J Benjamin Smith

BASSOON INSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE

Filtering by Tag: weissenborn advanced bassoon studies

Weissenborn Wednesday Etude #2

What to say about this etude? For me the biggest issue that has to be decided is once again, tempo. There are plenty of instructions on the tempo for this piece, but when I see music in 3/8 boy do I just want to go fast. Even though it is marked allegretto and further marked to play resolutely. As I listen back I can hear moments when my resolution weakens a bit, but on the whole I wanted to create a steady pacing with a few alterations of pace for musical emphasis. 

The other difficult thing to focus on and something I notice particularly at the end of the second line in my final run through is that I played some of the secondary chords out of tune in relation to the chord they supported. I should have done a quick chord analysis to make sure I knew where I should be placing every note, but I allowed myself to fall into the trap of "easy" music once again only to be reminded on the playback that technically easy music reveals every lapse in concentration and preparation.