Technique and Improve

Technique and Improve

In violin lessons I have to do a warm-up technique called improvisation. In improvisation I have to listen to the accompanist and improvise a song in that key, whether it be in A minor or B major. A part of improvisation is interpreting the music and adding emotions into the piece I'm playing. There are three important factors to playing the violin, Galamian says they are "1. The Physical Factor: consisting of (a) the anatomical make-up of the individual, in particular the shape of his fingers, hands, and arms, plus the flexibility of his muscular apparatus; (b) the physiological functioning with regard to the playing movements and the muscular actions that bring them about; 2. The Mental Factor: the ability of the mind to prepare, direct, and supervise the muscular activity; 3. The Aesthetic-emotional Factor: the capacity to understand and feel the meaning of the music, plus the innate talent to project its expressive message to the listener (3)".  In improvisation I have to use a certain scale for a certain track, such as track 20, I have to play the D scale for the improvisation to sound right. Galamian says that any scale that the player can perform with different techniques have been completely taken in by mind and muscles.

 

Galamian says "...the nature of an improvisation  in which the artist in moved by the music he plays, forgets about technique, and abandons himself with improvisatory freedom to the inspiration of the moment (7)." I don't think this is exactly what he meant, because if you playing with only improvisation you don't just forget the techniques you already learned but it isn't the main thing that your thinking about as your playing. What Galamian says is partly true, because while playing I don't consciously think about what I am playing or about the techniques that I am using, the information I have gained over the years is just at the back of my mind just visible over the notes that I am playing.

What do you think the nature of improve and the point of improve is?

 

 Galamian, Ivan. Principles of Violin: Playing & Teaching. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 2013. Print.