PORTAMENTO--THE VARIOUS USES OF GLIDING--SOME EXAGGERATIONS
EXPOSED--HOW TO LEAP GREAT INTERVALS WITHOUT "HOWLING"--COMBINATION
OF GLISSANDO AND SFORZANDO.
PORTAMENTO.
The subject of gliding, although referring more directly to phrasing,
is so nearly connected with shifting and the choice of positions that
one is insensibly led into its treatment. A melody should never depend
on the characteristics of an instrument for its effectiveness, although
much individual charm is given to a composition by such characteristics
being allowed to assert themselves without spoiling the intentions of
the composer. Thus the phrasing should never be marred just because it
is convenient or inconvenient to introduce that connecting link, the
glide. I shall in this chapter endeavour to explain a few of the many
methods of gliding, and the reasons why one method is used in preference
to another; their practical application will be learned, partly from a
knowledge of phraseology and musical form, and also from experience. The
human voice is supposed to be the most perfect musical instrument--if
one may so term it; all instruments which are made by man having in
comparison some imperfection. Thus, it is impossible on the pianoforte
to commence a sustained note _piano_ and gradually swell out to forte,
nor is it possible to glide one note into another, although much may be
done in this direction by causing the note to _sing_ in such a manner,
that one note seems to be sustained until the next has been tenderly
approached. Each note has to remain fixed as far as pitch is concerned,
the idea of gliding only applying to the "thickness" of the tone being
varied when quitting one note and approaching the next. The latter
remarks apply also to wind instruments. No matter how small is the
break between two notes, or in what manner art is introduced to conceal
or in any other way attempt to make up for this deficiency, it is yet
there, and to a great extent must influence the interpretation of a
composition. The violoncello resembles the human voice perhaps more than
any other instrument. The character of the tone in certain portions of
its register is very similar to that of the human voice, and without
going too far, it may be said that it is possible to produce nearly all
the varied effects of articulation of which the voice is capable, except
actually speaking. Thus the variation in tone which singers produce by
a clever management of the breath, the glide when two notes are sung to
a vowel sound, the hard sound of an initial consonant, the vibrato, and
numerous other effects are all possible on this most human instrument.
However, as far as gliding is concerned, the 'cello has a big range, and
far more is expected from the instrumentalist, in the way of leaping
to and from notes at extreme distances, than is ever expected from a
single voice. The vocalist performs similar skips by an unconscious,
and to a certain extent, involuntary contraction of the various small
and delicate muscles in the larynx. The 'cellist has sometimes to make
a sweep of the whole length of the fingerboard, or to break the flow
of the melody by leaping over one or more strings. This then will show
the imperfections of even the most perfect instrument made by man when
compared with the voice; the 'cellist must endeavour by the aid of art
to overcome, or conceal, the bad effects which may be caused by the
mechanical difficulties of his instrument, and taking the voice as an
example endeavour to interpret a composition in the same manner as would
a good vocalist, imitating as closely and truthfully as possible the
phrasing and the various effects which one observes in singing.
Some professors of the strictly classical school condemn all gliding
as faulty; the finest of these players are noted for their perfect
intonation, but are also noted for their lack of sentiment. Any
exaggeration in the opposite direction, however, tends to undue
sentimentality, and to an unprepared audience will have most disastrous
results. It is well known that the player may so accustom himself to
glide on to the notes, that any amount of exaggeration in this respect
seems quite right. The player should regulate his performance according
to the manner in which the absence, or too great a prominence, of the
glide in the playing of others affects him; this is the only safe way to
judge, as the effect on the listener is always more pronounced than on
the player.
In almost every melody there are places where every musician feels
compelled to dwell on the interval between two notes, sustaining the
one note, and retaining the advent of the other; this "expressive"
kind of glissando, besides being the most pronounced in its effect,
is consequently the most objectionable if incorrectly used. On the
violoncello it is produced by playing two notes with the same finger,
gliding slowly from one position to the other. This glide must never
be used to connect two notes which are separated by a large interval,
as a most unpleasant howling will be occasioned; the only places where
it may be introduced are at a cadence, or at the full close of a
musical composition, where the terminal note of the phrase is reached
by a descending passage, and then it must only be taken on an interval
composed of not more than one or two whole tones at the most.
