Mozart: Symphony No. 35 (“Haffner”) Fourth movement - mm 134 - 181 Practice Sheet Prepared by Melissa Matson The Essentials Sound: Piano opening Rhythm: Steady, precise left hand Full, energetic forte Accurate rests Ringing stroke Steady eighth-note passages Intonation: Slurred eighths Articulation: Legato slurs and string crossings Octaves Entrances from the string Balanced, nearly off-string stroke One of the most frequently-requested Mozart excerpts, this passage demonstrates an elegant approach to rhythm and stroke, as well as a left hand equipped with nimble fingers. Remember to play with phrase and gesture throughout the technical challenges, bringing a joyful spirit to your performance. Left Hand: The opening of this excerpt can be a finger-twister, requiring thoughtful and careful practice. Following are two basic fingering choices, each with their distinctive challenges. The upper fingering (which | prefer), uses first- and half-positions, offers a clearer sound and perhaps more reliability (no shifts), but has more string-crossings. The lower fingering (starting in second and shifting back and forth to half) reduces string crossings (especially the initial one to the A-string), but can be “muddier’ due to second-position, fourth-fingers, and shifts. ty 34 2 al 7 : Note: There is a pitch discrepancy on the last eighth-note of measure 137 - the Kalmus edition prints an “A’, but it appears as an “F-sharp” in the Barenreiter edition. Once you choose a fingering, practice the following exercises for evenness and reliability. Analyze shifts and string crossings, and check to see that the fingers are lifting up with energy and clarity (much like a tril). In each rhythmic variation, observe the balance in the left hand as you “sit” on the long note and as you prepare for the next gesture. Note especially the need to balance to the 3° and 4” fingers in the beginnings of the first and third measures of the excerpt, —~ Exercise One: Practice (1st) (2nd) the passage in various rhythmic variations: first in the common long-short and short-long two- note patterns: Next in the related groups of four - “sitting on” the first note of each four-note group throughout the passage, then on the second note, then the third note, then the fourth note: (eg ——___ SS i ea (1st) ndMozart: Symphony No. 35, fourth movement ~ page 2 Finally, practice the passage in groups of eight notes - “sitting on’ the first note of the bar, then on the middle of the bar. This exercise is wonderful for feeling the flow of the line! As you practice, take note of any groupings which are less fluid than others - analyze and solve the problems. Often the issues are balance and finger action. Remember to adjust the position of your left elbow as you travel from the D-string through to the C-string <> —— SN Exercise Two: Using the same “sitting-on" idea, now use groupings of five notes - this, develops the sheer muscle memory which is crucial in this excerpt - remember to solve finger balance issues! _— —_— Practice the 5-note groupings in each of the rhythmic patterns. At first, slur a bow to a bar; then do two bars to a bow. Solve any balance issues you discover! For the more adventurous Player, this can also be done with separate bows (turn the quarter note into an eighth-note + eighth-rest).Mozart: Symphony No. 35, fourth movement - page 3 Exercise Three: If using the first-position fingering, smooth the string crossings by sustaining double-stops through the crossings. Keep the bow firm and smooth, and minimize the jolt to the A-string. In context, one hardly needs to make an effort to get the A-string note to sound! This exercise also makes the fingering more efficient by keeping third finger down. Exercise Four: Give line to the passage, and “simplify” the left hand, by emphasizing (both mentally and physically) the general shape of the notes: 4 Bowings for this first passage: Produce a sustained legato sound by using enough weight in the bow to let each eighth-note be clear. Plan your bow use in the first five bars so that you can start measure 139 up-bow, near the middle, enabling the bow to lift off the string between each of the three A’s, Use the upper middle of the bow to start, using enough bow to be clear; move the bow through string-crossings and direction changes. If you choose to use the published bowing, slur the quarter note A in bar 137 into the previous bar and start around the upper middle of the bow. Another option, designed to eliminate any jerks at bow changes, is to put the first three bars into one up-bow (shown as dotted-line slurs in the full excerpt). In this case, start more in the upper half of the bow. Whichever option you choose, take time to practice the opening under tempo (i.e half tempo or slower) - feel the solid weight into the string Rhythmic Suggestions: The quarter-note “A” in the beginning of measure 137 should release early (almost played as