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For the second movement of
the Shostakovich first symphony,
two things we have to keep in mind.
The low F tends to be very flat, so
we have to be careful not to get ourselves
too open in the sound and
making sure so that it doesn't spread.
So what I would say is play the dynamic,
it's a mezzoforte.
Yes there are accents, but
think mezzoforte and so
that way we have room to do
the crescendo four measures later.
Then it's beneficial to play the quarter
notes with the accents on the longer side.
That way we have much more contrast
between the long accented notes and
the staccat's.
By the time that we get to the forte,
if we're playing long, it will definitely
give us a little bit more tone.
So that then in slow motion,
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you see, the long notes,
the ones with the accents,
I'm playing long.
The other thing that I do is I
have a little trick fingering for
the E flat in the first measure.
I actually play it one, one two.
So that way I don't have
to get out of position.
So that it's a little high but
when we're articulating fast and
we're having to play at 192 for
the quarter note,
which is extremely fast,
then what we actually gain is security.
So when we're going fast,
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then I don't have to be moving around and
I keep my hand in position, okay?
And we need a resonant, loud A flat so
that then we can show big contrast.
So one of the fingerings that I like is,
three, one for the A flat.
That fingering of resonance tends
to make the sound quite big and
therefore it gives us a little bit
of room for this, for it to be big.
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That was
a little fast but
just to give you an idea.
Okay, thank you.
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