This
is one of my favorite pieces and one of the most beautiful ever written
for the saxophone. Not everyone knows that Bozza was inspired by Bach's
Organ Pastorale BWV 590. You can see the connections in the score below.
I
think one should be careful not to play the Aria too slow. I like the
tempo I have chosen, but I would not go any faster. There are times when
I would even prefer a slightly slower tempo than on my videos.
Control
at soft dynamics can be difficult. Careful wind control and tonal
balance are important. One must take great care not to drift sharp when
soft or when playing all the middle Ds.
I
sequenced the piano part in two stages. For stage one, I entered the
score into Notion for iPad, which generated a midi file. I then imported
the midi file into Reaper on my desktop computer, where I fine tuned
the part. I was able to shape both the tempo and dynamics exactly to my
taste. The part was played by East West Pianos Steinway. Reaper
generated a 24bit audio file, which I imported into Auria on my iPad. I
then overdubbed the saxophone, mixed, and added some convolution reverb.
There was no editing. The recordings you hear are one complete take.
The only problem is that I could not decide if I liked my Larry Teal or
my C* better, so I posted them both. If nothing else, you can hear a
good comparison of the two mouthpieces this way.
Back in January, 2014, I decided it was time to do something to contribute to the greater good of sax playing. So, I began my Ferling project. I have always loved the Ferling etudes since first beginning my studies of them about 20 years ago. The slow etudes are especially dear to me. Beautiful miniatures, they have helped me to refine my tone, dynamic control and phrasing more than almost any other pieces of music. I have even performed a few of them, and the audience reaction was good. I decided to record all of the odd numbered etudes from the Marcel Mule edition and post them on YouTube for the benefit, hopefully, of all.
At this point in time, there are quite a few editions of W. Ferling's original 48 etudes. If IMSLP has served me well, there were no metronome markings in the original. Many oboists, however, use the Andraud edition, which does have metronome markings. The Marcel Mule edition has quite different metronome markings from the Andraud. Most of the slow etudes are marked at quarter = 72, which according to Dr. Eugene Rousseau, was Mule's favorite tempo for practicing vibrato. Mule also composed several additional etudes that cover all of the enharmonic keys up to C# and Cb. These are mostly very well done and almost indistinguishable in style from Ferling's. Dr. Rousseau has recently published his own edition of the slow etudes.
This is notable because he includes fingering suggestions for each etude. He suggests a tempo of quarter = 80 for each etude, the speed he prefers to practice vibrato. In both cases, Mule and Rousseau, the vibrato should be four undulations per beat. As a saxophonist choosing your first version, I recommend the Mule edition because there is more music there, and the editorials are more appropriate for saxophone than the Andraud. However, if possible I would also get the Rousseau edition just to have his fingering suggestions. Keep in mind, though, that Rousseau only included the slow etudes.
In my own journey with these etudes, I have approached them many different ways. Initially, it was a matter of learning the pieces, the notes, rhythms, ornaments, and phrasing. But as the years progressed I was able to go beyond most of the technical aspects. I found, at one time, that the most useful way to play them was without any vibrato at all. When I did this, I discovered how little I was actually doing with the phrasing. Be careful not to let vibrato become a musical crutch. It is a color with which we can shape our music, an ornament of the tone. The videos presented below (on YouTube by searching "Colin Lippy") represent my current thoughts on these pieces. While definitely inspired by Dr. Rousseau's instruction and the Mule edition, I no longer have much interest in one man's metronome markings. Rather, I am interesting in capturing the spirit of the music as best I can and in my own interpretation. They are no longer etudes for me but miniature works of art. I recorded them in a complete take with no editing or effects. The goal was to present them as realistically as possible, much as they are often played, in practice rooms or private lessons. I hope you enjoy these videos and find them useful in your own journey.
UPDATE: Be sure to check out Part 2: The Fast Ones.
There it is!... the source of my misery and frustration... but also of joy, beauty, peace, and inspiration.
I
am both its slave and its master, its addict and caretaker.
Fundamentally a machine, it has taught me humility and patience, but it
serves as the voice of my heart, the vehicle for the wordless language
of my soul.
Growing
up in the tradition of Marcel Mule as passed on to me by Eugene
Rousseau, I have been a student of the saxophone for 27 years and
counting. I am a teacher, performer, scholar, and recording artist. I
have had a wide range of experiences that continue to challenge my
beliefs and perceptions, and which I pray will lead to even a modest sum
of wisdom. It is my goal, through this blog, to share some of this with
you, to pass on what I have learned (said in the voice of Yoda). As
such, I plan to offer up my experience and philosophies on the saxophone
and music in general with the full knowledge that there are often many
other "correct" answers. Your mileage may vary, and to me, that is one
of the greatest beauties of music, that you and I can have different
opinions and still both be right. It is when we insist on one right
answer that a music will start to die. That being said, I hope to
provide some very useful tools to aid you in your growth as a
saxophonist, and I hope this blog will be a useful addition to your
life.
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