Henryk Szeryng chitectonic perfection of the structure,

and all of these factors (the problems

they pose and the solution each player
And Bach finds for them and projects to the lis-
tener) give the individual personality
to each performance.
by Dorothy Bales In all his critiques and observations
as well as in his playing, Szeryng dem-
The violin master classes of Henryk onstrated a remarkable grasp of all
Szeryng were held at the conservatory these factors. A musicologist could
in Geneva, Switzerland in August 1970 cavil with his terminology in referring
and 1972. Each consisted of twelve to the "theme" of a fugue or the "de-
sessions of approximately three hours velopment section" of the Adagio of
each. Each featured ten players from the G minor sonata and the A minor
many European countries. There were fugue. Nevertheless the word is not the
violinists from behind the Iron Curtain thing. The clarity of his tonal "vision"
this year, as well as from Japan, the and the intensity of his concentration
United States, Canada, and Israel. made each session a valuable experi-
The opportunity to compare differ- ence. (Indeed it seemed as if he direct-
ent national or cultural violin playing ed the entire two and a half-week
styles was a rare one. The repertoire Dorothy Bales and Henryk Szeryng course as if he were creating and sus-
played by the participants featured the taining a "giant spectacular," now sum-
standard concertos of Bach, Beetho- moning the players in tum, now draw-
ven, Brahms, Bartok. The virtuoso lit- had been his fellow students in the ing in members of the audienee, now
erature was not neglected-favorite master class of Flesch in Berlin more recognizing some passing celebrity of
war horses like the Wieniawski Scherzo than thirty years ago) he is a musician the musical world who had come to
Tarantelle, and the Chausson Poeme of fine intellect, who maintains a puris- visit the class.)
were played. More exotic works like tic concern for the authenticity of a The main categories into which
the Martinu Sonatina and the Szyma- performance, and a regard for the vio- Szeryng's instructions seem to fall (in-
nowski Concerto and Sonata were linistic tradition. But he is also aware cluding the rhythmic, melodic, har-
played by violinists from Rumania and of the "facts of life" of changing acous- monic, and contrapuntal) are the ar-
Poland. The Bach solo sonatas how- tic conditions, audience preferences chitectural, the human or emotional,
ever, furnished the "core curriculum" and new music. Because he seems to and the spiritual or religious.
in both sessions. be so well integrated a person-artist- It has already been said that
The languages of the class were teacher his teaching reflects a similar Rhythm, which the Harvard Diction-
mostly French and German. Although integration of technical means and ary of Music defines as "everything
Szeryng speaks eight languages fluently musical ends. pertaining to the temporal quality (du-
he preferred to be "interpreted" in Because the music of Bach repre- ration) of the musical sound," has
French and German by a young Swiss sents the Bible-or at least the Old both an architectural and a poetic--or
violinist sitting on his left and French Testament-to most violinists, the ses- human and spiritual-importance. The
and English by the present writer on sions devoted to the solo sonatas were macro-rhythmic dimensions of the
his right. The enormous amount of in- of perhaps the greatest interest to the movements of the Bach works affect
put in terms of works played, criti- participants. The fascination of the mainly the architectural aspect and are
cized, and replayed gave performers, solo sonatas derives not only from the related to the larger aspects of rela-
scholars and teachers an opportunity succession of technical problems for tionships of tonalities within the move-
for re-evaluating the recurring para- the instrument, but also from the diffi- ment. The micro-rhythms--or metrical
doxes concerning the relationships be- culties of projecting and sustaining, on rhythm affects not only the pulse but
tween technic and music content, be- an essentially melodic instrument the the articulation of the musical speech
tween various national styles, the in- structure of polyphonic music which and the gestures of the dances which
terpretation of music of different his- seems to have been conceived in terms are implied. Thus rhythm in its great
torical periods, of the relationship and of the tonal and technical potentialities and general as well as its small and
balance between emotional expression of an organ or of an orchestra. The particular aspects is the base-and
and intellectual grasp. structure, then, of say a fugue, is de- basis-of the Bach sonatas.
