The Bach Double for Suzuki students: rehearsing with the orchestra at home
In the Suzuki Violin School the Bach Double closes Book 4 with the first movement's second violin part, and Book 5 brings the first violin part of the same movement. A student who knows both can play the movement as a duo, with a teacher or another student.
Why the Bach Double feels different from the earlier pieces
Up to this point most pieces have one melody and an accompaniment. The Bach Double has two violins of equal weight, a string orchestra and a continuo, and the solos imitate each other all the way through. A student who practises the part alone hears only half of the music. The entries make more sense when the other violin and the strings are there.
How to use Synchestra alongside the book
- Book 4: mute the second violin and play your part in the Vivace with the first violin and the strings.
- Book 5: mute the first violin instead. The second violin you already know now plays around you.
- Slow tempo first. Pick a tempo where every note is clean. The pitch stays the same at any speed, so the ear training holds.
- Loop the bars your teacher marked. Each loop keeps its own tempo.
- Tune to your group. The app tunes to 440 or 442 Hz, or any other A, so home practice matches the lesson.
For parents
Synchestra is a free app for Windows and Mac, and you can try the opening of the Bach Double before buying anything. If you buy the work for your child, buy it from the account they will use, so they can unlock it in the app themselves. The work then plays offline and reopens at the bar, the part and the tempo where they stopped.
After the first movement
The Suzuki books stop at the Vivace, but the concerto goes on. The Largo ma non tanto and the closing Allegro come with the complete work, and each movement is also sold on its own. Students who want to play the whole concerto can keep practising with the same orchestra.
Questions
Which Suzuki books have the Bach Double?
Suzuki Violin School Volume 4 ends with the first movement, second violin part. Volume 5 has the first movement, first violin part. Check the edition you have, since contents vary a little between printings.
Is this the same as the CD that comes with the book?
No. The CD is a fixed recording. In Synchestra each instrument plays on its own, so you can mute either solo, change the tempo and loop any passage.
Which computer do we need?
A Windows PC or a Mac. Keep about 3 GB free; the work downloads inside the app.
