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Scales and exercises are essential for all string players, says Heinrich Schiff
Not all players regard exercises as important, but without a sound technical basis
you cannot achieve your expressive potential, writes the cellist
Monday, 01 September 2014

Some 25 years of teaching have taught me that we players must always define what
each of our motions at the cello represents - this is essential in order for us to
be efficient artists capable of technical ease, great stamina, physical power and
musical depth. To have control I must develop the ability to use my physical
gestures economically and unconsciously. Craftsmanship - the non-musical aspect of
playing, such as finger velocity, bowing technique, shifting and so on - should be
studied separately from musical expression. Expressive possibilities are limited if
the player is not at home with the instrument, and the further one goes away from
'home' the more the basics are needed.

This is why I believe in etudes and studies - and I still play scales - as Heifetz
emphasised. I don't find this technical work pleasurable, but I do it anyway. A
wonderful part of instrumental fitness can be found in exercises by Feuillard and
Cossman for example..

Not all instrumentalists regard exercises as important; in fact, many artists think
etudes are rubbish and that one can learn technique through pieces. I say yes, if
you understand what you have to do. An etude is like a series of small limited
structures and should be played with complete control without the emotional
distractions of your concerto. If you apply that behaviour to your solo and find
the pattern you need to work on, you can practise the passage with the same
sensibility that you would an etude. At this point all enemies of this approach
will say, 'Now the concerto will sound like an etude!' They are right. Anyone can
describe what to do, but it takes knowledge of the basics to approach the problem.
That's why I work on etudes.

Consider other musicians. All singers certainly begin the day with basic vocal
exercises: arpeggios, scales, exercises for tone and for intonation. They practise
their routine in every key, making sure their voices are properly supported. Wind
players hold long notes for endurance and breath control. We string players don't
do this enough - especially young players, who should be trying to find their own
voice. I suggest starting on the open strings with or without vibrato. I
concentrate on the physical aspects of playing. I question myself. Is my body
comfortable? Can I control the bow in fast and slow speeds? How should I vary my
vibrato? I keep the note plain then add vibrato as a sheer physical exercise. If it
sounds 'dry', I don't do it. Even when the gesture is detached from the artistic
act you must love the note, feel yourself relax, enjoy your instrument and get
addicted to the sound you produce in order to be able always to find a home;
otherwise, when the music makes increasingly difficult demands, you could lose
control. The more aware I am of my physical approach, the easier artistic matters
become.

A tactic I often use in masterclasses is to ask the student to play something quiet
and small, like a simple row of notes at a moderato tempo. Then we increase the
dynamics to mezzoforte or forte, playing full but not too loud. Perhaps we choose a
few notes from the concerto, maybe with a slide because it makes us nervous.

Sometimes I ask for a �evc�k or Feuillard exercise - we are looking for something
simple in order to come back to basics.

Basics include posture. When sitting at the instrument the torso must lean towards
the cello. You must find a position in which you can sit for many hours. I control
my neck, avoiding pushing away or pressing towards the cello, which causes tension.
If I am relaxed from the hips, my torso can help my arms produce the weight.
Tension in the hips reduces power. Likewise, lifting the shoulders (a mistake we
all make) interrupts the flow of energy into the fingers by creating stress. This
applies to both arms.

Concerning power - and cellists need a lot - one can be lucky or one must train for
endurance. Producing sound from force is wrong. You must be strong, but use body
weight and gravity. Besides, we would have to develop more muscles than needed in
order to have reserve strength, since we should be able to play through three
concertos in the practice room in order to perform one. In the same way, I have to
master passages that are more difficult than the works I play on stage. So, I go
back to etudes in order to make the Dvor�k Concerto easier. You have to be fitter
than required and you have to have more skill than needed.

Developing the artistic ingredients and controlling emotions are difficult. We have
players who are well educated but lack imagination. Musicianship is, of course, as
important to prepare as the craftsmanship aspect. Generally I find artistic
information about composers has to do with performance practice. How did
Beethoven's violin sonatas sound? There is a lot of information available and I
think it is important to find that information, but it takes time and energy.

Emotionally, though, I think the cellist has to try to develop colours and
atmospheres with the pressure and speed of the bow, vibrato and expressive
shifting, and find a repertoire of possibilities that are called personal, but are
connected to the instrument. In order to enrich the palette of human experience
available to me I go to the theatre, exhibitions, opera and ballet, as well as
experiencing non-musical culture. I read. I learn as much as possible about
psychology, for example, in order to nourish myself as a person and to become more
knowledgeable. Gy�rgy Ligeti speaks about finding inspiration from scientists;
their research makes him able to be creative as a composer. I find listening to
records is not enough to enable you to become an interesting artist. It's
fascinating, yes, and shouldn't be missed. But engage your mind more widely. Ask
questions that will make you a richer person.

As an end result, I adapt my ability to apply the etudes I practised to the Elgar
Concerto. In the performance I repeat my exercises of relaxation and subtlety. I
bring together the elements of vibrato and bow control with those of expression
and, I hope, land at Elgar. These are the rules I follow: Play scales to the end of
your life! Practise slowly. Don't play loud and fast. Control your body. Think like
a singer and feel the breath from your stomach. And finally, be patient and don't
give up.

This article was first published in The Strad's December 2004 issue. Subscribe to
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