Vocalists generally make the most of this glide to sustain a passionate
delivery at the close of a vocal piece, and indeed it has a very
disturbing effect on the listener. This effect may be described as being
occasioned in the following manner; in accordance with the musical
structure of the composition, the listener expects a certain note to be
sounded, thus when the close of a composition is being approached, the
listener naturally expects the tonic (key-note). Naturally therefore,
anything which delays the tonic--whether it be a slight ritard, a
sustained trill, or the seeming unwillingness of the player to quit the
note preceding the tonic, although having an exciting influence over
the listener, makes the appearance of the final note more acceptable
and the consequent rest and satisfaction more complete. I must here
caution the reader against gliding to the tonic from the leading-note,
that is unless the identity of the tone is afterwards firmly established
by being played again on an accented part of the bar. If the examples
here given (Ex. 35) are studied, it will be seen that in each case
the terminal note of the phrase thoroughly establishes itself on the
ear by being twice sounded, first on an unaccented beat, then on the
strongly marked portion of the bar. The ear requires this to give it
the necessary assurance of the identity of the tonic. In ascending
passages the approach to the tonic from the leading-note is by so small
an interval (half-tone), that the arrival at the close must always be
distinct, the introduction of the glide on so small an interval, would
give the appearance of the tonic being played out of tune.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: EX. 35]
The glide in each case (Ex. 35) is made on the two notes connected with
a slur.
The glide of next importance is generally introduced in imitation of
that produced by vocalists when two notes are taken on a vowel sound;
the only difference to be observed by the 'cellist is that the interval,
and consequently the glide, must not be so strongly marked. The same
method of fingering as that given for the gliding previously explained
may be used, but as this glide is sometimes taken on notes at extreme
distances, the bow must be nicely managed, and the shifting done firmly
and rapidly so that any unpleasant howling is not too much in evidence.
The introduction of this gliding is really a matter of taste, the only
uses with which it can be credited in instrumental music, are to lend a
certain amount of tenderness to a melody, and also to connect any wide
intervals or isolated notes, which otherwise would spoil the phrasing.
The two foregoing methods of glissando may be termed the only styles of
gliding which are introduced solely for effect in an "active" sense,
the remaining styles of gliding are merely passive in their nature, and
are introduced to cover the defects of the instrument, in the way of
bridging over any awkward leaps caused by the necessary length of string
to be covered. Before proceeding, I would here caution the student
against blindly following all the exaggerations in which even our best
vocalists occasionally indulge. A short time ago I heard a well known
tenor sing the song "Annie Laurie," the last line of which was given
after this fashion.
[Illustration: EX. 36]
The glide to and from the top F was quite correct, and indeed very
expressive, the objectionable part being the manner of dividing each
word, and even introducing another syllable so that the following note
may be anticipated. However by these exaggerations the singer succeeded
in "bringing down the house," so I suppose he was satisfied.
This is almost akin to the method adopted by some instrumentalists to
heighten the effect in a passage made up of detached notes. Instead of
changing the bow-stroke at the moment the leap is made, during a slight
break between the notes, the method is to change the bow-stroke before
the first note is quitted, then glide rapidly to the next note, at the
same time producing a sforzando; the effect is seen in Ex. 37.
[Illustration: EX. 37]
I mention this solely to caution young players against unconsciously
forming a habit which is at once incorrect and vulgar, and although
players of the first rank in the height of their passion may sometimes
employ this artifice to more fully express their feelings, it would be
unwise for one of lesser musical standing to attempt that which great
artists only employ on sufferance. The most ingenious method adopted
by stringed instrument players to cover a great expanse of string,
without either chopping up the phrase or giving too much prominence to
the glide, was, I believe, first given by Spohr; it may be explained as
follows.
In an ascending passage, the player must always have at liberty one of
the fingers to stop a higher note than that produced by the gliding
finger, so that the gliding has not to cover the whole distance of the
interval (see Ex. 38). In descending passages the reverse takes place,
the glide being executed with the third or fourth finger, the first or
second fingers being retained to stop the lower note on the arrival of
the hand in position.
[Illustration: EX. 38.]
The grace notes in the above examples must not on any account be heard.
To prevent any possibility of this, the finger stopping the second
note must be firmly placed almost before the gliding has ceased, the
introduction of the grace notes in the above examples being merely
to illustrate the method of carrying the glide up to the necessary
position, then firmly stopping the required note.
Other methods of gliding have to be invented for special passages, or
for the production of extraordinary effects. One of the most surprising
effects is to combine the sforzando with a strongly marked glide, the
sforzando being given on the second note of the slur, and the glide
being of the most pronounced type. I have heard our great violinist,
John Dunn, occasionally give vent to his feelings in a slightly
exaggerated glide and sforzando combination of this description, and for
waking up a sleepy or apathetic audience, I can strongly recommend it.
Beyond all these hints, and far removed from any explanation, there
remains that delicacy of feeling which the artist alone can introduce
into his playing--that subtle management of bow and fingers, so
necessary to really fine playing. Even in the matter of gliding this is
easily recognised; the varying speed at which the glide is taken, the
pressure put on the strings or otherwise, accenting the commencement of
the glide and lightly approaching the second note, or lightly gliding
off the first note and strongly accenting the arrival at the second; the
varying pressure brought to bear on the bow, etc., etc. All this must
come from natural feeling, and cannot be taught, no matter how clever
the teacher or how willing the pupil.