Penderecki’s “Capriccio” for Tuba Sola: doubt

[Bartok]

Hello (again)!

I have to play Penderecki’s Capriccio in a few months and I would ask your opinion about the “´” sign on it.

You can see it exactly 15 times on the whole piece, but I don’t know how exactly read it:

A. As a possible place for breathing? I mean, as a “breath mark”?
B. As a “pause phrasing mark”? I mean, as a “little pause mark”?

I know EVERYBODY has traduced it as the “A” option after R. Bobo’s recording but I have some doubts... If it is a “possible breath mark”, why did Penderecki put the first and second one too near? Only four notes and another breath? On other places, there is a lot of music without “breathing”, if you read it as the “A” option...

On the other side, playing the piece with the “B” option (i think that’s the correct one) is a bit risky because I have not heard nobody playing/recording it on this way...

I want to play it in a competition, so I would like to be as sure as possible of what to do and why... What do you think?

Best!

[arpthark]

Yet, if they are phrase marks as you say, are you hearing that four note section as a separate phrase? I think taking too much of a pause there would break the musical line a bit. When I have performed this, I have just omitted the first breath mark.

I have a photocopy of the original 1980 manuscript laying around my music somewhere. I'll have a look for you to see if these marks are in the manuscript.

[Bartok]

Yes, as you told, I would made a kind of four-notes-motive on this part... Anyway, it always depends on phrasing... You can do the mark and get a break or only a slight pause. I usually traduces the “comma” more ore less like an 8th rest, trying not to stop the phrasing, and phrasing the music over the rest... I know it is a strange phrasing, but I think is it similar to like Mahler 6th Symphony’s “Scherzo”, on number 73... There are a lot of micro pauses on phrasing marked with the same sign there, too.

It would be fantastic if you could check the original manuscript out. Keep me informed, please!

PS: By the way... I do not receive notification mails. Is it normal?

[arpthark]

Here you go. While the first one is very faint due to the photocopy, there are "V" marks before and after the passage in question. The interpretation of this symbol is up for debate, I suppose, but my teachers have used that as a breath mark (interchangeably with the comma symbol).

[Bartok]

Here you go. While the first one is very faint due to the photocopy, there are "V" marks before and after the passage in question. The interpretation of this symbol is up for debate, I suppose, but my teachers have used that as a breath mark (interchangeably with the comma symbol).

Yes... that’s the question... But I don’t think same sign could has different meanings on same piece and composer; so, I won’t bet for the “interchangeably” meaning of the symbol...

On the other hand, I suppose Mr. Penderecki would revise the printed edition before being public. I think he wanted these symbols there. It points (to me!) as a phrasing mark...

Anyway, tubist are like we are... If a famous tubist do a recording, we use to imitate it without thinking about “why” does he/she do that... I think this happened with R. Bobo.

For example, “Sonate in F”, by B. Marcello. People uses to play the first movement (Lento &4/4) at half time than third movement (Lento & 4/4) only because first movement is written in 32ths... If you heard that piece played by cellists, they play both movements at same time in the most cases... Is it logical: (same bar) + (same indication) + (same piece) + (same composer) = same meaning... I think it is similar in this case...

[olaness1]

Of course this is entirely up to you: when you perform, it's your interpretation. The fact that Roger Bobo did it one way does not make that necessarily the best way for you. Music is always personal and always up for new interpretations. Do it the way you think it should be done/the way you sound best doing it. If that is different to the way others do it, so much the better: makes for a more varied and thus more interesting musical landscape.

Of course, if you entering a competition and your wish to win is stronger than your conviction of any particular musical direction, then investigate who the adjudicators are and try to form an opinion on their tastes.

[Bartok]

Good advice!! Thank you!!