Contents

Detailed contents........................................................................ iv

Introduction............................................................................... xv

General index.......................................................................... 334

Index of musical examples........................................................ 342

lesson 1 lesson 7

The tone Avoiding aches

production lesson............ 1 and pains.................... 163

lesson 2 lesson 8

Holding the Background

violin and bow.............. 27 essentials 2.................. 205

lesson 3 lesson 9

The intonation All about

lesson........................... 55 changing position........ 231

lesson 4 lesson 10

Background The vibrato

essentials 1.................... 93 lesson......................... 249

lesson 5 lesson 11

Setting up the Improving key

bow arm..................... 117 bow strokes................. 261

lesson 6 lesson 12

Setting up Background
the left hand................ 133 essentials 3.................. 301

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 3 26/03/2013 12:29:02

 

Introductionxv

The science of violin playing xv Aural blind spots xix

Can you improve your playing by The most common technical areas to check xx
reading a book? xvi General xx
I’m too old – you can’t improve at my Left hand xx
age xvi Right hand xxi
Not just trying harder xvii The higher the standard the less obvious the
Advancing without improving xviii next step xxi
Finding the single most important How long realistically does it take to
next step to take xviii improve? xxii
The three-stage process xviii True stories: Jenny (less advanced) xxii
Knowing where to put the X xix True stories: Elaine (advanced) xxiii
Noticing everything: blind spots xix True stories: Morven (professional) xxiv

lesson 1  The tone production lesson 1

Knowing the instrument 1 Improving listening 9

Five soundpoints 1 Testing the student 9

Learning how to make faulty sounds
Understanding what the bow does to
deliberately 10
the string 1
An instrument of friction 2 Five essential tone-production exercises 11
Looking at the hair-string contact from
The endless well 11
‘underneath’ 2
Be the world’s first string-player 11
Getting more for less: speed not pressure 2
Exercise 1: Whole bows on each
‘Pressure’ or ‘weight’? 3 soundpoint 11
Visual image 3 The process of finding the correct balances 12
Image of the cat 4 Giving the student a model 13
On first playing the exercise 13
Understanding resonance 4
Four ways to approach the exercise 13
Listening to the background resonance 4
Evenness 14
Practising in a dry acoustic 5 Don’t speed up when you open your arm at
the elbow 14
Understanding the properties of the
string 5 Feeling the momentum of the bow 14
Variation 15
The feel of the string 5
The give of the wood and the hair 15
The thinner the string, the nearer the bridge 5
Proportions 15
The proportions of other string instruments 6 How to sound as good as the best violinist
Point-of-contact: not following the line of in the world 16
least resistance 6 Applying Exercise 1 to the repertoire 16
The secret of tone: proportions of Exercise 2: Fast, short bows on each
speed–pressure–soundpoint 7 soundpoint 17
Disharmony 7 Applying Exercise 2 to the repertoire 17

Magical quality 8 Exercise 3: The pressure exercise 18

Bow division 19
The quality of the sound: upper partials 8
Playing into the wood of the bow at the
The sound under your ear is not the sound point 19
the audience hears 8
Practising last piano of bow before first forte
Experiment on the piano 8 of next bow 20

iv 

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 4 26/03/2013 12:29:02

 

Practising playing piano at the point 20 Exercise 5: Changing soundpoint 22

Playing with a soft hand 20 Two ways to do the exercise 24
Evenness: sustaining between the stages Get to the bridge before you change
of the exercise 21 the angle 24
Variation: using less bow 21
Not increasing energy with the bow speed 24
Exercise 4: The speed exercise 21 Preparatory exercise no.1: drifting the bow 24
Practising last ‘slow’ of bow and first ‘fast’
Preparatory exercise no.2: proportions of
of next bow 22
‘along’ with ‘in and out’ 25
Evenness: sustaining between the stages
of the exercise 22 Combining the tone exercises 26
Variation: using less bow 22 Groups or phrases on each soundpoint 26

lesson 2  Holding the violin and bow 27

Putting the violin on the shoulder 27 Holding the bow 37

Using a shoulder rest 27 The bow hold changes constantly 37

Filling the gap 27 Naturalness 38
Further in or out 28 How to set up the basic bow hold 38
Higher or lower 28 First finger: leverage 39
Raising the violin 28 Experiment in leverage 40
Avoiding tension in the base of the thumb 40
Fit the instrument to you, not yourself to
the instrument 28 Feeling the creases 41
Raising the violin quickly 29 The changing contact-point of the
Lifting with the right hand 29 first finger on the bow 42
How to stop the fingers climbing
Putting the chin on the chin rest 29 up the bow 43
‘Bow-hold’ or ‘bow-balance’? 43
Head position 29
Proportions 44
Which part of the chin touches the The perfect sense of contact we are born with 44
chin rest? 30
The alive bow-hold 44
Rotate, then drop 30
Does the fourth finger stay on the bow
Avoiding pressing 30 in the upper half? 44
Relaxing the weight of the head 30 Pulling in with the third finger 45

