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This is a question to all you accompanists out there ... Is there a certain instrument you favor when it comes to accompanying?

Saxophone, Violin, Trombone, and good Vocalists, because the literature is good and they tend to cut through better (so you don't have to walk on eggshells because of balance.)

My least favorite is probably Clarinet, because you have to play very softly and because their literature isn't as strong (except the 2 Brahms sonatas, which I always like playing.) Horn and Bass are also a problem for similar reasons.

Flute is a toss-up. On one hand, there's some really good literature out there (particularly the Bach sonatas and the contemporary sonatas by Martinu, Muczynski, Feld, Prokofiev, and Liebermann.) On the other hand, if you don't get a flute player with a strong sound, you can't really let loose on anything.

Viola is another toss-up. Good literature, tough to balance.

And nothing is worse than a bad singer - the kind who has no sense of rhythm and needs you to teach them their part. That gets old really fast!

I've played very little Oboe or Cello literature, so I can't really comment on those two.

Choirs also fall into the category of tremendous fun if they're good, terrible pain if they're bad. The conductor makes a huge difference, too.

Well, of course the ultimate for any instrument is to emulate the human voice, so I'd have to say a singer. But as Kreisler suggests, don't bother working with a singer who is not also a competent musician (i.e. learns their own notes and rythms and has a good sense of pitch). Being a singer myself, though, I could be biased towards voice. As for vocal repertoire, the one that is really fun for both pianist and singer is Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn.

As for choirs, I have to disagree about the conductor making a "huge difference." The conductor/director makes ALL the difference. I've sung in two productions of Traviata for which the ONLY difference was the director. Same chorus members, most of us principals were the same as well. With one director, it was a fabulous production. With the other, it was embarrassing, especailly the chorus' sound and execution. In fact, an execution of the chorus would have almost been warranted.

I gotta say, some instruments are definitely more enjoyable than others. Flutes are rather enjoyable, was able to accompany three of them for juries this semester.

I'd definitely agree with Kreisler about clarinets, but I do love the timbre of the instrument. Brass instruments aren't as hard to balance, but I don't like the literature much. Tubas aren't really that great as far as that's concerned. Trumpets have some fun repertoire but there's not really baroque literature for them...(they didn't reach their modern form 'til somewhat later correct?)

Violins are definitely fun, but I've only had the privilege of accompanying one so far, playing one movement of Mozart's violin sonata in E minor. Vocalists however are just so cool, especially if they have a powerful voice to work with and are good musicians. However like any instrument, working with a bad one is not that pleasant, same thing for choirs, because then you have even more 'instruments' to worry about.

Valves came into use in the early 19th century. There is a baroque repertoire for trumpet, though. Baroque trumpet parts were often written in the highest part of the range where the overtones are close enough together to allow melodic playing. Nowadays, these are usually played on the piccolo trumpet. I'm not sure about sonatas for trumpet and basso continuo, but orchestral trumpet parts are abundant and there's a good number of trumpet concerti around.

Violinists (of the half-asian variety, apparently).

Those of us who do occasional accompanying - as opposed to those who do it regularly and/or professionally - is that our experience may be baised depending on the musicians we have worked with.

My "problem" with the violinists I have worked with so far is that none of them has had really good intonation - passable, yes, but not excellent - and that has, understandably, tainted my experience.

I guess, being a "wannabe" singer at heart - but unable to sing a note! - I enjoy most accompanying a good singer, and I have had the experience of working with some fine ones.

Regards,

I'm no accompanist, but as a listener of all kinds of music, I feel your pain about violinists with poor intonation. :t:

Singers with poor intonation drive me nuts too.

Choirs are my favorite. Just because the choir I usually accompany is very strong and you get to let loose quite often.

Matt

Thank you for that insight. I am a vocalist/pianist ... you know sometimes singers are flat because pianists play too slow and don't give them enough breathing space! :p

Don't you think sometimes ... when a vocalist has no sense of time ... what has the teacher done?

Does any one like lieder? I have found some friends that want to collaborate with me, I wonder as accompanists is there ever a time where you have choice in the repertoire choosing process? With friends I always have them affirm pieces.

Haha, you know sometimes I think as far as intonation goes, I feel like telling pianists "you don't know what it takes to sing the right notes, try to sing a long phrase, support it and not go flat" ... or switching registers! Sometimes people think that it is just a matter of hearing things, sometimes it's physical. Sorry about the rant ... got a little OT then.

Well anyways ... singers are known to be the crazy eccentric extraverts, whist pianist are the complete opposites!

Oh, I love lieder. I'm really just beginning to appreciate the genre, though. Any pointers as to "must listen" music in this category would be appreciated.

Ohh yes!
Schubert is so famous for his lieder. One piece I just worked on was -
Here are some Scubert Lieders I reccommend:
Du Bist Die Ruh. Its a short piece with repeated verses and little variations, it's a real sensual initmate and beautiful piece about coming home to that special love one and spending the time with that

Rastlose Liebe Goethe - this is a dramatic short piece that follows "Gretchen am Spinrade" you can hear the tensions in the music through the accompaniment and melody. Gretchen am Spinrade is a well known own where the piano imitates the action of the spinning wheel.

Erlkonig - Everyone loves this one, the accompaniment is fast virtuoso stuff, with powerful bass octaves pounding, this conveys the galloping of the horse with the father and son escaping through the night and storm to escape. Another dramatic lieder . The tension climbs as there are modulations going tones higher.

Here are some classical period ones ...

An Chloe - Is a charming piece by Mozart, simple balanced structure with repeated verses and nice piano accompaniment.

Terzett: Das Bandel - Another Mozart Lieder, it is meant for three singers. Fun to listen to.

Adelaide - Beethoven lieder, sweet song about a girl. (obvious by the title).

Some 20th century songs
Tit for Tat - (song cycle) Benjamin Britten, tales of childhood - the colour in the accompaniment is very pretty, gernally very contented work, nice and relaxing to listen to.

A Song of Shadows - Armstrong Gibbs, poetry is so beautiful ..., as an impresionistic/romantic feel to it.

That should keep you occupied! Do you speak or understand any German?

Unfortunately I don't speak German, and I understand only a few words on hearing. I've heard Der Erlkoenig, BTW. I have a text to that one in English and German so I understood it.

Thanks for your recommendations. I will keep them in mind as I increase my recording collection.

I guess I'll need to obtain texts for all of them, though, if I hope to fully understand them.

Rebekah, you will find "Erlkonig" all over the place on the net, but it's very wrong.

Der Erlkoenig or Erlkönig, if you have the umlaut. That different character is really important. You can always type "oe" if you don't have "ö".

I'll edit my post...

I am totally in love with this song.

I don't really 'dislike' any particular instruments, I'm pretty happy working with another person, as it's a nice change from solo stuff all the time!
Although, when I was practicing with my trumpet playing friend last year, we could only work together in one of the tiny practice rooms at uni. She had forgotten her music one day and had to play looking over my right shoulder. I think if I ever go deaf, it'll be my right ear to go first!
I also like accompanying cellos.

It's like schon and schön/schoen. Totally different pronunciation.

Thanks for the pointer, though. How does one type the wee dots over the "o"?

I use a macro program for:

ä, ü, ö, ß, and so on. But you really don't need them. We used ae, ue, oe and ss for many years, before we could use more characters. So for something like Für Elise, Fuer Elise is just fine!