Luciano Berio, Sequenza VI for Solo Viola: Performance Practices

Author(s): Nancy Uscher

Source: Perspectives of New Music, Vol. 21, No. 1/2 (Autumn, 1982 - Summer, 1983), pp. 286-
293
Published by: Perspectives of New Music
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/832877
Accessed: 26/02/2009 13:54

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LUCIANOBERIO, SEQUENZA VIFOR SOLO VIOLA
Performance Practices

NANCY USCHER

Luciano Berio describes his Sequenza VIfor Solo Viola,

writtenin 1968, as an "etude in endurance, strength and
intensity." The sequenza has two related works: Chemins II,
essentially the music from the Sequenza VIaccompanied by a
chamber ensemble, and Chemins III,which uses a full
orchestra in place of the chamber ensemble. The three works
use the viola in a way unique to its past history.Stephen
Morriswrites, "Escapingthe monodic limitationsof various
instrumentshas been a central feature in all of Berio's solo
sequenze." Just as the trombone in Sequenza Vand the
voice in Sequenza IIIare called upon to use techniques
previously unexplored in their respective repertoires,the viola,
too, is put to new tasks. The instrumentbecomes a tool for
creating thickness, polyphony, and tremendous intensity.
Berio remarksthat there is "no phrasing"of a conventional
nature. The composer asks the performerto "do exactly what
is writtenon the page," and yet he implores the violistto "play
with freedom; don't play mechanically."The work is
innovative in that it does not use the viola melodically.Walter

1. Based on an interviewbetween the author and Luciano Berio in Tel

Aviv, Israelon March 6, 1979.
 287

Tramplernotes that "assoon as therebeginsto be a melody,

the workends."
CheminsIIIwas writtenfor and dedicatedto Walter
Trampler, who admitsthathe prefersthis largestversionof
the threeforviola.2He statesthatto his knowledgethe larger
versionsof the Sequenza VIwere writtenfirst,and fromthese
the solo versionwas extracted,a factcontradictedby Morris.
Havingrecordedand performedall threeworks,Trampler
discussestwo majordifferencesbetweenthe solo and
ensemble versions of Sequenza VI:In Chemins IIand III,the
performerhas more breaksfor relieffromthe almostconstant
tremolo,wherethe solo versionis more taxing;and the solo
versiondoes not have the barlinesand metersignatures
necessaryin CheminsIIand 111 because of the accompanying
ensembles.Trampleris not happywiththe absenceof barlines
in the solo sequenza: ".. .visually the phrasing isn't as
apparent."The bow techniquein SequenzaVIand its related
worksmust incorporatean unconventionalapproachin order
for the performerto cope withthe enduranceproblemof the
continuoustremolo.Trampleruses a differentbow gripfrom
the normallyacceptedone, withthumbplaced underthe frog
of the bow. He states: ".. .the wider the grip, the less inclined
one is to get a cramp... one could even put a piece of wood
on the frogwithwhichto hold the bow."He advisesnot
".. .to use a good bow,but rather,good, stronghairon a
cheap bow."In otheraspectsof bow technique,Trampler
playswithcompletelyflatbowhair,in ponticellopassages
practicallyon the bridge,and findsthatsaltandopassagesare
a reliefto the arm.He adheresto a tempo notfasterthan

2. Based on an interviewbetween the author and WalterTramplerin New

YorkCity on November 9, 1978.
 288

J =120, but stressesthatthe piece "mustsound virtuosic."

He
advocatespracticingthe sequenzawithouttremolo:only
playingthe printedrhythms.He commentsthatthe dynamics
in performanceare "verymuch up to chance-one time all
dynamicsare fine,the nexttime one can miss them altogether."
Tramplersees the shape of the piece as "... startingwith a
bang... and endingat the pointof exhaustion,
disintegration,"the oppositeof othervirtuosopieces,which,
accordingto Berio,startlyrically, then end virtuosic.Trampler
emphasizesthatthe workmusthave sharpcontrasts:fast
sectionssoundinglike "wildscreaming,"differentiated from
lyricalsections,where dynamic contrasts are particularly
important because there is time in the musicto hearthem.
Aboutthe openingchordsof the piece, he remarks:"Play
untilyou thinksomeone in the audiencewouldscream!"
Tramplerlooksfor breaksin the musicwhereverpossible,as
a reliefto the ongoingintensity.
Sol GreitzerperformedCheminsIIwithBoulezand
membersof the New YorkPhilharmonicin a Perspective
Encountersconcertduringthe Springof 1977. He first
studiedthe piece withoutthe viola.He considersa major
problemof the workto be obtainingthe requiredspeed.3In
his bow technique,he alternatesthe fistbow hold withthe
normalgrip,so as to avoidgettingcrampedin one position.
In col legno passageshe uses some hairin orderto have
slightlymore sound. He has writtenmanyfingeringsinto the
part,and maintainsthatif he had to do the sequenzaor
cheminsin the future,he would "haveto learnthe whole
piece overagain.... It doesn'tstayin yourear... only

