I know I've already dedicated one whole blog to breathing and if you want to stop reading because you are tired of me rambling on about this topic, I won't be offended. But I can't leave out breathing when discussing the basics of orchestral playing. I promise I will try to be succinct!
In orchestra it can be difficult to stay connected on the high level that I discussed in my last blog post. While listening isn't any less important than breathing, it can sometimes be hard to do one well without the other. As you may have picked up from my other posts I believe breathing to be the mortar of all music making. It absolutely holds everything together.
But in orchestra it holds a particularly interesting role. Its always been my opinion that an orchestra should seem like one instrument opposed to sixty players banging out notes. This is the essence of why professional orchestra auditions are so rigorous. They are looking for a musician that will fit in perfectly to their well oiled machine. They don't want someone who will stick out like a soloist. And if an orchestra really does act as one organism it is essential they breathe together.
Of course your mind jumps to ninety people trying to breathe together and that's honestly a pretty funny image, but that is not what I meant. I just mean breathing together can help with gesture and musical direction. It connects you in a very physical way. One simple example of this is breathing with your section leader or conductor before an entrance. When you have ten to twelve say... Cellists, it can be hard for everyone to start together, even with a cue from your leader. Breathing offers an easy way for everyone to connect. There are many other deeper reasons as well like phrasing, rhythmic security, etc. And when you achieve that high level connection, you give the music the ability to ebb and flow effortlessly. The music begins to breathe and speak for itself.
Can you see how this would be connected to listening? Letting the music speak for itself is the highest achievement. It really should be what we aim for as musicians. Unfortunately, the more instrumentalists you have in one group, the harder this becomes because everyone has there own idea of how it should be done.
Both breathing and listening are a release of sorts. They allow instrumentalists to focus on others and a common goal and let go of their own ideas and adopt the group's vision. Mastering both of these things can be truly challenging but the result is extremely gratifying.
I hope I was succinct enough... Don't forget, more tomorrow!
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