Mind the gap 31 Should the knuckles be flat, or should

they stick up? 45
Adjusting the four planes 31
Avoiding pressing in the upper half 46
1. Finding the correct height of the
scroll 32 1. Using the second finger 47

Looking at the angles objectively 33 2. Creating weight from the hand 48

Proportions 48
2. Finding the angle to the body 33
The more delicate, the closer to the fingers 48
3. How high or low on the shoulder? 34 Feeling the difference between ‘arm weight’
Right arm 34 and ‘hand weight’ 49
Left hand and arm 35 3. Using faster bow speed 49
4. The tilt of the violin 35
Flexibility 50
Right arm 35
Left hand 36 Springiness 50
Setting yourself up for playing first or Noticing the difference 50
second violin 37 The push–and–pull test 51

 v

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 5 26/03/2013 12:29:03

 

The shake test 52 Tip, not pad 53

The bow ‘moving within the hand’ 52 Give 53
Spiccato and string crossings 52 The thumb and fourth finger 53
Freeing the thumb 53 The changing contact-point 54
Three joints, not two 53 Leverage 54

lesson 3  The intonation lesson 55

Clear mental pictures 55 The in-built tendencies of each finger

to play sharp or flat 76
Self-test 55
Perfect fifths: back, across, or forwards? 76
Four levels of intonation 55 Playing from lower strings to higher 76
How long realistically does it take to improve Playing from higher strings to lower 77
intonation? 56
Stopping two strings at once 77
Warm-up exercise no.1 77
Improving listening 57
Warm-up exercise no.2 78
Tuning and acoustic beats 57 Reaching down to a lower string 78
How to demonstrate an acoustic beat 58 Warm-up exercise no.3 79
Experiment in acoustics 58 Square and extended finger shapes in
moving passages 79
Super-effective ear tests 58
Shifting between one finger shape and
Stage 1 59 another 80
Stage 2 59
You can’t just put fingers down next to
Stage 3 59 each other 80
Ensuring success 60 Filling the gap 81
Increase your confidence 60
Fingers pulling other fingers
with them 82
How to think of each note 60
Bow-pressure and pitch 84
Tuning to the open strings 60 Pulling or pushing the string 84
One situation where you should ignore the Semitones with one finger 85
resonance 62
Keep checking 62 How to play scales in tune: 1–4–5–8 85
Warm-up exercise 62
Stage 1 87
Sharps and flats: gravitational attraction 63
Stage 2 87
Warm-up exercise: quarter-tone scale 63
Stage 3 87
How to tune each note 63 Hovering fingers in tune above the strings 88
Understanding the differences Applying scale tuning to the repertoire 89
between the positions 71
Two essential intonation exercises 73 The impossibility of playing in tune 89

Saving time by spending time 73 Adjusting for out-of-tune strings 89

Exercise 1: Finger spacing 73 Playing with a soft hand 89
Exercise 2: Note patterns repeated with
different fingering 74 The difference between single-stop
and double-stop tuning 90

If it is out of tune there is always a Tuning to a higher or lower string 91

reason why 75
Ignoring the third tone 92
Tension: five areas to release 75 Tuning in narrow fifths 92

vi 

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 6 26/03/2013 12:29:03

 

lesson 4  Background essentials 1 93

Pitch–sound–rhythm–ease 93 The typical lesson: different level,

same issues 102
Finding the music: pitch, sound, The problems just get smaller 102
rhythm 93 The language of the violin 103
Why is a harp the shape it is? 93 Study with a great teacher: yourself 104
Pitch–sound–rhythm IS the style and the Starting from the point of complete
expression 93 security 105
Ease: the master formula 94
I am too scared of difficult pieces
What is a good performance? 94 even to start learning them 105

The goal is always the same 94

Command–response 105
Uniting technique and music 95
Mind not muscles 105
The final result: only two questions to ask 95 Hesitating before playing 106
Alternating clockwise-anticlockwise 106
The magic word 96
Improving command-response 106
The master key 96 ‘You should have heard it yesterday’ 106
Generating ideas by thinking in terms of Understanding percentage shots 107
proportions 96 Expand your range of comfort 108
Technique is describable from A to Z 96 I can’t play fast 109
True stories: Deborah 97 The Russian who couldn’t play fast 109
Asking simple questions: ‘more’ and ‘less’ 97 Playing through without stopping 109
General 98 Groups 109
Left hand 99 Just ‘one of those’ 110
How to play faster than Heifetz 111
Right hand 99
Speeding up with the metronome 111
Working on fundamentals 99 Flow 112
Thinking ahead 112
Keep on starting again 99 Remembering to play music not notes 113
Adding twenty floors to the skyscraper 99 Don’t speed up when things get tough 113
Advanced tennis training 100 I haven’t got time to practise in
rhythms and accents 114
Advanced violin training 100
Rhythm practice 114
How to build technique 100 Basic rhythm patterns 115
6 different techniques to play 6 notes 101 Basic accent patterns 115
Combining techniques 101 Rhythm practice 116
Practising like a beginner 102 Accent practice 116

