OK–here’s our first track for the Virtual Master Class Project! This is the March to the Scaffold from Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz. Please leave constructive criticism, practice tips, and the like by clicking the comment button. You may choose to post anonymously or leave your name.
Berlioz – March to the Scaffold – Symphonie Fantastique
Candidate 1
Click to listen (right-click to download)
or click player below:
Bass News Right To Your Inbox!
Subscribe to get our weekly newsletter covering the double bass world.
Very musical… nice playing!
Good playing.
Watch that the quarter notes (before the quarter note rest) still ‘ring’ – that they are not too pecky. Always maintain a singing quality (this is awkward to judge from a recording – but if you were putting this in for an audition tape I would here too much peckiness and not enough ringing tone).
You could have more of the big dynamic contrast – really go for it at the ff beginning so you can show contrast with the f when it come back again. I always think of Berlioz as have big sweeping surges of sound – and that isn’t there yet in this excerpt. The quarter note arpeggiac figure going up to the high note has to really crescendo and be exaggerated. This is programmatic dramatic music – always remember the musical context of the entire piece not just the bass excerpt. Think of how an opera singer would sing this exceprt.
The rhythm was steady mostly – just watch that your eighth notes are even – they were getting a little off. And you lost the tempo in the pizz at the end – keep your intensity of mental focus up until the very last note!
Your pitch was not bad – which means it could also be better. Work on making sure the G,F,Eflat are always perfectly in tune.
Keep working – its nearly there.
Good luck
I agree. Your rhythm sagged at the end in the pizzicato and there were intonation snafus on the F naturals in the middle section. The notes in the neck position on the G string could use some more work in general.
Overall, the playing is pretty good. I’m going to comment on the two general things that jumped out the most in this recording to me. I think that the concept of sound (mentioned above as pecky) for this passage and the rhythm could benefit from thinking of the notes as more related to one another (line) and to the meter.
I’ll just consider the first two and a half bars- (this being a recording, I have the option to focus in on very small details)You set up a clear tempo with the first two notes, but rush in with the eighths at the end of the second bar. I got the sense that in an effort not to be late to the eights, you came early- had you played through the tied f and spent just a fraction more time on the e flat (you did more the second time) the eighths would be placed well. Ideally, I would try to make sure I were playing eights in my head for two bars before I start playing, while at the same time making sure I have the entire 8 bar line clear in my mind.
Good work so far!
hey very very nice playing!!! I would recommend listening back while internalizing 8th notes silently and the issues become clear like the change in tempo every time there is a diminution of rhythm.
I would also watch the synchronization of your bow changes at the tip and your shifting like going from the 2nd note high G (sounds like 3rd finger?) to the F (sounds like 4th finger?). I would recommend keeping the weight distribution in your left hand balanced toward your 3rd finger and pinky throughout the shift as if you were just shifting pinky – pinky. It’s basically replacing the 3rd finger with the 4th finger while keeping light contact with the fingerboard Most of what sounds like bow control issues I hear originate in the left hand. Hey also as an experiment, try doing a smooth relaxed natural vibrato (without pressing) through the g to f shift (memorize your hand position through the shift and do the same without vibrato). Since good shifting originates from good vibrato, this should help also.
I feel that this piece is about contrast (long and short, soft and loud) so I would make sure of exactly where and how berlioz wants those contrasts and the transitions between them. sorry for rambling heh… hey but REALLY great playing!
It sounds really good! I love the articulation. In addition to comments above, I would say really work on getting rid of all the extra sound around the notes. I could hear ringing from other strings. I recommend practicing without the left hand to make sure your bow changes are exact. Great job!