From these two long and intensive pendent upon the overall time span re- In Bach the fugue melody runs the
master classes certain general princi- quired for its performance (the equiva- gamut from three note motifs to full-
ples could be deduced which Szeryng lent the horizontal in a painting), the some song. As in all Baroque music
proclaimed repeatedly in general and juxtaposition of the volumes (equal of it can be separated from its rhythmic
again specifically in commenting on vertical of a painting) and within these and harmonic relationships only for
particular performances. Taken togeth- dimensions the harmonic masses and purposes of analysis. In each of the ac-
er they furnish an encyclopedia of vio- textures of the sections. tual movements of the Bach solo violin
lin knowledge. Also they afforded an Now obviously the tempo of each movements, the melody, rhythm and
opportunity to evaluate Szeryng as an movement of the solo sonatas will dic- counterpoint are dimensions of the ar-
artist and as a master teacher. Like tate its length. The volume(s) will de- chitectonic structure.
Kreisler he is a man of broad cultural termine its breadth. The bowing articu-
interests and his style of playing, while lations will create the texture and the Possibly the most interesting single
less individual or idiosyncratic, has a voice leading will realize the harmonic concept to come out of the two sum-
similar charm. Like Carl Flesch whom shapes. But it is the vitality' of rhythm mers of master classes was Szeryng's
he referred to as "Papa Flesch" (there and the kind of tonal warmth which distinction between the "rhythmic"
were those among the auditors who breathe life into the otherwise cold ar- fugues-the G minor and A minor and
10 AMERICAN STRING TEACHER
the "melodic" or Chorale fugue-the which one to "sacrifice." The principal Etude Opus 35, No. 1. This should be
C major. The C major fugue, he said, voice (the main tune carrier)-must be practiced attacking all the notes at
took its four measure long subject from held a little longer. When an episode once but holding the lower two voices.
Bach's chorale The Waters of Babylon. contains a thematic fragment it must Then it should be practiced holding the
Therefore, the treatment of this fugue be brought out. middle voice, then holding the top two
leaned more on sustained lyrical The micro-dynamics affect the pulse voices. Most of the time in the G minor
breadth while in the other two fugues (heart-beat) and the pronunciation, so fugue it is the top voice that is the most
the rhythmical factor took precedence. to speak, of the "words" containing the important. However at letter L, at the
(The subject of the G minor fugue is thoughts of the episodes in the fugues. culminating point of the fugue, one
one measure long and that of the A Therefore in order to avoid a purely must break the chords from the top
minor is two measures long.) The sub- motoric, time-beating or space filling downwards, but always keeping the
ject of the C major fugue, which is treatment of these episodes, Szeryng rhythm.
broad throughout, must be "sung" al- advocated accenting the weak beats. Frequent warnings were given
most without accents. The first note Dynamics and tone color are used against a tendency to romanticize in
of each of the fugues, however, must by Szeryng, (like the agogic accents) the passage work. The remedy he ap-
receive a primary accent. In the G as structural principles in the way they plied was nearly always rhythmic
minor fugue this primary accent com- were probably thought of by Bach who severity-"but it must represent the
ing always on the second eighth note was no doubt influenced in all his writ- rhythm of the heart, not the rhythm
of the measure gives the whole fugue ing by his primary allegiance to the or- of the metronome" and simple forte
an "up beat" quality which keeps it on gan. The students were repeatedly passages followed by piano echo effects
its toes throughout, since all entrances warned to keep the theme all in one were permitted as ways of gaining va-
of the subject come off beat and all the register, without change of dynamics. riety without sacrificing the rhythm.
episodes similarly begin after the first "Keep the registers separate." The idea "Bach passage work must often give
beat. The A minor fugue subject has being expressed was that the voices the impression of hurrying while still
a similar off-beat construction and the must be allowed to sing as if each was remaining exactly in time."
first note likewise must be accented being played on a separate keyboard "Keep the proportions of the bow
more strongly than the final note of the or by the pedals of the organ. Never- so that there is no great difference in
subject, which ends on the first beat theless the incisiveness of the rhythm the part of the bow used in piano and
of the measure. was the quality most insisted upon. in forte."
