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Hello, everyone! I've got an audition coming up in a few weeks, and I just found out that there are two excerpts from Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 4 that I need to prepare. The second, which I've posted a link to below, has a bunch of slides. However, I'm not sure how to approach the last one. In my 11 years of playing, I've never had to do anything like it. Any suggestions? Do I play that C on the G string and slide all the way down, or is there a way to slide across strings that sounds good?
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That is a really good question......Oh Fiddlerman!!!!!!
"Please play some wrong notes, so that we know that you are human" - said to Jascha Heifetz.
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What I always did on that is go back to 5th position on the last 3 eighth notes after the slide down to G natural but instead of using your 1st finger on the C, reach just a bit up to hit the C with your fourth finger and slide (not too fast, you've listened to the symphony right?) down as low as you can before switching the E to the G strong. The reason for playing that E on the G string is to get the fat juicy and loud sound. My bowing as a leader would be to use several quick bows down, up, down on that E right away and end real soft at the tip. With Mahler exaggerate the dynamics and observe that the dynamics just before are ppp. Play that whisper quiet.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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So if the slide starts high on the A string, should I expect to slide all the way down to an open A and then switch over to the E on the G string, or do I make the switch earlier than that? Listening to the recording below (33:06), it's hard for me to hear when the transition happens.
Also, thanks for the fingering suggestions!
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You don't ever need to go to the note. Just a long slide then grab the note.
This is one of my favorite symphonies BTW..... Well Mahler grows on you.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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