Strings

Strings: Playability of Certain Passages

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Gagaku

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Opening post by Gagaku

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I am submitting this page by Britten to you; I have a curiosity regarding the First Violin and the Viola. Based on what criterion are those parts (I am referring to the 2-part counterpoint) playable?

Being a quartet, the divisi does not apply

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Reply 2 by Carlos

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Double strings. On bowed instruments, it is possible to play two consecutive strings simultaneously

But, trust me, this is nothing compared to what can be done with a bowed instrument...

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Reply 3 by Gagaku

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My doubt was about playing 2 strings with evident rhythmic differences ... it seems to me that one can... right?

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Reply 4 by Carlos

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Gagaku wrote:

My doubt was about playing 2 strings with evident rhythmic differences ... it seems to me that one can... right?

Two considerations: bar 67, violin 1. have you noticed what note the lower part is? A D, so it is an open string, meaning there is no need for any fingering. The upper part is played on the A string, therefore consecutive to the D string, without any difficulty, except for maintaining the bow in the correct position so that the two strings sound together. Furthermore, the rhythmic difference you see is irrelevant: try to reason in terms of bowing: look at how the triplets of the upper part are slurred: 6+3; and look at the two Ds of the lower part: 6/8+3/8, thus exactly the same bow stroke.

The same applies, in the same bar, to the viola. The C and G of the lower part are open strings.

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