monday

My practicing went quite well yesterday though I hadn't quite figured out how the blog on this website works.  Things are much better this morning!  

The past few months have been busy and I've had only enough time to work on orchestra music, so I was anxious to get back to technical exercises and dive into some new solo repertoire.  I got a solid hour and 15 minutes of practicing in yesterday and feel quite accomplished.  I can barely remember the days I spent 3-4 hours practicing....the blissful life of a music major.  I miss it.

I'm still dealing with neck, wrist and back pain, though everything has been getting better.  Pain level yesterday was about a 4 (out of 10), and I took frequent breaks to stretch.  I've been really bad about stretching lately.  It seems like I haven't had any time to breathe, let alone stretch.  I'm starting a new yoga class this Thursday, which I know will help.  I also finally made it to the chiropractor last Friday after about 5 weeks of not going.  I'm supposed to go every 3 weeks.

 A few notes from yesterday:

Worked on C-major (#5 in Carl Flesch): 3 octave scale, arpeggios, broken thirds, chromatic scale and double stops in 3rds, 6ths and octaves.  I always try to figure out the fingered octaves and 9ths, but my hand is not be enough and my fingers are not long enough to comfortably do either of those.  My 1st finger starts to swell, and the pain in my pinkie is enough to call it quits.  I'm terribly envious of those who can do that (Hi Kate!!).

I've realized that my intonation has been slipping recently, especially in 4th and 6th positions.  Along with 2nd position, they are the most uncomfortable.  So I begrudgingly pulled out Whistler's Introducing the Positions, Book 2: 2nd, 4th, 6th and 7th positions.  I worked though #36-42 (all 4th position) and #67-69.  I quickly remembered how much I hated this book as a kid.  But it's extremely useful!

I also pulled out my Kreutzer: 42 Studies and worked through #10, which involves a lot of position work.  I'm surprised how easily these exercises come to me.  I guess it's always nice to pull out old books that seemed so difficult so many years ago.  It's always such a confidence boost!!

Next, I read through the Adagio from Bach's Sonata I in G minor.  I haven't played through this in ages, so it was a little rough.  I have yet to play through all of the unaccompanied sonatas and partitas, so I thought I get back into that.  I never really understood the intricacies of Bach's compositions until I completed my music theory coursework in college. I really am such a theory nerd.  I find the mathematics behind music to be fascinating, and it has certainly made me a better player and teacher.

A few months ago, I purchased Ravel's Tzigane, a beautiful gypsy piece that involves nearly every violin technique known to man.  He wrote it in 1922 and dedicated it to Hungarian virtuoso Jelly d'Aranyi after hearing him play Bartok's Sontata No.1.  Tzigane literally means gypsy, although Ravel didn't use any specific tradition gypsy folk songs.

I worked through the opening cadenza, all of which is played on the G-string, and came up with some creative fingerings.  I'm sure I'll change my mind a million times, as I easily obsess over fingerings and bowings until they are perfect.  I love the gritty sound when playing higher notes on the G-string.  It's great fun.

I felt productive and accomplished after my practice session.  Looking forward to today's!