dnmusic

Lewis Catto, “Rhapsody for Euphonium” 2013

These are observations I made when watching the video that I think I can use to improve my own performing.

  1. Stance. The way Catto stands makes me want to ask him if he needs to go to the men’s for a couple of minutes to take care of something before he begins. We can wait. We want him to be comfortable.

My take-away: Ask someone who knows about such things to teach me how to walk onto the stage and present myself to the audience. Then practice doing so until it looks natural.

  1. Posture. His instrument is between his face and the audience. He holds the euphonium almost vertically. That isn’t “bad” as such, but in this situation the effect is that he’s hiding from the audience.

My take-away: Angle the euphonium a little more so the audience can see my face. (Note: This only applies to euphoniums with valves top. A model with valves front wouldn’t have this issue.)

  1. Position. He stands downstage right-center. That enables him to interact with the conductor easily, but contributes to hiding his face from the audience.

My take-away: Stand downstage left-center. That exposes my face fully to the audience. When I need to coordinate a transition or entrance with the conductor, I can turn; from the perspective of the audience the turn itself will look like a form of engagement with the music. (This is another issue that only pertains to euphoniums with valves top.)

  1. Starting. The opening of the piece sounds brash and a little forced, and there are some minor slips. He settles in, and by approximately time offset 1:30 he’s sounding very good.

My take-away: Just as take-off is a risky moment in a flight, the beginning of a solo is a risky moment in a performance. I must take steps to ensure I’m mentally and emotionally centered before starting to play.

  1. Sound. Setting aside the rough beginning, the opening slow section goes very well. Catto’s sound in the fast section, starting around time offset 2:30, sounds harsh to me. Articulations are hard - at times, it’s thud-thud-thud without clear pitches - the tone is rough, and some transitions between notes are noisy. The piece should feel light and cheerful, but instead feels heavy and ponderous. As the band segues into the slower middle section (around time offset 3:29), everything smooths out considerably.

My take-away: Be aware of the characteristics of the venue. The band is playing in a fairly small church. The ceiling is high but the space is not large. There are many sound-reflecting surfaces. It’s easy to overblow in that sort of space.

  1. Engagement with the band. During the tutti section that starts around 3:30, the soloist stands still, looking out into the audience. He appears to be waiting for his next entrance, as if waiting for a bus or train. It feels like a “blank spot” in the performance.

My take-away: When I’m in the role of soloist, I need to remember that the audience will be looking at me most of the time, including during sections of the music when I’m not playing. I must remember to look at the band and show appreciation through facial expressions, but not to move around so much that it distracts the audience from the band. Bring the instrument up for my entrance in such a way that it looks/feels like a continuation of what the band has been doing, to connect the band and the soloist as one.

  1. Overexuberance. Starting around time offset 5:20, the soloist sounds distinctly harsh and rough and is definitely overblowing. Slurred transitions are noisy and tone quality is poor at times.

My take-away: Maintain emotional control and consistency when approaching the exciting climax of the piece.