an eighth-note followed by an eighth-note rest) in order to fit with the rest of the string section - they have continuous eighth-notes, and our “C-sharp" needs to be precisely on time, When preparing to play this excerpt, keep in mind that in the three bars of rest prior to measure 134, the violins start the eighth-note passage which we then join — all the strings are in unison or octaves — we “continue” the music instead of “starting” it. In your mind's ear, hear the violins and join in. Note: There is a pitch discrepancy on the last eighth-note of measure 137 - the Kalmus edition prints an "A", but it appears as an “F-sharp’ in the Barenreiter edition.Mozart: Symphony No. 35, fourth movement — page 4 Rhythm: While there are no complex rhythmic patterns to speak of, the challenge is to maintain an unflagging (yet musical) internal pulse, Find your tempo from the passage in measures 139 — 146 (this is parallel to the beginning of the whole movement). Play these eight bars with a metronome on half-notes (140 to 150 for a finished tempo; add a quarter-note subdivision if you like). Each entrance must start from the string. Feel the rests strongly - when practicing, say “ugh” out loud in the mid-bar rests, as shown here: oo mh Yom om VY un 138 ee The slurred eighths of the opening must start in this tempo, and the sixth bar of the excerpt must continue that pulse, As always, keep the bow ready at the string in order to begin each entrance on time and clearly. Three other important places for rhythmic “ughs" are shown here: 160 “gh ugh OY gh je) um More Left Hand: The two passages starting at measures 158 and 164 require those nimble fingers again. Remember to practice under tempo to observe finger action (picking up clearly, placing clearly) and left hand balance. The second of these sections can be particularly pesky because of the rapid 3° and 4" fingers — here the wrist balance (not stuck out) is important, as well as left elbow placement, You might try this second section in second position — hence using 2" and 3" fingers for the rapid repetitions. It creates other challenges, but it may work better for some hands.Mozart: Symphony No. 35, fourth movement - page 5 Bow Strokes: As with other excerpts from this period, the separate-eighth-note passages will all start from the string, near the middle of the bow (in the natural bounce point), giving the stroke a clear, strong, nearly off-string sound. Do not try to bring the hair off the string — rather, see that the stick is “alive”. Use the forearm/elbow to motivate the stroke — the upper arm is loose, and the fingers are springy in response to the forearm motion, Use a clear contact point, and make sure that the bow stays parallel to the bridge. Listen for a full, joyful forte sound. 1, Keep the stroke steady — the first two notes need to be in tempo, and the ending notes should not rush! (see “ugh" comments in the Rhythm section!) 2. Practice these passages using just the open strings - keep the sound of the stroke consistent through string crossings. 3. Give shape to these eighths - experiment with increasing and decreasing the amount of bow used on consecutive eighths. For example, try shaping the passage in bars 147-167 by following the contour — getting fuller as it ascends, and softer as the pitches descend. This also avoids an emphasis on every down-bow (which produces the CHUNK-a-CHUNK-a sound), 4, Practice the passage starting in bar 147 with backwards bowings - start up-bow, and make the passage sound “right”, Do remember to keep the overall forte dynamic. Note: the passage in bars 172-175 has two different published bowings - Barenreiter indicates all-separate, while Kalmus has a slur on each descending octave, The Barenrelter bowing Is preferred, but also give the other one a tty - you may be asked to do it (itis more challenging: keep string crossings minimal, use little bow on the slur, and ‘emphasize up-bows that are rhythmically-important pulse notes such as downbeats and the middles of the bars). ‘The Octaves: Practice measures 172 - 178 as double-stops, stabilizing the octave reach with a supportive wrist (not stuck out) and good balance to the fourth finger. Release finger and thumb pressure just prior to making the shifts ("Release” or “R” below). Use the forearm to motivate the shifts. On the shift from the Ds down to the G-sharps have a sense of “launching’ the arm back to halt-position. 12 Release . feee peee,! peepee ee peeeeeee - F tee ee ca b> eee et CEE Coe eo eieter Also practice these measures on just open strings — analyze the string-crossing gesture, making it one dance motion instead of many motions. Make sure that the up-bow on the G-string is clear. The stroke will be practically “in’ the string. Give shape and direction to this phrase!Mozart : Symphony No. 35 (“Haffner”) Fourth movement - mm 134 - 181 Prepared by Melissa Matson 134 139 147 152 158 163 168 173. 178