Lesson 5   Setting up the bow arm 117

Finding the violin position 117 Aiming the bow 119

Four important places in the bow arm 119
Drawing a straight bow 118 1: Heel 119
2: Point-of-balance 120
The image of the compass 118 3: Square 120
Bowing out to the side 118 4: Point position 121
Experiment 118 Feeling the symmetry of the bow arm 121
The best straight-bow exercise The Flesch and Galamian bow arms 121
in the world 119 Building the bow arm 122

 vii

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 7 26/03/2013 12:29:03

 

Forearm rotation 122 Lower half of the bow 127

The changing contact of the first finger Making imperceptible circles at the bow-
with the bow 123 change 128
Lifted strokes 123 Upper half of the bow 129

Understanding curves 124 Wrist 129

Experimenting with splints 130
True stories: Joe 124

Playing into the wood of the bow 125 Playing from the hand in the upper half 130

Experiment in ‘hanging’ 126 Warm-up exercise 131

Playing into the wood of the bow during
string crossing 126 Playing from the back 131

Elbow and wrist: how high? 127 ‘Window-cleaning’ experiment 132

lesson 6  Setting up the left hand 133

Developing a ‘classic’ left hand 133 Reinventing the wheel 145

Finger preparation: the secret
Widening at the base joints: the secret
of legato 145
of a good left hand 133
Stepping down a ladder: one finger;
Separating the fingers 135
two fingers; one finger 146
Fingertip placement: left, middle, right 135
Typical warm-up exercises 148
True stories: Andrew 135
Pizzicato practice 148
Daily warm-up exercises for widening the
hand 136 Using pizzicato as a practice method 148
Spiccato 148
Keeping fingers above the string 137
Warm-up exercise: pulling in the Leaving fingers down on the string 149
base joint 138
Using the exercise during practice 138
How can I improve my trills? 151
Keeping fingers close to the strings 139
Preventing the fingers from lifting 140 Picture the perfect trill 151
Setting the left hand position using Practise the trill exercise 152
double stops 140 Stage 1 152
The 18th-century approach 140 Stage 2 152
Practising thirds, fourths, sixths 141 Stage 3 152
Other work on trills 152
What is the correct position of the
left elbow? 142 Fast fingers: the key to a great left hand 152

Keeping the upper arm free 142 Making a ‘ping’ with fast fingers 153
Playing from a lower to a higher string 142 Lift-off exercises 154
Getting stuck when shifting down 143 Enabling the third finger to move easily 155
Finding the position by ‘hanging’ Heifetz exercise 155
the arm 143 Metronome exercise for fast drop and lift-
The angle of the knuckle joints 144 off 156

How can I get my fingers and bow to How can I improve my fourth finger? 156
work together better? 144
See it as being strong 156
Co-ordination 144 How can I stop my fourth finger from
Leading from the fingertip 144 collapsing? 157
Practising by opposites: overlapping 145 Typical fourth finger exercises 157

viii 

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 8 26/03/2013 12:29:03

 

Moving from the base joint 157 Sliding exercise 161

Aiming onto the tip or pad 158 Dotted exercise 161
Other ways to improve the fourth finger 161
Aiming into the middle of the finger 158
Raising and dropping exercise 158 Extending a finger away from its
usual note 162
Independence exercises 159
Reaching-up exercise 160 Extension exercises 162

lesson 7  Avoiding aches and pains 163

Understanding the causes 163 Left upper arm 175

Not tightening as the date approches 175
Listening to your body 163
Maintaining balance and flow:
Forming good associations 163 avoiding fixing 176
The force of gravity 164 Freeing the middle of the back
Chain reactions 164 and the costal arch 176
Pressing and squeezing 164 The costal arch 176
Curing the problems is usually Not twisting the back 177
surprisingly easy 164
Common first causes of chain-reactions 165 Freeing the shoulders 178
General 165
Raising or not raising 178
Left hand 165
The shoulder and the elbow 179
Right hand 165
Keeping the shoulder down and the
An introduction to lactic acid 165 elbow up 179
Warming down 166
Counter-exercising and stretching 166 Freeing the left hand 179

Muscles: working from the zero point 168 Understanding flexibility 179
Continual moments of release 180
Muscles can only contract 168
Freeing the thumb 181
The zero point 168
Practising exercises with the thumb
Suspending your arm without using any exaggeratedly forward 182
muscles in it 169
Thumb rotation 182
Feeling the contraction–release in the Experiment: play without the chin on
palm of the hand 170 the violin 182
Squeezing the arm to make the fingers
The principle of the double contact 183
move 170
Massaging the upper forearm 170 Freeing the wrist 184
Massaging the hand 171 Relaxation exercise 184
Minimum muscular effort 171 Manipulating the wrist 184
Experiment on the back of your hand 172 Placing fingers gently: the secret of a
Expecting tension produces it 172 relaxed left hand 186
Moving the finger from the base joint 187
Lengthening and widening 173
Tapping exercises 187
Not pulling down: lengthening the back Pull the note out of the string with
and raising the chest 173 the finger 188
Go up to go up; go up to go down 173 How can I stop pressing the strings
Widening at the base joints of the too hard? 189
left hand 174 Changing the mental picture 189
Widening at the shoulders: releasing Five levels of pressure 189
the minor pectoral 174 Starting from nothing and gradually
Right shoulder and upper arm 174 increasing 190

 ix

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 9 26/03/2013 12:29:03

 

