I ♥ Bariolage
I was very happy today to be reminded of the word "Bariolage", which refers to a technique of playing a stringed instrument in which a changing note played on one string is quickly alternated with an unchanging note played on another string; the unchanging note frequently is an open string. It's commonly heard in Baroque music, particularly Baroque violin sonatas, and sometimes gives a sense of an accompanied melody issuing from the solo instrument. The technique has always appealed to me and I knew there was a word for it that I'd heard decades ago but had forgotten, much to my annoyance. Now I can reinforce the memory of the word by telling you about it.
Here is a ready example of bariolage from the first Cello Suite, in G Major, of JS Bach. The bariolage occurs in a short passage that begins at the 1:54' mark, where the "melody" is fingered on the D string, alternating with an open A string. The bariolage is foreshadowed in the way the arpeggiated figures are written, particularly at the beginning, with alternating notes at the end of each short figure.
This is Mischa Maisky playing.
[YouTube link for those who don't see the embedded player.]
Bariolage refers strictly to the alternation of two notes on two strings, but is frequently misapplied to figures of rapid arpeggios across strings. These arpeggios are also a very characteristic form of passage work, particularly in Baroque music, but it is distinct from bariolage. Here is an excellent short demonstration of rapid arpeggios on the violin, mistakenly called bariolage even though the violinist is speaking French.
[YouTube link for those who don't see the embedded player.]
So, as long as we're talking about rapid arpeggios, here's one of my favorite passages to play, also from a Bach Cello Suite, this one is #3 in C Major. Playing it is my favorite cellist, Janos Starker. The arpeggio fun beings at 2:25'.
[YouTube link for those who don't see the embedded player.]
One Response
Subscribe to comments via RSS
Subscribe to comments via RSS
Leave a Reply
To thwart spam, comments by new people are held for moderation; give me a bit of time and your comment will show up.
I welcome comments -- even dissent -- but I will delete without notice irrelevant, rude, psychotic, or incomprehensible comments, particularly those that I deem homophobic, unless they are amusing. The same goes for commercial comments and trackbacks. Sorry, but it's my blog and my decisions are final.
on Monday, 16 April 2012 at 18.20
Permalink
Strange that the action of bariolage has been given a name at all . I would not expect a beginner to know what it meant . It sounds very grand and important .