Performance notes: Many solos evolve and indeed, change, over a period of time. Tempos, Expression, Cadenzas and even notes are changed from ‘original’ to ‘printed’ versions of solos. Soloists will also ‘licence’ a passage of music to a) suit their own ability, or, b) for individual creative flair. The playing of solos requires diligent practice of particular technical aspects (‘technical’ not just meaning how fast we can play). Always practice the more difficult passages from a slower tempo and be able to play them faster than required, e.g. THE BETTER WORLD, bars 3‐5. Secure the pitches, secure the rhythm. Take time and space the Cadenza into musical shapes. The artistic playing of a melody is paramount to approaching any of these solos. Explore the singing qualities of your playing, in terms of phrasing, vibrato and tone colour. Choose the right articulation for the right moment, e.g. Better World – section I – legato – section J – hardly any use of tounge at all – section K – a mixture of the two. Accurate flowing double tounging is required at section N. As mentioned earlier, practice at 132 – 144 – 152 – 160 – 168. Know, and be aware of the accompaniment, in particular the difference between solo with accompaniment, and accompaniment with solo obligato, i.e. SPIRIT OF LIFE, section C onwards. The soloist should make the obligato different both times, the second time, at section F maybe with more intensity. It will be worth planning in your practice, phrasing / breathing points, and pencil‐marking them on the copy. This will help you in your practice and remind you in performance, e.g. MY LOVE IS LIKE A RED, RED ROSE, the arrangers preference is for a breathing point in bar 8 (after beat 3) . Therefore, bar 6 should be carried over. In this arrangement, the composer also advises that the flowing quaver accompaniment at the beginning is very much a supporting texture but later there are passages where they should be equal weight in the dialogue between Piano and Euphonium. A sense of equality should exist at D also, where the tune passes to the piano, and the Euphonium has its own complimentary line.There is plenty of scope in this solo for rubato and expression. The key to convincing performance lies in producing smooth, song‐like lines, and allowing its beautiful shape to charm the ear. The inclusion of scales should be part of most daily routines. Regular practice will enable you to get round many passages of these solos, e.g . TRAVELLING ALONG, bars 5‐8 – bars 147 – 150 (chromatic), TO LIVE RIGHT, bars 4‐6 – 63, 98, and other bars in the solo, contain scalic patterns (a basic discipline that always requires practice). The composer states that the introductory motif of the solo is built on the mixolydian mode and that the accompaniment is an integral part of the solo. The solo has been given extra ‘backing’ on the ‘performance’ CD, using bass guitar and percussion. Given the right players and balance, it creates a good atmosphere ‘live’. A whole range of technical demands are explored in LYRIC VARIATIONS, but as the title suggests, retaining a lyrical and expressive quality throughout Range, intervals, style, clarity of tounging and stamina are required in approaching a performance of this piece. In performing any solo, the soloist has to make decisions, but even more so in this solo. I mean by that, the ability to make a bar or a passage work for you as an individual, as opposed to just what it says on the copy. By example, I would, from my own playing of it offer the following differences/options (which are on the recorded ‘performance’ version: Bar 129 – extra note added at beginning of bar ( G quaver – 2nd line) Bar 169 – last two intervals – 2 octave slur – starting on D below 1st line … leading to G 2nd line quaver (bar 170) Bar 194 – 198 – varied octaves (as recording)
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