Play The Viol

Play the Viol meets the need for a comprehensive guide to playing technique which provides for the specific requirements of the adult beginner. The book covers the treble, tenor, and bass viol, and assumes no knowledge beyond an ability to read music.

Jack Pernecky, in collaboration with Lorraine Fink, presents a comprehensive volume on teaching violin. Teachers of beginners, college pedagogy teachers, and classroom and studio teachers will all find pertinent information to expand their tools for teaching. In addition to extensive coverage of aspects of technique, the book addresses note reading, musical form, relationships between repertoire and scales, practicing effectively, and many other topics.

This guide seeks to take the reader on a journey. Starting with the history of the violin, it moves on to offer various lessons and techniques to help those new to the violin learn to play the instrument. It also seeks to teach something new to those already seasoned in violin playing. The violin is an instrument with a very long history. The first known string instrument using a bow was called the ravanastron and was created in India thousands of years ago. More recently, the violin was an instrument born of the fiddle, rebab and the lira da braccio. Once considered a lowly instrument, the violin started to gain status when, among other things, it was used in operas by famous Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi. The violin is certainly one of the more well-known instruments used in “Classical” music. It has a familiar shape, like that of the cello and viola, except it is smaller. Its flat, pear-shaped wooden body is minimally decorated with purfling and perforated with F-holes. Great skill and dedication went into perfecting the instrument. Some of the greatest violin makers included Antonio Stradivarius as well as members of the Guarneri family, especially del Gesu. It was during the time in which these and other luthiers were creating violins in Italy that violin-making reached its zenith. In fact, today, many luthiers still use the patterns created by some of these craftsmen to make their instruments. Skill and dedication is required to not only create violins but also to play the instrument. Starting with beginning lessons using simple songs from the Müller-Rusch violin method book, “How to Play Violin” progresses to the more challenging exercises like the Rode Caprices. The book has not only musical exercises and examples, but also pieces and excerpts by Bach, Schubert, and Beethoven, among others. Lastly, a very brief discussion on playing techniques during the various eras of “Classical” music is given, as well as some statements about some other genres of music in which the violin is featured. HowExpert publishes quick 'how to' guides on all topics from A to Z by everyday experts.

An compendium of lefthanded fiddling and violin lore, by Ryan J Thomson:This book documents the experiences of over 100 people who play lefty violin, including top professional folk fiddlers, chamber music players, and concert violinists. There's a chapter on where to find a left handed violin or get a right handed fiddle converted to left, including a list of violin makers who are happy to oblige lefty players.Included is a critical analysis of why - It's better to bow with your dominant hand, whether you are a right or left handed person! The myth of the "left hander's advantage in playing right handed" is debunked with numerous logical and common sense arguments!This approach can be applied to viola, cello, and other string players as well. Violists, cellists, and other stringed instrument players can take best advantage of their body's natural inclination, strength, and coordination

An in depth study of the most superlative violin performers and teachers in history. The result of more than eleven years of deep investigation on the subject, this New History is by far the best available in the 21st century. It studies specifically the vibrato and its evolution. A study of the main violin schools of the world, with special emphasis in their evolution, and the direct conexión teacher-pupil. In the course of this history we will see how the great performers became, often, the great masters of new great violinists, who, in their turn, became the teachers of new superlative performers, and so on, in an uninterrupted chain of teacher-pupil intercommunication, the interrelation of whom is carefully studied, to higlight the evolution of the main violin playing schools. For each violinist we give a list of all the valuable instruments they owned and played, i.e. Stradivarius, Guarneri del Gesu, etc.. Such a complete and interesting information is not available in any other history. Contains a list of cassettes we have gathered for the better understanding of our players. Designed to be easily read by everyone, it has not complicated esoteric terms, but is written in plain words that everybody will understand. There is no need to be a professional musican to enjoy it. All you need to be is a music lover. But the main novelty is the sensational discovery of the real founder of the modern-vibrato violin school, with all kind of evidence, even written authentic letters that attest to it. This violinst is unknown in the present time. Contains very useful graphs of all the main schools, for an easy understanding of their evolution. Contains an encyclopaedia of all terms and names of the book that are not sufficently explained in it. Here the reader will be acquainted with the meaning of many musical terms that, although well know to musicians, are not so much known to others, who not being musicians, are, nevertheless, music lovers. But the encyclopaedia contains much more than that: men of letters, politicians, personalities, singers, pianists, composers, painters, etc. are duly explained in it. Done with loving care it sometimes surpasses its parent the book. Contains five sensational, unpublished, autographed letters by Kreisler, that will make readers tremble, plus the contentent of many other unpublished ones, by the most important musicians of the second half of the XIX century. Contains a series of very captivating collateral disquisitions on Modern abstract art; composer versus interpreter; the use of ornamentation; the easiness to reed music; Ingres and his violi; lisztomania and others. In a word, this "New history" is new because: It studies in depth the vibrato and its evolution. Links teachers to pupils, who become teacher in their turn, in a comprehensive general outlook of schools' evolution. It provides us with the list of all the valuable instruments of all our fiddlers. Contains a list of recommended cassettes, as musical examples. Easy to understand by every one, it avoids esoteric, pedantic terminology, and is written in plain laguage. It discovers, for the first time in history, the true founder of the vibrato, with all sort of evidence. With useful graphs of the main schools. Contains an encyclopaedia, which no other book of the genre has. The autographed unpublished letters of Kreisler will give the creeps to the reader. Contains a series of disquisitions on ornamentations; easiness to read music; composer versus interpreter; abstracat art; Ingres and his violin; Lisztomania and others, plus abundant, moving, anecdotes that distract and relax the attention of the reader.

