Intonation in Bach’s Sei Solo

This lesson is divided into two sections: Training the Ear and Training the Left Hand. Intonation is controlled by the ear and must be constantly monitored through active listening. The awareness necessary for good intonation needs nurturing, the ear trained daily to be ever more discerning. Intonation analysis is a method of exploring the relationship between one note and another with the aim of expanding perception: Bar 1 of the E Major Loure is analyzed in detail to illustrate this method of working. There are 6 exercises for practicing mental alertness in matters of intonation: playing slow notes quickly, focusing on some notes by missing out others, and applying rhythms to a passage. In the solo repertoire, we should not dogmatically apply ‘learned’ meantone systems but seek to develop our own taste regarding temperament and intonation, based on experiment and growing awareness. Physical barriers to good intonation are listed and exercises recommended for overcoming them.