In this piece, the bass line serves as the melody. Due to its 6/8 time signature, the piece must progress steadily, yet it also requires a sense of improvisation. It might be easier to understand this piece by first discussing common performance pitfalls.

Common Pitfalls for This Piece:

• Stopping the flow of the 6/8 meter. This occurs when the performer pauses or takes time unnecessarily, thereby interrupting the continuous flow.
• The timbre of the vocal part becomes indistinguishable from other voices, which is essentially a balance issue.
• The dynamic level becomes flat or monotonous.

Regarding the interruption of flow, this often happens when the tempo is slowed down at the end of sections or in places where the eighth-note accompaniment figure settles (e.g., measures 4 and 8). Compound meters are inherently forward-moving. Stopping the flow is a fatal flaw for this piece. The only section where broadening is permissible is measures 21-23. Here, you may slightly decrease the tempo without completely halting the flow.

Regarding balance, the vocal part is clearly defined, so ensure this line is distinctly prominent and balanced, differentiating it from other voices.

Since this piece lacks profound dramatic elements, the dynamic level tends to become flat. However, the score indicates dynamics ranging from pp to F. Identify the peak measures and build towards them. Furthermore, for instance, measures 2-5 and 6-9 have different dynamic levels. Measures 6-9 should be played slightly louder than measures 2-5. Conversely, measures 14-17 should be played softer than measures 10-13. In this way, ensure that the dynamic level never becomes monotonous.