Violin Playing As I Teach It (Dover Books on Music)
by Leopold Auer

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• By Leopold Auer
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Book Reviews of Violin Playing As I Teach It (Dover Books on Music)

Book Review: Witty, opinionated, and insightful
Summary: 5 Stars

Auer was in the position to learn from, observe, and teach some of the best violinists of the last two centuries. He studied with Jacob Dont in Vienna and Joachim in Hanover, was a contemporary of Davidov, Wieniawski, Seidel, Wilhelmj, Sarasate, von Bulow, and taught Elman, Zimbalist, and Jascha Heifetz. Who would have known that Joachim had such stage fright, or that Mischa Elman almost died of coal-gas fumes the night before his debut?

The book has nice tips on fingering, bowing and tone production. He also devotes a chapter to nuance, the soul of interpretation and phrasing and another chapter to Style, where he wisely suggests that each generation interprets the music to suit the style of that era. No one really knows how Bach played baroque music, and no one can claim to be authentic to a time period that has long since passed away. "The musical spirit of Bach transcends all narrow limitations of period, and the artist of today who truly enters into this spirit will play Bach as he should be played, and will play Bach better because he will play him in the interpretative spirit of our own generation, not that of 1720." He deplores the blind upholders of "tradition" and insists that the violinist must form his own style, not just copy that of another.

On the famous shoulder-rest controversy, Auer comes down strictly on the "no-shoulder-rest" school claiming that it makes the player lose a third of the whole body of tone. One look at a picture of Auer playing the violin and you can see why his physique is suited to no-shoulder-rest. He has no neck, a protruding chin, and a squat frame upon which he can rest the violin on his chest, with relatively short arms, so he can hold the instrument directly in front of him. He also insists that you hold the violin as high as possible, especially when playing on the G string. You can see the results with Jascha Heifetz, who holds his violin up high and uses no shoulder rest. Of course, men of those days had padded shoulders on their suits and tuxedos, so the violin fit right up there.

This book is of interest in learning about violin pedagogy as taught in the Russian conservatories at the turn of the last century. And has valuable tips and technical aids. However, it does not substitute for a good teacher. And Auer would wholeheartedly agree, especially for beginners: "There is no instrument whose absolute mastery at a later period presupposes such meticulous care and exactitude in the initial stages of study as does the violin."

Summary of Violin Playing As I Teach It (Dover Books on Music)

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