A Minuett is an old fashioned stately dance in 3/4 time.
Allegretto means a little lively, but of course nothing like a waltz. In fact, it is much slower than a waltz. Count 3 to each measure, playing two 8th notes to each count. Remember the key is Eb and that you must flat every B-E-A, always playing Bb-Eb-Ab.
You begin with a 2 note chord; of course this at first looks impossible to execute, but it is really very easy to do thus: = begin with the bow resting on the 2 lower strings and immediately switch to G for an instant, yet you set it to vibrating, and the note sounds as long as the string vibrates. Of course you hold the upper note for full time value of a dotted quarter note.
Care must be taken in this piece in regard to division of the bow in order not to be caught without sufficient bow to execute a passage, hence it would be well to use only about 2/3 of the bow for the chords.
The 8th notes which follow being dotted 8ths, must be played like 16th notes followed by 16th rests, hence very short and with but a few inches of the bow, and as the 2nd and 3rd notes of the 4th measure are slurred staccato and are to be played with 2 down strokes this brings your next chord (5th measure) on an up stroke.
All of the strains repeat the first time you play it through, but when you finish the last strain you find the following: = M.D. C senzo replica which means "go back to the beginning and play without repeating any strain", until you come to the word "fine" which means "finish" or "the end." The word trio means 3rd movement.
This is one of the finest selections we have yet had and is considered a strictly classical number of the highest order.
Piano accompaniment for this minuett and the overture are published in a collection of several other nice pieces, which may be had with an extra 1st violin part for 50 cents.
The overture will be your lesson for next week.
N.B. When writing always mention instrument. Confine your questions to ONE LESSON ONLY. Give name of lesson, number of staff, number of measure, and be brief. Give full name and address.
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© 2003 R. Fingerson
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