However, the primary accents alone In general the dash plus dot When the subject is announced in
cannot determine the character or bowing was that most fre- three voice chords they are to be
shape of the subject. The rhythmic played as they come instead of with re-
treatment of the subject is partly metri- quently advocated. The use of the peated down bows. In the first section
cal with very strict relationships be- original Bach bowings was strongly rec- they are to be played from bottom up-
tween eighth and sixteenth notes. Part- ommended, especially in cadences. ward in the second section they are
ly it depends upon the agogic accents, "Bach did nothing by chance." He to b~ played from the top downward.
the degree of separation of the eighth planned it to sound as he wrote it and Play the up bow strokes with the same
notes from each other and from the we should play it that way." Neverthe- strength as the down bow strokes. At
sixteenth notes. Szeryng advocates that less changes of bowing were allowed the culminating or climax points, don't
all the long notes (eighths and quar- for the sake of sonority if they did not hold the chord before the entrance of
ters in the first two fugues, quarters change the intention of the phrasing the subject too long.
and half notes in the C major fugue) or voice leading. "Bach said that the As illuminating as his instructions
be played separated, shortened) and student must learn the bowings, the on the fugues were his pronouncements
all the short notes (sixteenth notes in artist must vanquish them." on the Adagio opening movements of
the first two fugues and eighth notes Technical instruction in ways to ac- the G minor or sonata. For the opening
in the C major fugue) be stretched complish these musical goals was not of the G minor, the first chord is to be
(lengthened). This rhythmic treatment lacking. The detache episodes in the played with very little bow, close to the
applies, for the most part, not only to fugues were often "detache ventile," frog and close to the finger board. The
the subject but in general to the whole a brush stroke that almost leaves the chord is to be played attacking the bot-
fugue. It makes possible a much great- string and approximates the kind of tom three notes and then rolling the
er clarity of texture and vitality of detache one would achieve with a bow slightly to release the bottom g
rhythm. Baroque bow. Szeryng for the most and sound the top g. This "hand is
All the Bach fugues must begin with part avoids detache which sticks to the quicker than the ear" technique
a strong accent. Each succeeding entry string. Nevertheless he uses more than achieves the illusion of playing all four
of the theme must be lightly under- one kind of detache-s-never drifting notes at once-as Bach with his
lined. Each one must be accented. however, from one kind to another to rounded bow was no doubt able to do.
However, the monotony of accenting make a crescendo. In detache passages These double stops or chords con-
all the quarter note beats must be in the G minor fugue, in returning taining open strings should not be vi-
avoided. The principal entrances must from the extended position of the el- (Continued on Page 27)
be strongly indicated, the subsidiary bow, do not draw it back, but let it go
entrances less so, but each entrance back by itself. Keep the theme in the
must be kept within its own register middle or lower half of the bow, thus Attend
(as in vocal registers or registration of allowing room for the bow to maneu-
an organ.) The theme (subject) must ver. When the theme is on the E string, ASTA with MENC Convention
always be brought out, especially when turn the head to the left to allow room 1
It appears in the upper voice. When for the bow. To achieve mastery of March 22 • 26, 1974 ')
two or three or four voices are singing playing three voice chords in which the in Anaheim, California. ')
together, one must study the relative theme is in different voices in suc- ')
significance of each in order to know cessive repetitions, practice the Dont
IUMMER/1973 11
Szeryng (Continued from page 11) but preserve the moving melodic line.
At letter P, "play it straight"--don't
brated. (The vibrato Szeryng used and
advocated especially in Bach was nar- rush the thirty-second notes and take PRACTICING THE VIOLA
row and moderate in speed.) The (im- a lot of time on the sixteenths. At letter MENTAllY- PHYSICAllY
plied) top voice is to be thought of as Q one cannot play soft in the double
one tune and the bottom voice as an- stops, but one must play almost with- Left Hand By
other. If the two voices cannot both out vibrato to emphasize the religious Bow Arm LOUIS
character. At R agogic accents-ac- KIEVMAN
be held one must study the significance
of the melodic direction, in order to cents by length of notes-will bring
know which voice to sacrifice. out the rhythmic structure. From letter For
The Andante of the A minor sonata S going to letter T one should not Daily
make too must contrast, (fingers on Reference
was criticized for being played at too
slow a tempo. It must be played with the left side, elbow far to the right-
guitar technic.) At letter Dd do not ro- Price $2.50 Also
the fingers deep in the strings. This Available
permits the player to vibrate less but manticize. Add the new voice to the Add 5%
at your
old ones, retaining the logic, the Sales Tax
imparts the special color and religious In Calif.