3. Based on an interviewbetweenthe authorand Sol Greitzerin New

YorkCityon August28, 1978.
 289

fingeringsremainusableagain."In passageshigh up in
position,he hardlyused the fourthfinger,findingthatthe use
of 1, 2, 3 on a three-partchordis "moresecureto hit."
Greitzerfeels thatcontrastis particularlyimportant,and can
be attainedwithuse of dynamicsand articulation. Since the
majoreffectof the workis forte,he stressesthe piano
dynamic,and non-tremolonotes are made long in contrastto
the predominanttremolo.
The mainpointsof approachwhichTramplerand
Greitzerhave in common are:(1) unconventionalbow hold
for enduranceof the tremolo,and (2) havingas much
contrastas possiblein the work.Both performersconsiderthe
workan importantand innovativeadditionto the viola
repertoirein its studyof textures,intensity,and endurance.
A sampleperformanceanalysisof severallines of Sequenza VI
follows.4Messrs.Greitzerand Tramplerare identifiedbelow
each line (SG and WTrespectively).The performance
categorieswhichI chose to identifyare marked:F=Fingering,
BD=Bow Direction,BT=Bow Technique,R=Rhythm,
P-Phrasing, E=Ensemble,A Articulation, H=Harmonics,
T=Tempo, RN=RhythmicNotation,FT=FingerTechinque,
and D=Dynamics.All performershave specificthought
processesand decisionmakingmechanismsbeneaththe
musicaland technicalsurfaceaspectsof performance;hence,
an analysisof thissortcan be a valuableresourcefor further
studyinto diverseapproachestowardworkssuch as Berio's
Sequenza.

4. A complete performance analysis appears in my dissertation

"PerformanceProblems in Selected Twentieth Century Music for Viola"
(New York University,1980).
 PERFORMANCEANALYSIS

sequenza VI
per viola sola
luciano berio
Ei ..
f* 3'

Is_ ' . -

SG F BT
fB R
WT R

2 V-=-TXT-; ,

SG F' 3 oaoo 3 G3 0
1 4
WT P

SG F
WT E=

* In a
situation with two rows, staff + >- , or staves (a) and (b), the
composer presents alternativesto the performer.
 291

J
Pd 'if: rt I . -....J
t
f22i~A
t3f:'.i f- V F
H
W.
SG F 4 4 rTBnvn
WT A (A)

34 &j I 7
*-

>frPF!
,^g-'

SG SX~~~ 3WT. BP
B
6Pv34 24 v 241211 V
WT T 1

,W.I.J

SG F2432123021

SG 24323
FT
WT TR

50

SG F' Ft
WT T P
 292

CodingMethodGuide:Sol Greitzer*
Line
Code number** Explanation
F 1 SE***
BT 1 Use firstbowhold
R 1 Writein verticallinesforbeatsthroughout
entirework
P 2 Atthe rest,() tensionis brokenforthe
firsttime.
F 2 SE
F 11 SE
BT 22 Changeto regularbowgrip
F 22 SE
BT 22 Regularbowgrip
BD 22 SE
F 34 SE
BD 34 SE
F 37 SE
F 50 SE

*Chemins II
** "Line number"
replaces bar numbers as there are no bar lines in the
work.
**
*SE =self-explanatory
 293

CodingMethodGuide:WalterTrampler

Line
Code number Explanation
T 1 No fasterthan J=62
R 1 Playexactlyin rhythm(moredifficult
withoutbarlines)
BT 1 Tremoloas fastas possible;hold bow with
thumbunderfrog
BD 1 Changefor comfortability
E 11 (a) originalwithorchestra
(b) more condensedversion
R 11 Play32nd notes sooner
A 22 Makegrace notes short
T 34 Close tempo changes
H 34 Added later,not in originalversion
T 37 Not a fastertempo
RN 37 Betternotationwouldbe r (shorter
space for , )
FT 50 Playrandomnotes
P 50 "Gurglingdisintegration"