The Art of the Violin


Book Description

Never before available in English, this classic work is a major contribution to the art and technique of violin playing and an important document in the history of performance practice. A contemporary of Kreutzer and Rode, Pierre Marie Francois de Sales Baillot provides in his treatise many insights into the style of nineteenth-century fingering, bowing, ornamentation, and expressiveness that are not apparent from the directions and markings found in scores of that time. Such information will be invaluable for performers interested in understanding the intentions of composers such as Viotti, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn. This complete, unabridged translation, which includes an extensive introduction by the translator, Louise Goldberg, and a foreword by Zvi Zeitlin, will be indispensable for musicologists, performers, and lovers of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century classical music.




The Art of Playing the Violin [Facsimile of 1751 Edition]


Book Description

Francesco Geminiani: The art of playing on the violin: containing all the rules necessary to attain to a perfection on that instrument, with great variety of compositions which will also be very useful to those who study the violoncello, Harpsichord etc. Contains 24 examples & 12 compositions. Facsimile of the 1751 edition.







The Baroque Violin and Viola, Vol. II


Book Description

"The Early Music revival has had far-reaching consequences on how music of the past is performed, both by specialists and non-specialists. This timely book is a practical step-by-step course of lessons for violinists and violists in both these categories, covering the interpretation, technique, culture and historical background of the Baroque violin repertoire. Written by a violinist and teacher specialising in Baroque music over many years, it guides readers from the basics (how to hold the violin) to Bach, via music from a wide variety of styles. Avoiding obscure musicological jargon, it is eminently readable and accessible. Packed with information, detailed observations on the music under discussion and relevant quotations from historical and contemporary sources, it covers everything the Baroque violin student should know and may be considered as equivalent to two to three years of individual lessons. The book contains over 100 Exercises devised for and tested on students over the years. The author's holistic approach is evident through the Exercises aimed at bringing out the individual voice of each student, and his insistence that what happens within, the identification and manipulation of Affects, is a vital part of successful performance. Imitating the voice, both spoken and sung, is a constant theme, beginning with the simple device of playing words. There are 50 Lessons, including five Ornamentation Modules and ones on specific topics: Temperament, Rhetoric, the Affects etc. All the music, transcribed for both violin and viola, is downloadable from the website, where there is also a series of videos"--




A Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing


Book Description

Leopold Mozart's Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing was the major work of its period on the violin and comparable in importance to Quantz's treatise on the flute and P.E. Bach's on the piano. This translation by Editha Knocker was the first to appear in English and remains scholarly and eminently readable.




The Art of Violin Making


Book Description

The Art of Violin Making is the major work for the craftsman, bringing into one volume a summary of essential information for the violin maker and player, as well as providing a historical reference. This book is essential reading for the violin maker, repairer and historian, providing a unique record of the history, social background, lives and work of the great violin makers of the past, combined with a clear practical guide to making violins. It includes: "Part One: The Violin Makers," "Part Two: The Workshop, Tools and Materials," and "Part Three: Violin Construction."




The Art of Violin Retouching


Book Description

A photo illustrated step by step instructional manual for violin retouching. This is the second edition of what may be the first book of its kind to clearly & informatively lay out the intriguing process of violin retouching, the book reads as if its title should be "Zen and the Art of Violin Retouching." Brian Epp has created a beautifully illustrated instructional manual, while simultaneously weaving his own crisp philosophy and heartwarming reminiscences throughout its pages. This is truly a gem for the lay person or for the professional artisan.







A New History of Violin Playing


Book Description

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.