I belive that “pizzicato” refers to music made by plucking the strings of the violin, rather than using the bow. One of my favorite pieces of theis type is the Gilbert & Sullivan “Pizzicato POlka”. My question: are there any pieces of music incorporating the plucking of other string instruments (cellos, violas, bases)?
It’s rare in a jazz environment to hear a bass bowed. They’re usually plucked.
There’s a 50’s vintage (that’s when I heard it – it’s actually 1938) Leroy Anderson piece called Jazz Pizzicato that I bet you’ll recognize the instant you hear it. Midway down the middle column
The term pizzicato isn’t restricted to the violin, it’s equally used with other bowed string instruments. A good example is the third movement of Tchaikovsky’s 4th symphony - you can see how the players place their bows on their lap, standard practice for demanding pizzicato passages such as these! Another good example is the second movement of Britten’s Simple Symphony.
That’s one of my all-time favorites. 
Here’s a direct link.
José playing “Flight of the Bumblebee” has some of that…
Damn! That can’t be done. :eek:
Neither can this: watch him play one-handed starting at about 1:15
PS-Did you notice in “Flight” that he dropped his pick at about 1:04?
Looked more like he just tossed it away. He didn’t seem to need it anymore in the piece. Either that or he recovers at least as fast as he plays.
One of the best uses of pizzicato in classical music is the second movement of Ravel’s String Quartet. There is also the very similar second movement from Debussy’s quartet.
The version of Pachelbel’s Canon in D major that I played in high school had the most torturously boring viola part in the history of viola parts. It was a sixteenth rest, followed by three ascending sixteenth notes, pizzicato, for the whole damn song!. And it wasn’t even written out. It was two measures, followed by three two-measure repeats. And then again. So we had to play a loop and keep count in our heads. It’s harder than it sounds, and yet, still incredibly boring.
To this day, I hate that piece of music.
Rob Paravonian, is that you?
No, but I know where he’s coming from.
When I was composing my post, I was looking for a cite on the horror that is Pachelbel’s Canon, and found that video. He’s a kindred spirit (although he says the violas had a good part, so maybe not). I borrowed one line from his rant and you sniffed it out it 17 minutes. Well played, sir.
Is there a Pizzicato Polka by Gilbert & Sullivan?
The most famous piece of that title is by Josef Strauss and Johan Strauss II. My Google-fu turns up another Pizzicato Polka by Leo Delibes.
If there is such a piece by Sullivan, I’d love to hear it.
Boccherini, La Musica Notturna Delle Strade Di Madrid No. 6
(as featured in the movie Master & Commander)
This the kind of thing you’re after? It’s a bit of a mix.
He really dropped it - but I can’t tell if it was on purpose due to showmanship. The fact that he is as blindingly fast and technically competent with a pick and his fingers is awe-inspiring…
boo.
Oh - ouch. I just saw that - sorry! :smack:
I was just pointing out the pun. I saw no malice intended. 