Special Effects—"Trick Staccato"—Various Methods of Producing Chromatic Scale Passages—"Sul Ponticello" Bowing and "Bowed" Harmonics—Flautando—Pizzicato Glide and Grace Notes!

Special Effects.

There are various effects possible on the violoncello, which one often finds introduced in modern solo compositions, but on which most works on the art of violoncello playing are strangely reticent. Some of these effects may perhaps come under the head of trick playing, but as they are to be found in the works of such masters as Servais, Davidoff, Popper, etc., it will be advisable to devote a little time to their consideration.

Servais—who is credited with doing more by his compositions and playing towards giving the violoncello a firm standing as a solo instrument than any previous writer, and perhaps any subsequent player-writer with the exception of Popper—makes free use of most of the effects here treated.

The most common effect, generally known as "trick staccato," may be explained as follows:

The left hand takes no part in the division of the notes, the third finger merely gliding from the highest note of the passage, down to the open A string; the finger should press uniformly on the string, the division of the notes being accomplished by a nervous tremolo movement of the fore-arm which causes the bow to proceed in a series of rapid jerks.

The right hand wrist remains fixed, the pressure on the bow being almost uniform. The above kind of staccato must not be confounded with solid staccato. It is possible to attain a very high rate of speed in a passage as Ex. 51 if executed as explained, but apart from this, the effect is entirely different than if performed with solid staccato, even if it were possible to play the passage as rapidly with the latter form of bowing. Another kind of chromatic passage produced wholly by a bow movement may be found in Davidoff's "Am Springbrunnen" and Popper's "Elfentanz." The following (Ex. 52) is taken from the latter work.

The finger should glide along the string as previously explained, the division of the notes in this instance being accomplished by a rapid spiccato movement of the bow, producing a series of short detached strokes. In a passage of this character it is impossible for either player or listener to discern whether the exact chromatic scale is actually played; the only method to approach anywhere near a faithful interpretation of the passage, is by a correct division of the bow strokes in groups of fours, at the same time carefully regulating the speed of the gliding finger. It will be evident that the gliding must be more rapid when the lower positions of the instrument are reached than in the high positions; thus in commencing the above passage (Ex. 52), the notes being nearer together in the higher positions than in the lower, the hand should move correspondingly slower; the movement becoming more rapid as the passage proceeds.

A third method of producing a chromatic passage—this time, however, with the left hand, without any assistance from the bow for the division of the notes—seems to be a speciality of Servais. It is introduced both in slow portamento effects and rapid chromatic passages.

The bow should be drawn as for a long sustained note, the division of the notes being caused by a series of rapid jerks performed by the left hand. The finger should sustain the pressure on the string during the whole passage, the movement is similar to that explained as the method of producing the vibrato, with the addition of the forward or backward progression of the hand according to the requirements of the passage. The passage may be played with any finger, but it is advisable to use the fourth finger for a descending passage (see Ex. 53) and the first or second finger for an ascending chromatic run. It is also here impossible to attempt to play the real notes except in very slow passages; to execute a rapid chromatic as above, the player should merely grasp the time of the semiquavers, and regulate the distances for each movement previously as explained.

The same effects as above examples are also possible in octaves, they are produced in a similar manner.

Sul Ponticello.

A style of bowing which seems to be either very little understood, or very much neglected, is "sul ponticello" bowing. In string quartets, orchestral music, etc., a very fine effect is possible if all the players execute it in a proper manner. The bow should be drawn quite close to the bridge, with only medium pressure applied, the stroke should be performed more rapidly than ordinary bowing. This bowing executed by a number of strings gives a very weird effect, the only objection to its use being that if great skill is not used, the string, instead of vibrating as a whole, will vibrate in segments, thus giving out one or other of the natural harmonics. It is stated that Paganini used to play certain passages in harmonics after the above manner; harmonic tones may be produced on any stopped note, by the bow alone, as follows. The bow should be drawn very lightly across the strings near the bridge, the left hand fingers firmly stopping the notes; various harmonics may be produced with one fingering by slightly varying the position of the bow, moving it slightly nearer or away from the bridge. Except for special passages, which are really intended for this kind of ponticello harmonic playing, it is not advisable to introduce it; the slightest irregularity in the position of the bow on the string will alter the harmonic notes to a great extent.

Flautando.

Of more real use than the preceding, is the bowing sometimes styled sotto voce, or more properly "flautando"; the tone produced by this manner of bowing is of a beautiful soft flute-like character, and serves as a grateful change to a continued hard tone. It is accomplished by causing the bow to be drawn near the fingerboard, and without any pressure being applied; the strokes should be drawn much more rapidly than for the usual way of bowing, the change of bow-strikes being accomplished almost unheard. It is practicable for any sustained cantabile theme, especially if the tone is to be kept piano; great freedom in bowing must be obtained before anything like perfection be arrived at, the only objection to its introduction being the manner in which phrases are "chopped up" if bowed in this manner; this, however, is more apparent on paper than in the performance, as if the bowing is skilfully managed it is possible to reverse the strokes without any perceptible break in the tone, the phrase being as continued as if executed with one sustained bow-stroke.

Pizzicato Effects.

Various effects are possible in pizzicato playing, such as the close shake, the pizzicato glide; the latter if done well has a very good effect, especially in chord passages, the fingers should glide to the next chord almost as soon as the strings are plucked. Grace notes are also possible in this manner; the string is plucked for the grace note, then the finger rapidly glides to the principal note during its vibration; the string only being plucked once for the two notes or chords.