathers wartime dance band. Also played concerts with the usual violin solo's of the day - Szardas by Monti, type of thing.
I have a lovely violin (a Strad copy made in Germany in 1890) which sounds great when others play it, but despite having gone back to having lessons just over two years ago I can't seem to recover that soft tonal sound which is the glory of violin playing.
Any ideas?
Tony
p.s. I even practice every day (both piano and violin)
Answer Hello sir! You've asked a rather challenging question with a broad range of possibilities, and I'll try to hit the more common ones. Given that you've played the Czardas before, and have the number of years of experience that you do, I can already guess that you play at a great level.
The first question I would ask is what kind of strings you're using. While I'm familiar with only a few brands, I've had good experience with the Corelli Alliance class, which I believe has been renamed the Corelli Alliance Vivace; these strings made my naturally bright violin sound warmer. The Thomastik Dominant is pretty balanced, and the Pirastro Synoxa is really bright and better for violins with a naturally "tubbier" sound. So in your case I would avoid the Synoxa because it sounds as though you are looking for more of a soft, warm sound and less of a bright one. I wish I could offer more advice on string brands, but perhaps the Alliance Vivace would be worth consideration.
Second, I would propose the idea that the violin will sound different to you when you are playing it versus when you're listening to someone else play it, even if everything else were equal. Seems unlikely that your observations in this case are purely due to that, though; just thought I'd toss the possibility out there.
Third, I've always found that listening to recordings of great artists helps me focus on specifics of quality sound. If you're looking for an artist who excels at the kind of sound you're describing, I would suggest Itzhak Perlman (no surprise) and Joshua Bell. Both of them are exemplary at expressing emotion through music, and are mature enough to incorporate a wide range in their playing.
Fourth, you may want to examine both the speed and width of your vibrato. Perhaps experimenting with a slower speed of oscillation, but a broader stroke, would bring about a warmer tone.
One final suggestion would be to try recording yourself, audio alone would be fine. It's noticeably easier to notice small details of your playing when you can devote your full attention to listening, rather than having it split between listening and playing. Of course, the challenge would be to find a reasonably priced recorder that does justice to your playing.
Thank you for a great question, I hope I've at least scratched the surface of what it is you seek. I'm sure you've noticed that the violin is considerably more capable of emotional expression compared with the piano (which I also play) simply because of the presence of vibrato. It's impressive that you've restarted the violin after 57 years, and I wouldn't be surprised if you found that the motions returned rather quickly when you first started back up. I hope you find the soft tone since, yes, it definitely is the glory of violin playing. I believe that you will, and good luck.
Sincerely
David