Replacing finger-pressure with arm-weight 190 Everything you do is ‘right’ even if it

Rolling the finger into the string 190 is ‘wrong’ 196
There must be a sense of benefit 197
Understanding balance 192 Adapting to your physique 198

Key areas 192 Localizing: the key to mastery 198

Hyper and hypo 192
Knowing to look somewhere else 192 Streamlining your playing by
not-doing 198
Unlocking the right elbow 192
Excessive right wrist movement 193 You’ve got to stop before you start 199
Keeping the left upper arm free 193 ‘Stopping before you start’ in sport 200
Unlocking the left nail joint 193 Saying ‘no’ and ‘yes’ 200
Unlocking the left hand 194 Directing individual actions 200
Unlocking the fingers on the bow 194 Carrying on until a new habit is formed 200
Excessive head movement 194 Muscle tone and direction, not relaxation 201
Bowing smoothly 194 True stories: James 201
Unlocking the costal arch 195 One thing triggering another 202
Keeping the knees free 195 Finger preparation 202
Unlocking the shoulders 195 Chords 203
Swaying, rotating, shifting the balance 196 Spiccato 203
Homeostasis: the ‘wrong’ things Left-hand pizzicato 203
may be ‘right’ 196 Revealing the posture 204

lesson 8  Background essentials 2 205

Understanding technical and Watch the great players 216

musical timing 205

Using a model 216

How can I stop my playing sounding
all the same? 205
About rhythm 218
Contrast and tonal colour 205 Rhythm gets your foot tapping 218
Mountains and deserts 206 Trying to play notes in tune with a good
Making the design big enough 206 sound 218
Vibrato 206 Feeling the pulse 218
Varying the strokes 207 Sub-dividing 218
How much is too much? 208 Good rhythm aids good co-ordination 218
Playing to the limit 208 The mechanics of rhythm on a string
Playing piano and projecting 208 instrument 219
The difference between volume and Playing expressively in time 220
character 208 Rhythmic licence is the last thing
Volume and distance 208 to consider 220
The concert hall, the violin, and the Making musical expression through
soundpost 209 rhythm 220
Creating accents by playing early 220
Identifying waves 209
The blended sound of a brilliant
Don’t sustain 210
orchestral section 221
Imagining orchestration 210
Changing the key or the notes 212 Practising musically 221

‘Mechanics’ and ‘Technique’ 221

About energy 213
The inner super-computer 221
Combining high and low energy 214 Whistling experiment 222
Playing with more accent 215 Staying out of the way 222

x 

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 10 26/03/2013 12:29:03

 

Not caring too much 222 Playing from the inside out 226
Not interfering 223 True stories: Jane 226
True stories: Ann 223
True stories: Sarah 227
Picturing the perfect result 224
Shifting 224 Belief: living the music 228
Bowing smoothly 224 When the music is happy, I am happy 229
Picturing the musical quality 225 Stanislavsky: the father of modern theatre 229
What is vibrato? 225
Mesto: put yourself in a mood of sadness 230
What is a trill? 225
If it were in a piece I could play it, Playing with inspiration 230
but as an exercise I can’t 225 First I’ve got to learn it 230

lesson 9  All about changing position 231

What is a position? 231 Substitution 240

Exchange 241
The frame 231
Shifting 231
Listening and the feel of the violin 242
Fingering 232
Listening to the shift 243
There is no such thing as a shift 232 Listening to the shifting finger 243
True Stories: Oscar 232
Understanding timing 243
Hearing notes in advance 233
Stealing time from the note before
Leading from the fingertip 234 the shift 243
Avoiding tension 244
Lightening the bow 234 Practice method 244
Missing out the note before the shift 245
Measuring: using intermediates 235 Slow Arrival Speed: the end of fear in
shifting 245
Practice method 235
Parking Dorothy DeLay’s car 246
Finding the common denominator 235
It does not matter where you shift to 246
Single-finger scales and arpeggios 235
There is no such thing as a long shift: there
Scales 236 are only short shifts 247
Single-finger scales and children 236
Arpeggios and broken intervals 237 Everywhere on the fingerboard is close 247
Timing and measuring the shift: filling in A thousand notes on each string 247
the interval 237
Optical illusions 247
Five different types of shift 238 It’s so much easier to miss and play out of
tune 247
Exercises 239 The fingers get all cramped together at
Classical 239 the top of the string 248
Romantic 239 Precariousness of the bow 248
Combination 240 Look at it from a different angle 248

lesson 10  The vibrato lesson 249

What should vibrato sound like? 249 Group 1 250

The test that proved the wrong result 250
Speed and width 249 Group 2 250
Four basic groups 250 The clapping experiment 251

 xi

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 11 26/03/2013 12:29:03

 

