There
are times, especially in solo or chamber music playing, when I actually
choose double-tonguing over single-tonguing even when the tempo allows
for single-tonguing. The sound created by double-tonguing, if the
player is skilled enough at it, can actually be preferable. It can
sound more flexible, fluid and nimble than single-tonguing. Sometimes
single-tonguing just sounds too heavy and logy.
However, I'll admit that sometimes double-tonguing on the bassoon can
sound rather aggressive, and the Beethoven solo is marked "
p dolce"
which is the opposite of aggressive. How does the player tame the
double tonguing to the point of soft sweetness? For one thing, the
player can use a slightly slower air stream while still maintaining the
high level of air pressure necessary for successful double tonguing.
Also, the double-tonguing sound varies from reed to reed. I tested many
reeds to see which sounded best for this solo. It's possible to
double-tongue on just about any reed; however, the sound varies greatly. Thin,
buzzy reeds tend to produce a very abrasive and undesirable double-tonguing sound,
for example.
So I
begin at 60 and gradually increase the speed, moving up a few metronome
notches at a time. The next tempo after 60 might be 65, for example. I
don't rush through this process, even though it's tedious. Accuracy is
critical, so if I begin to space out, I take a break until my
concentration returns. I don't allow myself to increase the tempo until
I've mastered the passage slurred, single tongued and double tongued.
Also at the slower speeds I practice the solo slurred with varied rhythms.
At all times, of course, close attention must be paid to the grace
note in the middle of the solo. I know that some bassoonists use
unusual combinations of double- and single-tonguing designed to
accommodate the grace note, and I've experimented with those
combinations. However, what works best for me is straight
double-tonguing, since I've found no difference between fitting the
very brief grace note into the passage when slurred or when tongued.
Again, it's a fingering issue, not a tonguing issue, even though the
"tuh" syllable for the first two notes (the D grace note and the C it
slurs to) of the grace note measure must be slightly longer than the
other syllables in order to allow time for the grace note. I often
isolate this section of the solo for careful slow practicing:
If I were to write out the syllables for
double-tonguing the above excerpt of 11 notes (one of which is the grace
note) it would look like this (I've highlighted the grace note D and
the C it slurs to):
Tuh-Kuh-Tuh-Kuh-
Teeuh -Kuh-Tuh-Kuh-Tuh-Kuh
"Teeuh"
is the syllable for the grace note D and the C which it slurs to. The
"uh" part of that highlighted syllable is not tongued - the "uh" simply indicates the
syllable formed inside the mouth by the tongue position during the
passage when slurring from the grace note D to the C.
It's
always my goal to match the double-tonguing to the single-tonguing. I
love it when other musicians ask me if I'm double-tonguing or
single-tonguing! The last thing any of us want is to have our
double-tonguing recognizable as such, because that usually means that
the double-tonguing is uneven. Some bassoonists seem to hold a rather
dim view of double-tonguing, as though it's somehow inferior to
single-tonguing. It doesn't have to be!
The Beethoven Symphony No. 4 solo is easier to play in auditions or
master classes than in the orchestra. That's because when the player is
alone, he or she chooses not only the tempo, but also the exact
starting time of the solo! In the orchestra, depending upon stage
acoustics, the bassoonist may be in danger of starting the solo too late
if the violas are located at a distance. The aural delay of the viola
section which plays before the bassoon solo can cause a late entrance of
the bassoon solo. The solution? Watch the conductor's baton, and
choose to follow the visual information from the conductor rather than
the aural information from the violas (which is easier said than done).
Light (ie. your visual input from the conductor) travels faster than
sound (ie. your aural input from the distant violas), so when in doubt,
go with the visual (the conductor) unless you're fortunate enough to
play in a great acoustical environment which somehow eliminates the
aural delay created by distance. In some orchestras, the woodwinds sit
quite close to the conductor's podium, enabling the bassoons to be
surrounded by the string instruments. In such situations, the problem
of aural delay is non-existent.
Getting back to the concept of being 150% prepared, I think it's
accurate to say that Beethoven 4 is one of those solos which turns out
to be totally different on stage with the orchestra compared to
practicing it at home or school. Part of the reason for that is the
above-mentioned loss of control over the tempo and the starting point
when playing in the orchestra. For most orchestral solos, that wouldn't
be a problem, but it can be a little tricky to get the double tonguing
started on cue. The bassoon reed inside the mouth is actually an
impediment to
double-tonguing - it's not as easy to initiate double-tonguing on the
bassoon as it would be on a brass instrument, flute or recorder. Also I noticed
that I had to remind myself in the orchestra to keep the air pressure
high for double tonguing......if air support is inadequate, the
double tonguing loses clarity of sound and accuracy of intonation. It's much
easier to remember that nugget of truth in the quiet isolation of the
practice room than it is onstage during a rehearsal which includes a nerve racking
solo!
Having prepared 150%, when concert
time arrives, all that's left to do is show up and enjoy the ride.
