# Composers/works that use tremolo?



## hiroica (Aug 31, 2015)

I love this type of playing on orchestral strings. Bruckner seems to do this a ton. Also Sibelius (I can only think of its use in sym 7). 
What other composers/works utilize this sound ?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Could you explain what you mean by "tremolo"? I'm sure that no special effect by that name is called for in the music of Bruckner or Sibelius. If you mean "vibrato," that is almost always used in modern string playing and is only absent when the attempt is made to produce a "period" string sound, generally in music written before the 19th century.


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## cimirro (Sep 6, 2016)

Woodduck said:


> Could you explain what you mean by "tremolo"? I'm sure that no special effect by that name is called for in the music of Bruckner or Sibelius. If you mean "vibrato," that is almost always used in modern string playing and is only absent when the attempt is made to produce a "period" string sound, generally in music written before the 19th century.


Dear Woodduck
I think he means writings like the ones you can find in the 8th page of this PDF (page 10 in the score)
http://petruccilibrary.ca/files/img...ius_-_Symphony_No.7__Op.105__orch._score_.pdf

this writing is called "tremolo" in strings


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## hiroica (Aug 31, 2015)

I just googled to try to find an example and this guy uses bruckner 9 as an example


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> Could you explain what you mean by "tremolo"? I'm sure that no special effect by that name is called for in the music of Bruckner or Sibelius. If you mean "vibrato," that is almost always used in modern string playing and is only absent when the attempt is made to produce a "period" string sound, generally in music written before the 19th century.


Parkinson's Disease in music. Think Gwyneth Jones, late in her career. Nasty stuff.

Any orchestral work that intentionally sounds like that deserves obscurity.

The ugliest sound in music.


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> Could you explain what you mean by "tremolo"? *I'm sure that no special effect by that name is called for in the music of Bruckner or Sibelius.* If you mean "vibrato," that is almost always used in modern string playing and is only absent when the attempt is made to produce a "period" string sound, generally in music written before the 19th century.


Tremolo is extensively used in Bruckner's music, for example, the very first thing you hear at the beginning of 1st movement in Bruckner's 7th Symphony is string tremolo (fast oscillation of the bow). These are examples of tremolo marks on his 8th symphony score:


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## Bettina (Sep 29, 2016)

Tremolos are the bane of my existence! I often play piano arrangements of orchestral works, particularly when accompanying for concertos. To my dismay, I've found that many orchestral tremolos are fiendishly difficult to play on the piano. They're often transcribed as a very rapid alternation between two notes an octave apart. My hands get sooo tired.


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## Alfacharger (Dec 6, 2013)

Nielsen's Fifth Symphony first movement.


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

Bettina said:


> Tremolos are the bane of my existence! I often play piano arrangements of orchestral works, particularly when accompanying for concertos. To my dismay, I've found that many orchestral tremolos are fiendishly difficult to play on the piano. They're often transcribed as a very rapid alternation between two notes an octave apart. My hands get sooo tired.


What would be more tiring for the hand in your opinion Bettina, those piano tremolos you mention (very rapid alternation between two notes an octave apart), or the right hand triplets maintained on the piano thru all Schubert Erlkönig lied?


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## Bettina (Sep 29, 2016)

jdec said:


> What would be more tiring for the hand in your opinion Bettina, those piano tremolos you mention (very rapid alternation between two notes an octave apart), or the right hand triplets maintained on the piano thru all Schubert Erlkönig lied?


That's a good question! I've never actually played Erlkönig (though I do love listening to it), so I don't know for sure. I think it might be even more exhausting than the tremolos. When playing tremolos, I try to use some back-and-forth wrist motion to help my fingers get from one note to the next, which eases the strain somewhat. That technique wouldn't really work for repeated octave patterns, which would require an up-and-down motion instead. I hope I'm never asked to accompany for that song!!


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## cimirro (Sep 6, 2016)

Bettina said:


> That's a good question! I've never actually played Erlkönig (though I do love listening to it), so I don't know for sure. I think it might be even more exhausting than the tremolos. When playing tremolos, I try to use some back-and-forth wrist motion to help my fingers get from one note to the next, which eases the strain somewhat. That technique wouldn't really work for repeated octave patterns, which would require an up-and-down motion instead. I hope I'm never asked to accompany for that song!!


Bettina, don't worry, the solution for not making your right hand tired is playing Zichy's version of Erlkönig, :lol:


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

cimirro said:


> Bettina, don't worry, the solution for not making your right hand tired is playing Zichy's version of Erlkönig, :lol:


But then you would torture your left hand instead


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## cimirro (Sep 6, 2016)

I already tortured mine in my Zichy CD, so I want some colleagues to do the same :devil:
(poor Bettina, no, no, no bad wishes to her!)


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## Petwhac (Jun 9, 2010)

First to spring to mind were the opening of Mahler 2 and the opening of Die Walküre.

Both single note jobs but both amazing.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Bettina said:


> That's a good question! I've never actually played Erlkönig (though I do love listening to it), so I don't know for sure. I think it might be even more exhausting than the tremolos. When playing tremolos, I try to use some back-and-forth wrist motion to help my fingers get from one note to the next, which eases the strain somewhat. That technique wouldn't really work for repeated octave patterns, which would require an up-and-down motion instead. I hope I'm never asked to accompany for that song!!


Such a for filling job.


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## Bettina (Sep 29, 2016)

Pugg said:


> Such a for filling job.


It would be spiritually fulfilling - but physically draining! What's good for the soul isn't always good for the body.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Bettina said:


> It would be spiritually fulfilling - but physically draining! What's good for the soul isn't always good for the body.


We better discus that by a coffee.


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