Video Resources
In this clip, Helen talks about the baroque principle of playing a diminuendo through a slur. When slurring paired notes, this means making the first note of the pair stronger than the second.
Leopold Mozart (father of the famous Wolfgang Amadeus) wrote a very informative treatise on violin playing. In this book, he discusses the practice of playing a diminuendo through a slur:
Often three, four and even more notes are bound together by such a slur and half circle. In such a case the first thereof must be somewhat more strongly accented and sustained longer; the others, on the contrary, being slurred on to it in the same stroke with a diminishing of the tone, even more and more quietly and without the slightest accent.
Video Resources
In this video, Helen looks at longer slurs in the D-minor Partita.
1 - Bowing
2 - Slurs
3 - Phrasing and Articulation
LEARNING RESOURCES
1.
What is historically informed performance practice?
An introduction to historically informed performance practice of baroque music, and a look at period instruments and bows.
2.
Allemande from JS Bach's Suite no. 1 in G for unaccompanied cello, BWV 1007
Ruth Alford explores this movement in the light of other baroque music for 'cello.
3.
Giga from J S Bach's Partita no. 2 in D minor for solo violin, BWV 1004
Helen Kruger looks at what what baroque theorists had to say about bowing, phrasing and articulation and applies it to this movement.
4.
Largo and Allegro from G P Telemann's Viola Concerto in G, TWV51:G9
Nicholas Logie discusses phrasing, ornamentation and vibrato.
5.
Further Reading