Group 3 251 How to play a fast vibrato

without tension 256
Group 4 251
Listening to your vibrato at half-speed 251 Start from nothing 256
Vibrato: the throb of pure emotion 252 Make it narrower 256
True stories: Gabriel 252
Staying free in the upper arm 256
How to develop vibrato 252 Speeding up with the metronome 256
When doing the exercise for the first
Change your vibrato 252 few times 257
Changing the elements 253 Sub-dividing the larger unit 257
Which part of the fingertip? 253
Using the vibrato trill as an exercise 258
Changing the anatomy of your fingertip 254
Tapping with the middle joint of
Which is better: hand or arm the thumb 258
vibrato? 254
Experiment in trying to prevent an arm One of the secrets of artistry:
leading accents from the vibrato 259
vibrato 254
Finger vibrato 255 Playing accents in the air 259
Feeling the buoyancy of the string 255
Releasing to a harmonic 255 Continuous vibrato 259

lesson 11  Improving key bow strokes 261

How can I make my bowing feel It is impossible to scratch if the bow

really smooth? 261
keeps moving 273
True-legato warm-up exercise 261
I never know how to start a note 274
Son filé 262
Adding dynamics: Leopold’s ‘divisions’ 262 Being sympathetic to the string 274
Starting from the air or from
Just how do you change bow the string 275
smoothly at the heel? 263
Starting from the string 275
Active finger movement at the heel 263 Starting from the air 275
Using the ‘fist bow hold’ 264 Practise beginning notes 276
Flesch himself didn’t like the finger Finding the moment of balance 276
movement 264
How to feel confident beginning
up-bow at the point 277
The tilt of the bow 265
Experimenting with leverage 277
Lower half 265 One action, not two 278
High positions 265 Moving the string towards the bow-hair 278
Playing with full hair 265 Releasing the thumb 278
Leading with the vibrato 279
Choreography of the bow 266 Practising it 279

Designing the strokes 266 How can I improve lifted strokes like
spiccato? 279
Using enough bow 268
Proportions 268
The bow wants to bounce 280
Accents 269 Bounced strokes are more natural than
Avoiding bulges 270 sustained strokes 280
Lead with the vibrato 271 Experimenting with the spring of the bow 281
Experimenting without the first finger 281
Working out the proportions 271
Finding the sweet spot in sautillé 282
How much bow weight? Watch the
great players 272 Spiccato 282

xii 

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 12 26/03/2013 12:29:03

 

Raising the elbow 282 Separating the elements 290

The bow hold does not matter 282 Gripping the string to make the bite 291
True stories: the virtuoso who could Fast-slow speed-pattern alone 291
not play spiccato 283 Heavy–light pressure–pattern alone 291
Up not down: playing spiccato like Finger movement alone 292
a pianist 283
Adjusting the bow hold for power 293
Playing around the string, not hitting 284
Understanding proportions in spiccato 284 String crossing 293
Height and length 285
Where in the bow 285 Five ways to move in relation to
the string 293
Thickness of string 285
Soundpoint 286 Smooth string crossing 294
Tilt of the bow 286 Gaining or losing bow on the string
Experimenting with flexibility 286 crossing 295
Co-ordination: don’t always blame Following the curve of the bridge 296
the bow 286
Exercise for placing the fingers early 287 Tremolo 296
Pizzicato 287 The movement of the hand in tremolo 296
Staccato 287 Speed of tremolo 297
Working from the inside out 288
Little dipping movement of the point 288 Chords 297
Direction of bow 288
Seven common misconceptions
Finger movement 288 about playing chords 297
Three stages of the arm in staccato 289 Silent placing exercise 299
Rocking the hand 289 Reducing effort in three-string chords 300
Soundpoint practice 289 Localizing 300

The martelé lesson 290

lesson 12  Background essentials 3 301

Scales and arpeggios 301 Naming the notes 306

Scale practice chart 307
Why practise scales? 301
Some different ways to use the chart 307
Putting off practising scales as a student 301
My first ten years of playing and teaching 301
Getting the best of both worlds 301 Double stops 307
Exercises–scales–studies–pieces 302
Light left hand in double stops 307
How is a scale when it is played well? 302
Standing on two weighing machines 307
Practising the elements of the scale 302
Holding down the first and fourth fingers 302 Thirds 308
Double stopping string crossing is good Thinking in intervals and tone-semitone
for both hands 303 patterns 308
Half of forty-eight is twenty-four: the Reaching back from the upper fingers 309
mumble strategy 303 Practising the elements separately 309
Chromatic scales 305 Flow 310
Slow and fast fingering 305 Mobility exercises 310
Keeping the thumb in one place 305 Fourths 311
Practice method: missing out the Perfect fifths 311
second finger 305
Tuning the fifth 312
Knowing what notes you are playing 306
Placing the fifth for single notes 312
Playing in groups 306
Sixths 312

 xiii

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 13 26/03/2013 12:29:03

 

