Very frequently an orchestra is asked to perform a clear and sharp attack, especially in the Forte.
The gesture that offers most chances to suggest and obtain this effect is the held back attack.
This is one of the most important basic gestures, and to master this attack is very useful as its use can be very frequent.
The held back attack can be used as an initial attack too, but sometimes with an orchestra which is not accustomed to it, this attack can lead to confusion; therefore it's advised at first to use it as a subsequent attack and later on as initial attack as well.
During the performing , can be used for a subito forte, to confer incisiveness and brilliance of sound, as you can see in the following video
Now let's analyze carefully the held back attack and how to perform it
Starting from the basic position, the arm makes a circular movement as if you were gathering energy, moving back towards the starting point, followed by a very brief moment of concentration and ultimately the hit
Frequently during his lessons Ilya Musin used to compare this gesture to a boxer's preparation and recollection of energy that comes just before he hits, especially with those students who found difficult to comprehend it. Let's now take a look at the practical applications that, as I mentioned before are very frequent:
Or again,
Furthermore, it is precisely the principle of the held back attack that underlies the realization of the sforzato attack:
The realization speed allows you to show different intensities of sforzato:
Furthermore this type of attack can find many applications even in the p where poignancy and precision are necessary.
By Ennio Nicotra
