BRAHMS, Johannes

Sonata for cello and piano no. 1 in E minor op. 38

I. Allegro non troppo

Pablo Ferrández, guest professor

Maria Salvatori, student

Ofelia Montalván, accompanying pianist

After the complete performance of the movement, Pablo Ferrández congratulates the student but he believes that more attention should be paid to the bow's contact with the string to improve the sound quality. Additionally, he finds the vibrato to be somewhat small in general; Brahms requires a vibrato with more body and warmth. Returning to play from the beginning, they work on creating the sound of that first note. They review, among other musical aspects, the sound and color of each note, phrasing, expressiveness, and energy according to the musical development. He also reviews the musical direction (avoiding overly static passages), the character's rapport with the piano especially in long notes, bow distribution in a specific passage, etc.

Ferrández emphasizes the need to listen more attentively to the piano, to react more in harmony with its harmonies. They discuss small nuances within a forte dynamic intensity: other tools should be used to make a difference, such as playing with vibrato speed, string contact, bow quantity, finger articulation, etc.

Even if a phrase is repeated, it should not be done the same way because the character is very different, and the expression should vary more, exaggerating slightly to reach the audience further away from the auditorium.

Language: Spanish