Mendelsohn Concerto?

Question

I think I'm having trouble with the Mendelsohn Concerto (is that spelled right?). I just feel like I have to continue practicing the piece every day just to get the intonation right! Like, I might practice it until the intonation is all nice one day, and then the next day, I'll make the same mistakes! Then I have to practice all over again.
Any suggestions?

Oh, and I play the violin. It's the violin concerto.

Answer 1

We figured out the violin part - it wouldn't be a PIANO concerto with bad intonation you were trying to fix.

I am a music competition judge in NY, a professional classical musician (flutist and pianist) and teacher since 1971. I tell all MY students that the FASTEST way to get REALLY GOOD is to practice really slowly. Nail every single note. It takes tremendous discipline to do this - but WOW , does it pay off! Think of your fingers, your hearing, and your eyesights as three unruly toddlers, or three puppies - with time, you teach them to all cooperate - or they can grow up to be the kids that run screaming thru ShopRite, throwing marshmallows (oh wait - those were my nephews . . ) or three junk-yard dogs. When my students come early to a lesson, they hear VERY SLOW playing cmoing out of my studio - you would think I was teaching a beginner. It is me. I do not have time or desire to RE-learn difficult literature - so I get it right the first time. It has taken me DECADES to truly believe in the effectiveness of this. But it works.

On a more practical side - get yourself The Tuning CD. Not that stupid Perfect Pitch program - semi-bogus. But a drone you can work scales and arpeggios over. Alternatively, if you have a synth, you can put a small heavy weight on one organ-stop key, and play over that. Make yourself listen for *beats* in the intonation, and do Plain Vanilla exercises that will reap HUGE benefit when you apply them to the work at hand. Take care of your OWN technique - you can apply it to anything!

Much luck with this great piece! I once made the mistake of walking up to a 4-foot kid holding a quarter-size violin, and bending over in my SweetiePie voice to ask him "And what are YOU playing today?" With steely gaze, he eyeballed me, and without breaking eye contact for the next five minutes said, "THIS!"" - and proceeded to RIP the last movement of the Mendelssohn. Ouch.

Answer 2

I might Definitely NOT play the Sibelius!! Saint Saens is well, how so much mozart have you ever performed??? What approximately the Barber, Lalo Symphony Espanole, Saint Saens Introduction to rondo and capricosso, the final two events of the Tchaikovsky, Wieniawski two, Vieuxtemps four or five... There are such a lot of. Just do not play whatever just like the Sibelius, Brahms or the first mvmt of the Tchaikovsky!!!

Answer 3

Wow, I'm impressed. Mendelssohn is quite an undertaking. His pieces are extremely difficult. I play the piano, but I imagine it's even harder on the violin. Just keep practicing, especially concentrating on the most difficult parts. Playing him on the piano gives me finger strain, especially those rapid notes. You must wear out your bows and strings. But as they say, practice makes perfect.

Answer 4

you could try practicing with someone playing the notes with you on the piano. listening to a recording helps too. also using rhythms or different bowings can help for difficult passages. good luck! mendelssohn's a lot of fun to play.