Is one of the things you have to learn when you play in the string section in an orchestra to play your pieces 'straight' IE without vibrato so the orchestras string sections can have a uniform sound and not a wobbly one where ever violinist is using vibrato in a a wide or narrow way that is not the same?
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Note that while modern practice across all other instruments is to have vibrato in orchestras, clarinets are an exception and do not play with vibrato in classical/art music contexts.Todd Wilcox– Todd Wilcox2026-04-13 21:18:05 +00:00Commented Apr 13 at 21:18
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It is customary to play some 'modern' composers such as Stravinksy straight, and some early music practicioners do it, but it's the exception.user207421– user2074212026-04-15 02:39:05 +00:00Commented Apr 15 at 2:39
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I must agree with Leopold Mozart here, who writes in his Treatise on the Fundamentals of Violin Playing (1756): “Now because the [vibrato] is not purely on one note but sounds undulating, so would it be an error if every note were played with the [vibrato]. Performers there are who tremble consistently on each note as if they had the palsy. The [vibrato] must only be used at places where nature herself would produce it; namely as if the note taken were the striking of an open string. […] Therefore a closing note or any other sustained note may be decorated with a [vibrato].”user140898– user1408982026-04-15 21:33:16 +00:00Commented Apr 15 at 21:33
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1 Answer
Certainly not! With much earlier classical pieces, 'straight' playing was the order of the day, but around 1920 tastes changed, particularly in France, with U.K. following at the end of that decade. German orchestras followed later, with the Berlin Phil's recordings containing vibrato from circa 1935. In fact, it richens the sound - particularly for cellists, but all modern orchestras are expected to use vibrato most of the time.
Back in 2010, a conductor called Roger Norrington recorded Mahler's 9th 'straight', and it was not received well at all.
The same sort of question could be directed at big bands from around the same era, as vibrato was prevalent and a trade mark of some of them.
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"it richens the sound": it also covers the beating that results from the equal-tempered major thirds.phoog– phoog2026-04-13 19:54:17 +00:00Commented Apr 13 at 19:54
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@phoog I want to thumbs up your comment, but only talking about beat patterns from major thirds ignores every other interval enriched by vibrato - including unison!user121330– user1213302026-04-14 16:02:12 +00:00Commented Apr 14 at 16:02
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@user121330 but Tim already mentioned that. I was mentioning something else. I mentioned major thirds because that is the interval that beats most prominently in equal temperament.phoog– phoog2026-04-15 01:30:37 +00:00Commented Apr 15 at 1:30
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@phoog - there's most likely going to be an effect similar to beating when vibrato is used. I'd be interested to hear the difference between a 'straight' third and a vibrato third played by violins. Maybe actually rather similar?Tim– Tim2026-04-15 05:22:00 +00:00Commented Apr 15 at 5:22
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1Regarding the timing of the change in tastes, consider (for example) amorimfineviolins.com/our-blog/… which says "1919, Thomastik-Infeld introduced the first steel E string, which quickly gained popularity for its stability and brightness. Soon after, D and A strings with metal winding appeared" (wound Gs were much older). So, the first steel E appeared in 1919, and "around 1920 tastes changed." A coincidence? I would find it hard to believe. But I imagine that Andy Bonner has more to say on the subject, certainly from a more authoritative position.phoog– phoog2026-04-15 11:22:01 +00:00Commented Apr 15 at 11:22