Octaves 313 You already rehearse mentally 324

Relaxing the hand rather than measuring 313 Filling your mind with the perfect result 324
Experiment in the air 314 Seeing what you want 324
Remembering to release, lengthen Understanding the effect your mind
and widen 314 has on your body 325
Improving instantaneous adjustment 314 Present tense, personal, positive 325
Octaves: traditional practice method 315
Playing the lower note more loudly 315 Notes about practice 326
Using scales and arpeggios 315
Moving up one level at a time 326
Fingered octaves 316
Exercises 316 What to practise 326
Fingered seconds and harmonics 317 Exercises 326
Thinking in finger-spacing intervals 318 Building technique: finding new sensations
of playing 326
Tenths 318
Investing your time 327
You have more reach than you think 318
Varying the material 327
Reaching back 319
Scales and studies 327
Sliding exercise 319
Logical order of study 327
Pizzicato 319 Relearning elementary studies 328

Trusting yourself to find the string 319 Pieces 328

Should your right thumb rest on the Playing through old repertoire 328
fingerboard? 319 Listening to recordings 329
What is the correct way to pluck Go to concerts and then do it yourself 329
the strings? 320
Improving listening 330
How to practise pizzicato 320
The one time you need to press the left Timing and planning 330
fingers hard 320 Structuring the practice 330
Placing the left fingers in time before Concentrating on one thing at a time 331
plucking 321
First study, second study, third study 331
Coming back for the next chord as
part of the last 322 Vintage wine 332
Miming 322 When the shoe fits 332
Vibrato 322 Not setting an ultimate deadline 332
Daily record 333
An outline of mental rehearsal 322 The importance of making mistakes 333
Conquering nerves 323 Paying the price 333

xiv 

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 14 26/03/2013 12:29:03

 General index
A costal arch 176 fist bow-hold 264, 282–283
curve at top of 173 flexibility 44, 51
Accent practice 116 lengthening xviii, 28, 29, 173 fourth finger
mobility, hyper and hypo 192 See Fourth finger (right)
Accents 208, 213, 215, 259, 269
pain (lower back) 195 heel and point position 42
agogic 271
playing from xix, 131 leverage 37, 213
playing early 220
pulling down 176 second finger
Acoustic beat xvii, 57, 58 twisting 177 See Second finger (right)
Acoustics springiness 50
Baillot, Pierre de Sales 328
dry and resonant 5 supination, pronation 37–39, 42, 44,
Balance 89, 192 46, 47, 52, 99, 123
Alexander Technique 164, 173 third finger
Barmas, Issay 49
Alexander, F. M. 94 See Third Finger (right)
inhibition, direction 199 Base joints (left) xiv, xviii, 137, 187 thumb See Thumb (right)
moving fingers from 102, 152, 187,
Amplitude 2 Bowing
221
Analogies tension 165 balance, starting from 276
colour xviii too far from neck 157 changing bow 22, 102, 112, 128, 263
guitar 197 widening xviii, 102, 133, 137, 174, circular movement 128
harp 93, 146 194, 197 curves 124, 284
sport 100, 107, 122, 166, 200 division 266
Base joints (right) hair-string contact 3, 14, 265
Arm (left) springiness 46 length 6, 268
angle of scroll 35 widening 97 scratch 273
hanging 142, 190
Basics exercises 105, 224 Bow pressure 48, 267
violin position relative to
See Exercises
length xviii, 33, 117 describing 9
Bell, Joshua 174 evenness 269
Arm (right)
Blind spots xvii, 58, 265 excess 2, 84
actions, origins of 49
first-finger pressure 46
balance 192 Bloch, Alexander 199 avoiding 47
bowing parallel to the bridge xvii,
Blum, David 85 intonation 84, 248
14, 34, 102, 117,
‘Pressure’ or ‘weight’? 3
118, 221, 227, 294 Bow
proportions xx, 6, 7, 8, 96, 271–272
Eastern European, Flesch, angling to the bridge 24
scratching 13, 19
Galamian 49 bow-hold or bow-grip xv
shifting, releasing during 234
elbow, opening at 14, 120 distance from bridge xvi, xvii
speed not pressure 3, 49
forwards, backwards 98, 118 division 19
string crossing 294
in and out 121 drifting 24
string length 5
levers 118, 193 give at the heel and point xv, xix, 15,
string vibration 13–14
relaxing into the string 35 19, 124
upper half 46–47
scroll, correct height of 32 hair 1, 265, 280–281, 295
shoulder and elbow, hair, acting on string 2 Bow speed
movement at 179 lightness in upper half 46, 49 faster in upper half 49
square 120 momentum xix, 3, 13, 14, increasing in middle of bow 14
suspending in air 169, 197, 276 165, 176, 223 slower nearer bridge 5
triangle 119 movement, horizontal and vertical Breathlessness 31
violin position 117 xvii, xix, 3, 13, 21, 125–126, 293
Brendel, Alfred 301
weight 49 over-pressing 248
playing into wood in upper half 16 Brodsky, Vadim 332
Arpeggios 55, 217, 243
finger preparation 146
shaking 194, 323 Bronstein, Raphael 39, 71, 207
springiness of stick xix, 7, 126, Bron, Zakhar 121
non-diminuendo 304
280, 281
octaves (double-stopped) 313 Brubeck, Dave 218
stickers 120
Ševčík sequence 261 Bulge notes xvii, 270
tilt 37, 213, 264
single-finger 161, 235
wood, playing into xvii, 126 Button 31
thinking ahead 112
wood, scraping on string 265
uniform intonation 56
Bow change 50 C
Auer, Leopold 64
bow hand 193 Bow hold
bow hold 43, 45, 49 balancing 43, 44 Campagnoli, Bartolmeo 18, 90,
feet, position of 195 bow-hold or bow-grip 43 240
intonation 263 climbing up the bow 43 Capet, Lucien 18
tone, how to produce 48 contact-points of fingers 41, 42 third finger on bow 45
creases 41, 43
fingers, distribution of 39
Carrington, Walter 164, 173,
B fingers, movement at
178, 199
heel 263, 264, 266 Casals, Pablo 103, 208
Bach, C.P.E. 230 fingers, natural spacing 38 dual-function notes 207
Back 30, 195 first finger See First finger (right) dynamics, range of 208

