Ysaÿe’s Solo Sonata no. 3 - sewing the patches together, slowly but surely. Yesterday, I attempted to run through the section where the main theme / material is presented, and it just didn’t work out. Bouts of physical tension was rampant, probably due to the body trying to cope with combining rhythmic integrity with harmonic intensity. Today, after warming up with with some bow change exercises from both Carl Flesch’s Urstudien and Dounis’ Artist’s Technique, the physical sensations and literal embodiment of phrasing became much more effortless. Probably because I dreamt of the work the evening before 😅
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There’s something to be said for mulling over a tricky passage - the mind and soul are at work without the instrument and bow, imagining the specific pathways drawn by the fingers, arms, shoulders, back, and ultimately, the body as a whole. Helps so much.
I also experimented with shifting more weight towards the right side of the body, as I noticed that I tend to favor the left disproportionately - almost excessively. The violin as such is naturally elevated, and the right hand has gravity in its favor. Less effort, more friction...!
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...work in progress, but coming together.
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