BARTÓK, Béla

Concerto for viola and orchestra Sz 120 BB 128 (viola and piano reduction)

I. Allegro moderato

Nobuko Imai, professor

Katarzyna Duz, student

Aníbal Bañados, accompanying pianist

At the beginning of this masterclass, Nobuko Imai recommends the student knowing better the music and what is happening in every moment to get a more suitable performance for her. For example, dynamic should be more ‘piano’ regarding the orchestral accompaniment in a specific moment. Then the professor makes several comments about the composition, sketches, manuscripts and editions of this Concerto. Imai plays the beginning of the piece and she points out the importance of the expressiveness.
Afterwards, prof. Imai makes indications –among others- about phrasing and melodic direction, metrical rigor or freedom depending on the character and colors, type of sound (thicker and tenuto, like a trumpet in a certain point), rhythm and contrast in the climax.
On the next part, expressiveness is also important, and not to play too much slowly. It needs more flavour and an appropriate phrasing.
In general, she recommends the student being more active with the bow without losing quality of sound, and she proposes a better bow distribution to achieve this. It is also important that the student distinguishes what is (or not) the main melody in the piece.
As a conclusion she highlights the importance of knowing the whole structure of the piece: where the climax and relaxing parts are, so that the performance becomes richer and better.

Language: English