Realigning Historically Informed String Playing in Beethoven's Orchestral Works

Period-instrument performance is now well established, enjoying an increasingly mainstream profile within the classical music industry. However, despite commercial success, and partly because of it, its claim to be historically informed does not hold true throughout the broad range of repertoire performed nowadays by its exponents. 19th-century string performance differed markedly from modern playing in matters of both technique and expression; yet most period players lack the combination of theoretical knowledge and practical skill to recreate these differences. Conductors and leaders,themselves often ignorant about relevant performance practice issues, have been concerned primarily with achieving the tightest ensemble in the shortest time, aligning their performances with the expectations of commercial factors as well as 'modern ears'. Consequently, true 19th-century practices have never been fully explored or realised,and familiar, secure, yet inaccurate 'modern' techniques such as off-string bowings have been the default directive. Whilst recordings of Beethoven's Symphonies (e.g. by Gardiner, Hogwood and Norrington) are well respected and certainly offer interpretative insights, their acceptance as definitive examples of historical performance in this repertoire is misguided and dangerous. The string playing does not follow either technically or stylistically the conventions that were natural to performers of that time. This fact is widely accepted by the players on those recordings, many of whom will benefit from the outputs of the proposed research as current members of the OAE. The enthusiastic participation of the world-leading ensemble in this repertoire, confirms that current levels of knowledge and skill in this field are regarded as unsatisfactory. To date, there have been no recorded or concert performances which have given any meaningful realisation of early 19th-century string playing, because there simply are no players with the requisite skills to reproduce the style. Lack of available training (specialist conservatoire courses teach only baroque and classical style and never touch on later music) and the problems of interpreting and realising the available scholarly material in practical terms, mean that 19th-century performance practices continue to be grossly misrepresented.
This research will tackle orchestral string playing in core repertoire through practice-led investigations and outputs, thus increasing knowledge and understanding in a key area of historically-informed performance. The principal objective is to transform Beethoven performance by establishing and communicating the information that string players need to understand and assimilate in order to reproduce the bowing, fingering and expression that was natural to performers of his time. The project will document and illustrate the physical ways in which lost techniques of the early 19th-century may be recreated, examine relevant editions of Beethoven's orchestral and chamber compositions (in conjunction with the AHRC-funded Brown/Stowell project on early editions) and provide detailed case studies on Beethoven Symphonies for orchestral players and conductors. The project will be linked to 4 OAE concerts. A workshop day examining relevant string technique and style with OAE players and interaction between leaders, conductors and the Fellow, will ensure that knowledge transfer from the fellowship will directly affect these public performances. Preperformance talks will disseminate the research outcomes to audiences and expand their understanding of performance issues relevant to this repertoire. A workshop day at the RAM will enable valuable and unique knowledge transfer to conservsatoire students. Other outputs will be disseminated through conference papers, a seminar at the IMR, public concert performances, public lecture-recitals, a permanent online resource, occasional lecture and 'hands on' teaching within Cardiff University's CRHIP.

Beneficiaries of the proposed project will also include performers, conductors, ensembles, and audiences. Instrumentalists will gain insights into how to reproduce 19th-century techniques and style, enabling them to perform to higher standards of historical fidelity. This will impact on their employability in a competitive freelance industry, increase their value to their various ensembles, and strengthen teaching expertise. The applicant is acutely aware of several former LCP members, who are keen to build on the limited, theoretical information received from Clive Brown many years ago.
Through their OAE links, conductors will be exposed to the research outcomes, which will impact significantly on their approach to Beethoven performance. They will gain a greater understanding of period principles of bowing, fingering and style, all of which clarify the composer's intentions regarding expression and articulation, and will work with string players better versed in historically informed performance issues, ensuring better use of rehearsal time, more convincing results and greater musical commitment. The research should also influence the 'non-period' world, as conductors increasingly work with both 'period' and 'modern orchestras, Also many 'modern' orchestras are re-evaluating their approach to 19th-century repertoire. (Ensembles such as the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra try to apply some 'period' stylistic effects e.g. 'pure tone' whilst playing modern instruments.)
Performance standards of period ensembles will improve markedly as the outcomes of the proposed research are disseminated; this in turn will make ensembles more attractive to promoters, record companies and the general public. Although the research will influence many ensembles, the OAE will be the most direct beneficiary, the resulting increase in the skills of its string players in core repertoire reflecting its aim to present historically informed performances of the highest standard. The benefits to the OAE would begin immediately and continue throughout the fellowship and beyond. 5 years' intake of young professionals on the OAE apprenticeship scheme would also benefit, as well as those professionals and students who participate in the workshops either as performers or observers. Although the project's main aim is to transform orchestral playing, The Eroica Quartet (working with Clive Brown on 19th-Century chamber repertoire) will make several visits to Cardiff University during the fellowship term making them also beneficiaries. The Fellow has performed with several members of the quartet who will be engaged at the outset of the fellowship.
One excuse used to justify the current misrepresentation of 19th-century playing style is that modern audiences find difficulty in accepting change. The research outcomes include educating audiences in the norms of 19th-century technique and style, notably through lecture-recitals and pre-concert talks (in London and Cardiff) involving practical demonstration. Two chamber concerts, as well as OAE performances, will offer audiences the experience of hearing this new, more faithful historically informed approach to Beethoven performance
In order to ensure outreach to the widest possible range of beneficiaries, a database of interested performers and researchers will be maintained throughout the project. Regular email updates, for example, will keep subscribers informed about the project's latest progress and developments as well as the various research outcomes available on the web, including the various demonstrations and explanations provided to enable players to re-create 19th-century techniques and style. The impact of the project will sustain well beyond its funded duration, influencing research, training and professional performance in the field long into the foreseeable future and provide a sound base for re