The Bach Suites are not happening.
Even when it's not the fingers I'm struggling with, like the first half of the Bouree, I just can't seem to find the right feeling. It's a dance, I know, and I know I'm not playing it at tempo yet, but it's not so slow as to make it impossible for me to feel it. It's like trying to get Gusdog to sit with you when he doesn't want to – it's all feet kicking out and twisting terrier action. That's not even quite right… if you've ever tried to make a wreath with freshly cut sapling branches (stay with me here), weaving the pliable yet willful branches is really difficult. They don't snap back in your face, they just patiently and slowly move back to their original and natural state unless you pin them down. Or nail them to the table top.
I've tried thinking intensely about what I want the music to sound like, I've tried not thinking about it, I've tried opening my mind to let it tell me how it should flow, I've tried half a bottle of good red wine, and, on a separate occasion, a dram of good whisky. NOTHING is working. It steadfastly refuses to speak to me and it's making me very, very upset. I've not practised it for five days, only stared at that light-blue book across the room with my arms folded.
Clearly, Bach doesn't like me.
gottagopractice
18 August 2008 at 6:44 pm
Maybe it would help to work smaller motifs at tempo.
Erin
19 August 2008 at 11:01 pm
I wonder though if I’ll get the whole feeling of it if I break it into bits. I’ll give it shot…
Elaine Fine
20 August 2008 at 3:50 am
Just keep plugging away. Playing Bach well (or even ok) takes a lot of time (i.e. years). Developing all those physical connections that happen in the very inside of your personal electrical system is just something that develops slowly. You can’t rush it, and the Bach Suites expose every loose wire and every connection that has not yet been made.
Bach loves you because you care. Don’t lose faith.
If I were a “young adult” cellist I would get myself “Bach for the ‘Cello” transcribed by Charles Krane” (easy stuff in the first position, but Bach none the less). You can play through the pieces with another cellist on the bass line, or with a pianist. Then I would return, to the Bouree in question, and play it slowly and carefully; not trying to make it dance until it is good and ready to do so.
Erin
20 August 2008 at 10:37 am
Ah, what a nice comment Elaine, thank you. Yes, key thing is not to lose faith. I’ve just never come across something I can’t unlock even a little bit after this much work. I don’t want to build in the mechanical note practising sound, is my real worry. But I have a feeling this is going to be a long haul, so it won’t hurt to just keep going.
Guy Aron
22 August 2008 at 2:52 am
I agree with everything that’s been said & couldn’t sympathise with you more. My first teacher said the suites sound a lot easier than they are. Huge understatement! I think they are music you have to live with – they are so abstract and yet so personal.
More concretely I would suggest 1) bow only practice (as before) and (2) try holding your bow on the stick, or (if you can afford it) get a lighter bow. You are hopping around the strings so often in Bach the modern bow is just too heavy to be maneouverable. I got a bow of about 67 grams on eBay and it is a hell of a lot easier than my 80 gram one. Wasn’t expensive either!
Another thing to consider in this vein is an Incredibow (carbon fibre). The sound is thinner than a wooden bow, but by jiminy crikey it is light, pretty well balanced and cheap. Let me know if you would like more information – I’m in no way connected with them – just found it made Bach playing easier for me. I think some people use them as a rehearsal bow as well rather than haul their good one around. They are fairly indestructible and never need rehairing.
Regardless – as my teacher says, Rome wasn’t built in a day – infuriating but true.
Regards
Guy