334

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 334 26/03/2013 12:34:12

 gravitational attraction 63 Heifetz, playing faster than 111 Etudes 105
intonation 114 Heifetz warm-up exercise 155 Dont 110
expressive 63 inspiration, playing with 230 Kayser 105
pressure exercise 18 musical ideas, clarity of 206 Kreutzer 37, 83, 100, 112, 130, 161,
scales tuning-method 85 playing fast 109 201, 211, 264, 271, 295, 296, 327
trills 225 pressure exercise 18 Sitt 105
waves 209–210 slow arrival speed 246
‘time-consuming’ not ‘difficult’ 333 Evenness 14–15, 16, 21, 22, 127
Cause and effect xv scales 302
trill exercise 152
Chain reactions 164 tuning method, scales 85 Exchange shift See Shifting
Children 13, 93 Détaché Exercises xx, 99, 102, 104, 105,
bow arm 119 bow arm 121 122, 124, 145, 147, 180,
bow hold xxi, 43 bow hold, balancing not 194, 214, 224, 269, 326, 330
child prodigies 104 gripping 44 accents 269
elbow and shoulder 179 proportions 97, 271 base joints (left) 138
fingertip, leading shifts from 234 spiccato approach 285 bowing parallel to bridge 119
learning, speed of xv
Differential tone 90 bow, placing on string 275, 277
measuring xv
momentum, explaining 14 Brendel, Alfred 301
Direction (and inhibition) 199
muscles 180 chords, placing fingers 299
Dont, Jacob 152, 161, 327 chromatic scales 305
ring, listening to 4
shift, listening 243 Double contact, principle of 183 counter-exercising 166–167
single-finger scales 236 Double stops extensions 162
tension 180, 256 finger-spacing intervals 318 fast drop and lift-off 156
tones and semitones 80–81 fixed and moveable notes 91 fingered octaves 316–317
tricks and strategies 303 mobility exercises 310–311, 314 finger preparation 146–149, 202–203
vibrato 254, 256 thirds 83 finger pressure 189–190
Chin 28, 197 Flesch, Carl 264–265
Dounis, Dr D.C. xvii
chin rest 27, 28, 29–31 fourth finger (left) 157–162
pressure exercise 18
placement on 98 scales 301 hand (left), widening 133–135, 136
pressing the head into 176 shoulder (left) 178 hand (right), tone 131
position xviii spiccato 285 Heifetz warm-up 155
tailpiece, relative to 117 intonation 62, 63, 73–75, 77–78, 236
Dynamics 208
Chords 49, 109, 297–300, 304, 311 knuckles (right) 157
pitch 2
bow hold 37 legato 261, 304
fist bow hold 264 lift-off, left fingers 154–155
left-finger pressure 308 E mobility, left hand 310–311, 314
pizzicato 320, 321, 322 Mozart, Leopold 140
soundpoint, changing 6, 297–299 Ear tests 58–60 playing musically 1, 225,
timing 203 Effort 125, 133, 166, 198 225–226, 233
Chromatic 305 leverage 39–40, 40, 129 resonance 4
minimum 94, 95, 111 shifting 232, 234, 239
Classical shift See Shifting wrist (right) 184 son filé 262–263
Collar bone 27, 31, 164, 182 Elbow (left) xix, 197 spiccato 285–286
Collé 130, 284 See also Upper arm (left) stretching 171
getting stuck 143 tapping 182, 187–188, 225
Combination shift See Shifting
left, right 97, 99 thirds (double stop) 310
Command–response 105–107, 299 steering under violin 142 tone 11–26
Concentration 325, 333 Elbow (right) 119–120 trills 152
See also Upper arm (right) vibrato 249, 252, 254, 259
Co-ordination xviii, 113, 144
higher, lower 99, 127–128, 197–198 wrist (left) 184
fingertip, leading bow from 287
pizzicato 148, 287 level with bow 128 Expression xvi, 1, 93, 96, 113
practise method 320 unlocking 192–193 Bach, C.P.E. 230
prepared fingers 219 Elman, Mischa 63 bulges 270
rhythm 218 changing note-by-note 205–206
Emotional memory 229
separate bows 186 creating musical technique 225
sixths 312 Energy 154, 266 creating technique 221, 227
spiccato 203, 287 accents 215
drawing out the tone 3
bow speed near bridge 24
Costal arch 176–177, 195, 196 expressive physical movements xviii
combining high and low 214–215
Counter-exercising 166 finger action (left) 189
dynamics 209
Geminiani, Francesco 95, 230
Counterpressure 164, 190, 278 finger action (left) 159, 172, 186
finger movement (right) 292 intonation 94
finger pressure (left) 189 Mozart, Leopold 230
D fingers, holding down 151 picturing 9, 13
fingers (left), keeping close pitch–sound–rhythm 93–94, 95
Deaf spots See Blind spots to string 215 playing in time 220
DeLay, Dorothy xvii, xix, 102 increasing, decreasing 213–214 rubato 220
acoustic beats 58 left-finger accents 186 scales 228
Auer bow hold 45 localized actions 198–199 scales and exercises 225–226
concentration 105 shifting 215 vibrato 206, 260
concerts, attending 329 tremolo 297
‘Expressive intonation’ 63
double-stop tuning 92 vibrato 193, 251, 256
energy 213 wrist (right) 129 Extensions 82–83, 104, 162, 232

