Violin Portamento | An analysis of its use by master violinists in selected nineteenth-century concerti

As one of the most difficult and intricate aspects of violin playing, portamento is very individualistic in nature. No pedagogical sources are available to generate critical thinking about when, why, and how violinists might employ portamento. This study provides an image record of sound in time which allows this abstract phenomenon to become more accessible for both technical inquiry and instructional conversation. Portamento styles were examined in performances by Heifetz, Huberman, Kreisler, Mutter, Oistrakh, Perlman, Shaham, and Vengerov. Target Intervals (TIs) that contain portamenti were extracted with computer software from the first movement of Brahms, Lalo, Mendelssohn, and Tchaikovsky concerti. The visual images of portamento execution were generated through analysis of selected TIs. Performers seemed to continue to develop their performance styles, using portamento as an identifiable trait in multiple performances. The findings imply that the use of technology may open up new possibilities for both teaching strategies and scientific research regarding musical performance.