local music
character to the piece. rhythm and the churchly character. store
In commenting on the Grave of the Very interesting and detailed in-
C Major solo sonata Szeryng made a struction was given on the Bach Dou-
poetic statement. "The first two notes ble concerto. Much of what Szeryng
(the C and D) are the primal cells out had to say about this piece applies . . . "dedicated to the late D. C. Dou-
of which Bach proceeds to create the equally well to the solo sonatas. "We nis. Don't let the small size of this
whole universe." Then he got down to cannot afford the luxury of playing like book nor the terseness of the text mis-
the "how to". It must grow in sound a machine." Bach is expressing human lead anyone about the contents. The
as if played on an organ. The opening * The opening is played by Szeryng with topics are scrutinized in a most concise
should be taken in the middle of the no repeated down bows at the beginning manner and there are diagrams. These
bow, almost without vibrato but with of each phrase, but as it comes. The strings are recommended for daily pepper-up-
strong finger action. If a chord con- are attacked near the finger board not too pers and the book can easily be carried
much arpeggiated. Chords are never played
tains the theme in the soprano voice from bottom to top and then back again. under the case cover."-1. S. Arozi,
there is no problem. If, on the other AST Summer Edition, 1972
hand, the principal voice is in the bass, sadness. This is not to say that we can
KELTON PUBLICATIONS
we cannot break it downward but we make rubatos. We must express the 1343 Amalfi Drive
must try to make it sound as if all the feeling within the framework of the Pacific Palisades, Ca. 90272
strings had been played simultaneously rhythm. The religious quality appears
and then we must hold the principal even in Bach's purely instrumental
voice. The rhythm must be rather stiff. works." Another time he said "Bach Ysaye (Continued from page 19)
Modulation to a new key provides an is telling a tale and it therefore con- The competition should not be a
opportunity to change color. (Is tains something sorrowful." Then be- kind of virtuoso factory! The virtuoso
Szeryng acquainted with the 18th cen- coming instantly pragmatic he ana- will always be the exception, but ev-
tury "Doctrine of the Affections" lyzed the music and continued "when ery student of music can acquire, and
which associated each key with a dif- a phrase contains not only a melodic in fact ought to have, the ability to
ferent color and therefore, by implica- but a harmonic line it must be fingered reach the top.
tion, with a different tone color?) in such a way as to protect both as- Ysaye never for a moment thought
The monophonic finales (G minor pects of the music. The original bow that the competition, as he conceived
and A minor sonatas) were treated strokes may be adapted, if the original it, was going to become a champion-
like compositions written in three, four intention is respected, to the demands ship contest. (Translation: Frank Clark-
or more voices. There is a danger of of our modem technic, and in order son-United Kingdom Representation
monotony in the sequence sections to avoid false accents. of the E.Y.F.)
which can be avoided by careful grada- About the slow movement, he said
tion of the terraced dynamics. The re- that the work must be played with Singing is the beginning of music, a
peated phrases may be made to sound much contrast between the main mel- prolongation of the personality. Even
like antiphonal responses by playing ody and the secondary melody, within though they may not even study, sing-
them with a slight suggestion of a syn- the limitations of sound of a flute or ers have a spontaneous and subcon-
copated rhythm. The character of the oboe. "It is a berceuse. Bach, always scious reaction to the music."
piece must be gay even though it is also paternal, knew that the children must "Young violinists should also have
grandiose. sleep softly." a general education in the humanities
The Chaconne is a dance. The Szeryng himself was very paternal -languages, history, political science,
theme should not be played too fast. and referred to his students as "my ethnology (anthropology? social sci-
The dotted quarter note should be held spiritual children." He was asked in ence?) Even the study of music itself
so as not to arrive at the eighth note an interview about the best education involves the sciences of acoustics, and
too soon. * The original underlying for aspiring young violinists. mathematics. Musicology is also im-
rhythm must be felt, along with the "The best education for young vi- portant."
harmonic changes, throughout all the olinists is to become acquainted with Bernard Shaw said "he who can
variations. In several of the early vari- music as such. They should study har- does, he who can't teaches." But the
ations Bach had the oboe and flute in mony, counterpoint, piano, orchestra, concept of the artist-teacher is dear to
mind more than the violin. Then in the opera. Violinists can learn much from Szeryng's heart. He believes in the
K to L variations the organ is the in- pianists (and vice versa). But most of combining of the two careers. His own
strumental color to be evoked. At let- all they can learn from singers. A sing- career provides ample justification for
tcr M, don't be afraid of false accents. er produces a musical tone naturally. his belief.
SUMMER/1973 27