3 Pyrotechnics

Description

1) PREPARATIONS and SILVER SPRAYS Bars 1-22: Here the mood is one of expectation. In the first bar, drop the A# back from mf to p after about one quaver, in order to be in place for the . Once the notes are known, use a metronome to confirm a steady pulse, so that the accel. and ritard. will be able to relate to a secure base (were you playing bar 20 in time?), as will any other small amount of pulse variation you feel moved to introduce. Not too loud in bar 10 – save your thunder for later! Note that the acciaccatura in bar 18 belongs to the G#, and here and elsewhere merely shows which note shares the trill. Bars 23-94: Now the show has begun! The three distinct requirements of finger-patterns (not too hard), tongue control (harder) and constantly-changing dynamics (difficult) should be practised separately and brought together one by one while the metronome is still set to a quaver beat. Do not attempt to cross the upper break with the glissando in bar 87 – use a combination of embouchure-variation and the gradual opening of the RH side trill keys until they, and the LH throat G# key, are all open.
2) COLOURED CANDLES Do not mistake the whole-phrase slur in bars 2, 6, etc for an indication of legato…, follow the lower articulations. Do not begin the vibrato on top G in bars 17/18 until the note is well-established. If you cannot reliably combine a nice vibrato and a decrescendo here it might be more prudent to keep the note straight! Bar 19 has a genuine upside-down trill with the accent always on the Ab.
3) JUMPING AND FL YING THINGS The old saying “If you want to play fast, practise slowly” was never more relevant than in this movement. The excitement of a relentless but continually-changing pulse based virtually throughout on driving quavers, must be conveyed. Any slowing-down to accommodate an inadequate technique will be exposed mercilessly. Bar 17: Even glissandos need a recognisable beginning end, so try this timing: Bar 24 is similarly neatly achieved thus: Bar 57: If you use long Bb here, the same fingering can be used for top G in the next bar – worth a try. Bar 61: Come down this glissando from Eb fingered by opening LH throat G# and the second-from-top RH side trill key. Bars 75/6: Again, this gliss. can go “up the side” to D obtained by opening the second-from-top RH side trill key. If this is flat, also open the bottom (Eb/Bb) side trill key. This gives a bright, stable D that can be used with advantage on all four D’s of these last bars. Be patient with these fireworks and you – and your audience – will eventually be rewarded with a brilliant display!
John Fairhead