vanessa-mae's playing style
Moderator: zeta
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Xanthippe
A very interesting question eva03.
IMO, you're right about Vanessa-Mae's moderate use of vibrato.
Vanessa-Mae has a formidable and fluent natural technique which enables her to play in a very smooth and relaxing way. you can see that in her body language when you see her play. This makes her sound very recognisable compared to many other violin players. There are of course sevaral others with a sound of their own.
Vanessa-Mae has a beautiful sound, not obtrusive when playing loud or with vibrato, full of emotions and feelings when she plays more quiet parts.
Compare it with an actor who has to play a scene in which he has to raise his/hers voice to speak bad language: it can be done in a rude and vulgar manner and overdone, or with grace in an effective way.
Take Anne Sophy Mutter, an famous and excellent German violinist. I find her sound too outspoken, she exaggerates in many thing, vibrato often overdone as if she wants it to be heard too much.
I think in the sound and style of Vanessa-Mae everything comes to its place. That is why she is the best, in my opinion of course.
IMO, you're right about Vanessa-Mae's moderate use of vibrato.
Vanessa-Mae has a formidable and fluent natural technique which enables her to play in a very smooth and relaxing way. you can see that in her body language when you see her play. This makes her sound very recognisable compared to many other violin players. There are of course sevaral others with a sound of their own.
Vanessa-Mae has a beautiful sound, not obtrusive when playing loud or with vibrato, full of emotions and feelings when she plays more quiet parts.
Compare it with an actor who has to play a scene in which he has to raise his/hers voice to speak bad language: it can be done in a rude and vulgar manner and overdone, or with grace in an effective way.
Take Anne Sophy Mutter, an famous and excellent German violinist. I find her sound too outspoken, she exaggerates in many thing, vibrato often overdone as if she wants it to be heard too much.
I think in the sound and style of Vanessa-Mae everything comes to its place. That is why she is the best, in my opinion of course.
There is one thing i noticed in here style and seemed to be a particularity of her playing, its her bow hold. The way she uses her pinkie. Usually the 5th finger's job is to keep the bow balanced trought the bowing movement. Whats special about Vanessa's hold is that her pinkie is alway fully extended in the up bow and relaxed on the down bow.
To my knowledge this is quite unusual. An extended pinkie would be more associated with a agressive/powerfull russian syle hold, where the flat hand and bent/relaxed pinkie would be in the french or german style. So she apear to be mixing techniques. The position of that finger is very important as it affect the position of the hand and how the weight is transfered, its paramount to bow control. I guess this is ok , doesnt mather how she does it as long as she get the sound she want. But im puzzuled how she can keep control of the bow.
Maybe someone with more indept knowledge of bowing technique could enlighten me some more.
Atre
To my knowledge this is quite unusual. An extended pinkie would be more associated with a agressive/powerfull russian syle hold, where the flat hand and bent/relaxed pinkie would be in the french or german style. So she apear to be mixing techniques. The position of that finger is very important as it affect the position of the hand and how the weight is transfered, its paramount to bow control. I guess this is ok , doesnt mather how she does it as long as she get the sound she want. But im puzzuled how she can keep control of the bow.
Maybe someone with more indept knowledge of bowing technique could enlighten me some more.
Atre