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#68758 05/05/02 02:12 AM
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Geoff Offline OP
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Will one of you musicians please tell me what the term is for making a violin sound harsh and scratchy - other than badly played, that is? I noticed that in certain parts of the Welsh composer Karl Jenkins' composition, PALLADIO, (The theme music for those recent diamond commercials) there are passages using this technique. Thanks in advance!

Geoff the musically challenged


#68759 05/05/02 10:25 AM
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I don't know, Geoff. There is a term détaché in which notes are articulated by lifting the bow, sometimes quickly, off the string. The type of articulation you've described is probably a type of détaché bowing, but with more vigor. I think I've seen the term--and I think it's Italian. I emailed my daughter--who sleeps late Sundays!--but she should respond by evening. She'll know the term if nobody else comes up with it here.

Bow regards,
Wordwondering....

Brainstorm! I'll post your question on Maestronet.com! They know EVERYTHING there (well, just about) about strings.


#68760 05/05/02 12:42 PM
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Dear Geoff: here is a URL to discussion of wolf tones:
http://www.johnson-inst.com/news.htm#WOLF TONES


#68761 05/05/02 04:01 PM
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Well, it's not a wolf tone, Dr. Bill. That I can guarantee you! ... though wolf tones are interesting to read about.

Here's what one of the maestronetters posted:

it is propably a strong staccato played sul ponticello (italian for on the bridge)you can listen to it in many 20 century works, (second movement of prokofiev violin concerto no1, bartok solo sonata, etc)as you know the sound in music shouldnt always be beautiful and mellow, sometimes this harsh sound delivers the pain and anger in music much better than a long , full of vibrato cantilena on g and d strings.2- playing sul ponticello for can be sometimes very difficult. i am playing know the second quartet of janacek and the first violin part has some very fast passages sul ponticello, and i had to work a lot for it.

Add edit: Here's what a second poster posted:

It may be a series of downbow chords played forte. Other than that it might be some sort of martelle storke.


I'm still not seeing the Italian term that is lazily sipping wine in the back of my brain...still haven't heard from my daughter either--she'll know!


There's another post I'll add here, too, soon as I find it.

Bow regards,
WolfWind


#68762 05/05/02 04:16 PM
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Most of the posters on Maestronet.com seem to be going into the martelé court for the bow articulation. Even a beginner writes:

Actually, I'm a relative beginer,so I'm sure more advanced players could tell you. The only think that strikes a similar idea, was when I was learning martelé, the beginning (attack) of the stroke practically screeched as one really adhered to the string. But I'm totally unfamiliar with a stroke which is constantly screeching (except by us beginners!!!)
...

...but I'm not convinced yet!

How 'bout scratchicato???

Or screechacato???

Bow regards,
WolfWind


#68763 05/05/02 04:32 PM
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...sometimes this harsh sound delivers the pain and anger in music much better than...

Only sometimes?




#68764 05/05/02 05:16 PM
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Will one of you musicians please tell me what the term is for making a violin sound harsh and scratchy?

Nigel Kennedy?


#68765 05/05/02 06:44 PM
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Geoff Offline OP
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Bill, I read your site. This is clearly not an accidental noise, but a definate technique. Still fun to learn about wolf notes, nevertheless! After reading WW's comments from Maestronet, I think she's got it! Thanks, WunderWind! It is staccato, so playing staccato on the bridge (sul ponticello) makes sense to me.

Slightly less musically ignorant Geoff


#68766 05/05/02 07:24 PM
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I'm not sure about sul ponticello--this is an eerie effect. The bow does move across the strings right across the bridge in sul ponticello. The volume is dramatically reduced and the tone sounds, well again, eerie. If you move your bow arm rapidly, it sounds like shivering bones--it's used for dramatic effect.

I'm wondering about the exact tone you heard, Geoff--it would have been good to have heard it--and, since I don't watch television, me hears no commericials!

Curioser and curioser,
WordinWonderland


#68767 05/05/02 08:16 PM
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Will one of you musicians please tell me what the term is for making a violin sound harsh and scratchy?

Nigel Kennedy?


Yeah, but then he actually stops talking and plays ...



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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