ARPEGGIOS--THEIR EVOLUTION FROM VARIOUS CHORDS--THE BOWING OF
ARPEGGIOS.
ARPEGGIOS.
Arpeggios are chords, the notes of which are sounded separately. A
modified way of expressing that chords are to be played in arpeggio, is
by placing a curved line immediately preceding the chord, thus:
[Illustration: EX. 45.]
Key arpeggi are formed from the common chord, that is the tonic,
mediant and dominant; they may be practised as running arpeggi in three
octaves. These arpeggi are published for 'cello in a very useful form,
together with the major and minor scales, etc., by the St. Cecilia Music
Publishing Co.; the arrangement is by Coward Klee.
The notes of a chord which are to be played as arpeggios, are sometimes
interspersed with notes foreign to the chord in the form of passing
notes, and nearly always one or more notes of the chord are reiterated
(Ex. 46).
[Illustration: EX. 46.]
Ex. 46 will illustrate how arpeggios are usually evolved from a chord.
First is shown the G major triad; 46_a_ gives the three part chord
played in arpeggi form; 46_b_ has the mediant and the dominant repeated,
and 46_c_ introduces the C and the A♯, both notes being foreign to the
harmony, but used as passing notes. Many otherwise difficult passages,
are rendered quite simple to the student, who only considers of what
chord the scattered notes form the harmony.
In playing arpeggios the hints previously given in the remarks on
the "Left hand," "Positions," "Double-stops and Chords," concerning
a correct management of the left hand fingers are applicable. The
remainder of the present chapter will be chiefly devoted to the
management of the bow, in several of the standard forms of arpeggio.
ARPEGGIOS (BOWING).
The manner of bowing the various forms of arpeggio, offers difficulties
of a peculiar nature to the student; this is chiefly occasioned by
the crossing and recrossing of the strings, which although greatly
adding to the possibilities and brilliance of many of the various modes
of phrasing, also in most cases adds to the difficulty of a quiet
performance. A thorough knowledge of the arm and wrist movements which
are brought into use in approaching any of the four strings with various
parts of the bow, and with either up or down bow-stroke is essential;
this knowledge is not to be gained by hard practice, but rather by a
careful analysis of the "mechanics" (if the word may be used in this
sense) of simple bowing.
The end to be kept in view should be to accomplish the crossing of the
strings in as quiet a manner as possible, that is with a minimum of
effort; as an aid to this, wherever possible the elbow and upper arm
should be held in a quiet position near the side, the changing of the
bow from one string to another being chiefly accomplished by a wrist
movement, or by a slight upward movement of the fore-arm.
[Illustration: EX. 47.]
Arpeggios on three or four strings phrased as Example 47_a_ should
be played with alternate down and up bow strokes, always attacking
the arpeggio commencing with the lower string with the down bow. For
a moderate allegro, about half the bow's length may be used, the two
middle fourths (upper and lower) being the most serviceable; the bowing
should be as smooth as possible, each note being of equal length; in the
triplet arpeggio the customary accent on the first of each group must
be observed, and in every case the groups should be quite distinctly
separated.
In mixed bowings as Example 47_b_, the same quantity of bow stroke must
be used for the detached note as for the slurs; the detached quaver or
semiquaver in each case being taken with a light up-bow.
Exercise 47_c_ is a very brilliant style of bowing, yet generally very
easy to acquire. The bow is thrown with force for the first note of each
group, then with a nicely regulated wrist movement, assisted by the
fore-arm to allow sufficient stroke, the three or four springing strokes
fall, one for each note. Any slovenliness in the management of the wrist
will result in some of the notes being missed, and others obtaining more
than one of the springing strokes. Although this style of bowing is
expressed exactly as solid staccato, it is very seldom that arpeggios
would be played other than with slurred spiccato, the unhelpable
roughness which accompanies a short staccato stroke on an open string,
renders the solid staccato impracticable for passages regularly crossing
the strings. This bowing is often used with alternate groups of smooth
slurred bowings.
Example 48_a_ is a style of phrasing which should always commence with
the up-bow; the reasons for this are as follows. Foremost and most
important is that the wrist action which one observes in reversing the
bow from an up-stroke to a down-stroke, may be utilized to serve the
double purpose of changing the bow-stroke and leaping to the A string;
this could not be accomplished in so quiet a manner with the reverse
stroke. If the above phrasing was commenced with the down stroke, it
would be necessary to make two distinctly separate movements to reach
the A string; one, a wrist movement from side to side to reverse the
stroke, the other an upward movement of forearm and wrist, to obtain
the necessary elevation which will allow the bow to leave the D string
and touch the A. Another reason is that the nearer the heel of the bow
is approached, less leverage and consequently less arm movement is
required to cross the strings; this is counterbalanced by the lack of
control over the bow at the heel in rapidly changing from one string
to another. The bowing should be commenced slightly nearer the point
than the middle, especially for Example 48_b_, so that the spiccato
semiquavers may be played at the middle of the bow, with a wrist
movement only.
[Illustration: EX. 48.]
In Example 48_a_ the upper arm should move backwards and forwards (the
elbow must not project) the bow being thrown on the upper string by
the wrist as previously explained. The student should play an arpeggio
phrased as above, at the same time carefully analyzing each arm and
wrist movement; he will thus realise the importance of utilising every
movement to assist in giving a quiet and finished performance.
[Illustration: EX. 49.]
Example 49_a_ should be played with alternate down and up-strokes,
commencing with the down bow near the heel; the bow should be drawn
say one fourth part for the two lower notes, then the hand--from the
wrist, should be rapidly raised, so that the bow leaves the G string and
touches the A, using another fourth part of the bow for the two upper
notes. The second chord commences with the up-bow, at the middle.
A good, broad effect is generally intended with this kind of bowing.
To produce this, only the slightest possible gap must be allowed in
changing the bow from one string to another, thus giving the impression
that two notes are constantly being sounded; sufficient pressure must
be applied to the bow to cause the whole width of the hair to touch the
strings, and an equal division allowed for each part of the arpeggio.
It is possible to produce a very brilliant, heavy effect with the
bowing at Example 49_b_; it should be commenced with the up-bow near
the heel, using a very heavy spiccato stroke, the two upper notes
receive a down stroke. It is also possible to execute it commencing with
the down-stroke, but if played in this manner it is difficult to get
sufficient power on the two upper strings, as well as more time being
wasted in changing the bow from the down-stroke to the up-stroke (see
explanation of Example 48_a_).
The bowing at Example 49_c_ is a style of phrasing which one often comes
across, especially in brilliant solo pieces; it is sometimes wrongly
written as Example 49_d_, that is, with three spiccato notes to each
bow; if executed in this manner it is safe to say that the effect will
be exceedingly tame. In solos, concertos, etc., and for heavy passages
in chamber music, it will be necessary to give the first note of each
group a heavy down-stroke (spiccato), the remaining two notes being
played with the up springing-bow; in this manner the strokes are all
given near the heel of the bow, the metrical accent on the first note of
each group being effectively produced with the heavy down-stroke.
Other styles of arpeggios bear more or less similarity to those which
have here received treatment, with a little thought the student should
now be able to determine which will be the most effective way of bowing.