Music for Recital, Sat. May 10, 2025, 3-5pm

Practice Tips

Below are some tips for practicing the recital pieces.

1. Listen to and Play Along with Recordings: Begin by listening to the recordings provided. You may also find others on YouTube. If so, listen to both vocal and instrumental recordings of the piece. Notice differences, especially in tempo.

2. Use the Full Score: Practice from the full score rather than your part, to understand how your part interacts with others. You can also try to play the other lines.

3. Identify Peaks: Mark sections where you see peaks (in your or other lines) – often in higher registers. See how your part can support these peaks.

4. Mark Phrases and Breathing Spots: Observe where phrases begin and end, and mark breathing spots. Avoid cutting phrases but breathe between them (guided by the lyrics if they exist).

5. Sing Before Playing: Before playing, sing each phrase. Focus on individual phrases rather than playing the piece from start to finish. This helps you follow the natural flow and direction of the music.

6. Observe Rests and Rhythm: Pay close attention to rests and rhythm.

Practice Tip: Articulation for 16th Notes in Scheidt’s Battaglia

The ideal tempo for this piece is around 43-44 beats per measure. At this speed, the 16th-note passages—especially in Battaglia—can feel quite challenging. Here are some tips to help you build tonguing speed and bring clarity to your articulation.

Building Tonguing Speed: Where to Start

To develop faster and cleaner articulation, start by practicing tonguing on a single repeated note using the pattern Tu–Du–Du–Du. Once that feels comfortable, move on to a scale, applying the same pattern—Tu–Du–Du–Du—to each note of the scale.

This pattern, which alternates between “Tu” and “Du,” is a form of single tonguing. It’s highly effective because mixing the consonants helps prevent tension and fatigue. Both Tu–Du–Tu–Du and Tu–Du–Du–Du are usable, but for the groups of four 16th notes that appear in Part 2 of Battaglia, Tu–Du–Du–Du might be better. Feel free to try both options.

Avoid using the same consonants repeatedly (e.g., Tu–Tu–Tu–Tu), which tends to sound choppy and tires the tongue more quickly.

Even 5 minutes of focused daily practice can make a big difference. The tongue is a muscle—just like any other—and with consistent training, it will get faster and more controlled.

Applying It to Battaglia

Part 1 – Pairs of 16th Notes: These can be slurred if needed—slur just the two 16th notes, and tongue the following 8th note. This creates a light, flowing articulation.
Part 2 – Groups of Four 16th Notes: Here, single tonguing with Tu–Du–Du–Du is ideal. It provides clarity and control at faster tempos without tiring the tongue. If this remains difficult, slurring each group of four can be used as a backup.
Measures 59–60 (First and Second Lines): These are the most technically demanding, with extended runs of 16th notes. Try to stick with Tu–Du–Du–Du (or maybe Tu-Du-Tu-Du) articulation as much as possible. If necessary, slurring is acceptable—but it should be a last resort.

What About Double Tonguing?

Double tonguing (e.g., Ta–Ka–Ta–Ka or Da-Ga-Da-Ga) is another option, especially if you already have experience with it. It alternates T/D with K/G consonants and can be very effective for fast passages. However, if you’re not already comfortable with double tonguing, it’s not ideal to begin learning it just a few weeks before the performance—it typically takes longer to master.

So for this recital, I recommend focusing on single tonguing, using Tu–Du–Du–Du as your go-to pattern.

Final Thought

We still have enough time to make solid progress. The key is consistency: even a few minutes of daily articulation practice will make a real difference. Also, be sure to coordinate tongue and finger movements—otherwise, the sound may become uneven or “bubbly.”

Let’s make those 16th notes shine!