Originally published in 1921, this book was written in an attempt to, 'give the serious teacher and student the practical benefit of the knowledge acquired during a lifetime's playing the violin, including mechanical means and technical procedure as well as the ideas and ideals of art'. With a wealth of information on the subject that the modern reader will still find of practical use today, this book is highly recommended for inclusion on the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in the subject. Many of these earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Fabrizio Ferrari (Virtual Sheet Music CEO), presents an easy step-by-step approach to beginning violin playing for students of all ages!The publisher of Basics of Violin Playing invites you to explore the exhilarating world of beginning violin playing. Wonderfully crafted with both children and adults in mind, this superbly illustrated violin method manual introduces students to the Italian school of violin. No prior musical experience is required to begin Basics of Violin Playing.Basics of Violin Playing takes students through age-appropriate ways to hold the violin and bow, as well as how to tune and care for the beautiful instrument. The book also explores basic music notation and theory, proper fingerings and hand positions, in addition to various exciting bowing and plucking techniques. A range of physical exercises and relaxation techniques that promote a healthy approach to playing the violin are also studied.Filled with many insightful and practical tips that provide clarity to the step-by-step instructions, Basics of Violin Playing focuses on the most enjoyable aspects of learning the violin. Each incremental lesson provides students with the encouragement they need to propel them towards mastery of this versatile and expressive instrument.As they progress, students learn a variety of familiar children's favorites, such as Mary Had A Little Lamb, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Frere Jacques, as well as many world-famous tunes, like Beethoven's Ode to Joy, Silent Night and Amazing Grace. So, whether you are young or just young at heart and looking for a simple, yet exciting way to amaze and entertain your friends and family with beautiful violin playing, this is the book for you.

Drawing on twenty years of teaching experience, author Mark Rush systematically builds the fundamentals of violin playing from the ground up. The book focuses on proper setup from how to stand, to holding the violin, to the best way to move the bow. These are fundamental components necessary for success and the earlier these good habits are established the better.

Ear Training and Violin Playing was written by two Austrian teachers who pioneered the Suzuki approach in the German-speaking world. This valuable little book was written as a supplementary "aid" to the Suzuki teacher, concentrating on posture, bow grip, instrument selection, the bow itself and a helpful analysis of Book One of the Suzuki Violin School. Many insights are offered throughout the book, all gained from intense study, ten years of experience and successful teaching. Some slight departures from Suzuki's own teaching are discussed: the incorporation of native songs, elementary music theory and ear training, and introduction of ensemble playing. Early childhood musical education, it is emphasized, must always be accomplished with love and understanding, and only when parents, students, and teachers form a unified whole.

Known principally as the father of Wolfgang Amadeus, Leopold Mozart was a distinguished musician in his own right. An excellent violinist and composer, his greatest contribution to music was his Treatise on Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing. Published at Ausburg in 1756 it was the major work of its time on the violin and it contains much that is of considerable interest and value to musicians today: notes on performance, practice, a glossary of technical terms and specific chapters on the playing of written and improvised embellishments, the trill, and special rhythmic figures. Copious exercises illustrate each point made in the text. A Preface--revised for this edition--offers an illuminating biographical study of Leopold both as a man and as a musician.

“The Secrets Of Violin Playing” is a classic guide to playing the violin, dealing with every aspect from care and maintenance of the instrument to mastering the basics and avoiding common problems. It contains a wealth of timeless information that will be of considerable utility to novice players, and it is not to be missed by collectors of vintage violin literature. Contents include: “The Purpose of the Work”, “Violin Players”, “The Trifler”, “The Showy Player”, “The Model Player”, “Holding the Violin”, “Chin-Rests (illustrated)”, “The Spoon, Double Ridge, Spohr, Adjustable Voigt's Shoulder, and New Vulcanite Chin-Rests”, “Their Advantages and Disadvantages Analysed and Explained”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new introduction on the history of the violin.

Originally published in 1920, this neat little book is the result of the authors desire to tabulate in a concise form, his own ideas on violin playing, with regard to both the technical and the interpretive aspects of the subject. The authors views are placed before the reader in as clear a manner as possible. This little work should prove valuable to a wide circle of violinists - both amateur and professional. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Hesperides Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. Contents Include: Chamber Music, Choice and Care of Violin Strings and Other Accessories The Lesson The Left Hand, Intonation The Left Hand, Position of the Wrist, Fingers, Thumb, Palm The Left Hand, Scales, Various Methods of Fingering, Hands with Poor Stretches, Trills The Bow Spiccato, Martele, Staccato Arpeggio, Ricochet, Legato Expression and Interpretation : Variety of Tone Vibrato Phrasing Rubato, Rhythm and Time Generally