Paul Katz of Cleveland Quartet at Bowdoin International Music Festival, 2024.
Ravel Sonata for Violin and Cello, Allegro
- Ravel’s Registral Overlap: The violin and cello often share the same range, making balance inherently challenging.
- Importance of Piano Dynamics: Ravel’s piano markings require true softness
- Humor & Lightness: The sonata overall carries a playful, non-serious spirit in all movements.
- Physical Lightness: Use lighter bow pressure, especially on recurring figures or when supporting the melody.
- Playful Attitude: Let a subtle jazziness or humorous quality inform your touch, including pizzicatos, to convey the piece’s overall cheer.
- Balancing: Instead of the lead voice simply playing louder, allow each other’s line to emerge.
- Passing Motifs: When the melody shifts between instruments, mentally track who “leads” and who “follows” for a smooth handoff.
- Legato vs. Syncopation: Maintain flowing legato in principal melodic lines while giving syncopated accompaniments a slight “poke” without overpowering.
- The Total Sound: Expand your ears so as not to hear only your own part.
- Dynamic Awareness: Continuously check how you project in relation to your partner; avoid overshadowing delicate lines.
- Tone Color Matching: As motifs pass back and forth, match or complement each other’s tonal quality for a unified sound.
- Harmonics & Soft Textures: Attentively blend these fragile moments; ensure each harmonic or light entry remains audible.
- Tempo Changes: Stay aligned so that acceleration or relaxation evolves logically and feels organic rather than abrupt.
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Cleveland Quartet
For more than a quarter of a century, the Cleveland Quartet was hailed as one of the premier string quartets…
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"I did my work slowly, drop by drop. I tore it out of me by pieces." -Maurice Ravel
