No. 1. Commence, or “strike” the sound by pronouncing the syllable TU, and sustain it well; imparting to it at the same time all possible strength and brilliancy.
The cheeks should never, under any circumstances, be puffed out; the lips should make no noise in the mouthpiece, (though many performers appear to think otherwise). The sound forms itself: it should be well “struck”, by a proper tension of the lips, so that it may be properly in time, and not below its diapason (full sound); for in the latter case a disagreeable and untuneful sound would be the result.
Numbers 7 and 8 indicate notes which are made by employing the same valves. Numbers 9 and 10, passing as they do through all the keys, are destined to complete the subject of fingering, so that henceforth I shall not consider it necessary to mark the numbers of the valves under each note. The first two lessons should, therefore, be practiced for a considerable period, in order that the student may be perfectly at home as regards the fingering of the instrument.
Henceforth, therefore, I shall only mark the fingerings in passages where it may afford peculiar facility. Throughout all the first studies it will be necessary to strike each sound, and give to each note its exact value, these studies having been composed with this special end in view.
Syncopated Passages
Syncopation occurs when the accent falls on the second instead of the first note of the passage. The accented note must be sustained throughout its full value; the commencement of the note being duly marked, but the second half of the duration of the note should never be disjointly uttered.
A passage of this kind should be executed thus:
and not
Studies in Dotted Eighth Notes Followed by Sixteenths
In these studies the dotted eighth notes should be sustained throughout its entire value: care must be taken never to substitute a rest for the dotted.
The performer should execute thus:
and not as though it were written
Studies Consisting of Eighth Notes Followed by Sixteenths
In order to impart lightness to these studies, the first eighth note should be executed more curtly than its value would seem to indicate. It should be executed like a sixteenth; a rest being introduced between it and the two sixteenths which follow it.
The passage is written thus:
and should be executed thus:
The same remark applies when an eighth note, instead of preceding, follows the sixteenth.
Written thus:
should be executed thus:
Written thus:
should be executed thus:
Studies in Six-Eight Time
In 6/8 time, eighth notes should be well separated, and should have equal value allotted to them. Consequently, the third note in each bar should never be dragged. Dotted eighth notes, and eighth notes followed by sixteenths, are executed in this rhythm by observing the same rules as in 2/4 time.
Leave a Reply