335

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 335 26/03/2013 12:34:12

 F too-slow action 165 first finger, changing
V shape at base joint 133 contact point of 123
‘Fast fingers’ 106, 152–156, 199 Fingers (right) 176.
left arm 35, 99, 122–123, 137,
179, 197
Fast passages 108–109 See also Base joints (right),
right arm 42, 123, 193
Thumb (right),
Feet xviii, 192, 195, 196
First–Fourth fingers (right) Fournier, Pierre 3
‘Fifth’ finger 162 angle on bow 193
Fourth finger (left)
Fifths bow impulses, sensitivity to 52
base joint xviii, 158
double stop 311–312 flexibility 99, 198
collapsing 157
narrow 92 locked 50
elbow position 142
pressure 99
Fingering 232 elementary players 139–140
pronation, supination 99
octaves 316 exercises 157–161
spacing 99
finger preparation 147
Finger preparation 145–148, 186, springs 50
holding down 302–303
202–205, 205 squeezing 43, 164
improving 156
Fingers string, playing into 48
mental picture 156
wide and narrow 81 Fingertip over-reaching 71
Fingers (left) See also Fingertip angle to string xvi, 89, 317 straightening 133
active or passive movement 154–156 fat, thin 81 thirds 141–142
banging xv, 172, 201 fourth finger (left) 158 tip or pad 139–140, 157, 158
Base joints. See Base joints (left) hand shape xviii vibrato 156, 158
blocks 111 leading in shifting 144–145
Fourth finger (right) 41, 46
chords 299 numbness 175
balancing 102
close to strings xiii, xvi, xviii, 137, placement: left, middle, right 135
contact-point 99
139–140, 140, 303 tingling 145
placement 43
counterpressing with thumb 189 vibrato colour xix
playing in upper half 45
double contact, principle of 183 First finger (left) tip, pad 99
dropping 205 base joint, pulling in 138 working with thumb 53
extensions 162, 232 contact-point with neck 99
Fourths
fast 172, 213. elbow position 142
double stop 141, 311
See also ‘Fast fingers’ holding down 203
finger accents 186 natural direction 77 Frame 231
holding down 150, 302 neck of violin, contact with xviii Friction 2, 3, 265
hovering over strings 103, 236 position marker 231
knuckles, angle to fingerboard 144
First finger (right) 37, 38 G
leading bow xviii
avoiding pressing 46–47
levers 193
contact-point 99 Galamian, Ivan xvii, 245
move to the right 200
changing 42 bow arm 49
moving from base joint xviii, 152
crease 41 bow hand 50
nail joint 193
forearm rotation 123 correlation 105, 106
overlapping 303
leaving stick 52 double contact, principle of 183
over-pressing 165, 189, 317
pressing 46–47, 131 fingertip placement 135
percussive 188–189, 213
squashing tone 45 frame 231
placing xv, 186
thumb in and out 121
preparation 145–146, 186,
distance from 39–40, 99 practice 328
202–203, 205
relative to 40 pressure exercise 18
pressure xviii, 102, 148
arm-weight, replacing with 190 two functions 43 shifting 234, 243
double stops 299, 307–308 Fist bow hold 264, 283 square and extended 79
finger vibrato 255 staccato, bow hand for 289
Fixes and moveable notes 91
five levels 189 string crossing 294
localized actions 198–199 Flesch, Carl xvii, 245 third finger on bow 45
mobility 176 bow arm 49 triangle position 119–120
bow hold 40, 47 tuning while practising 89
pizzicato 320–321
chords 298
tone 190–191 Geminiani, Francesco 95, 230
exercises 264
wrist, keeping free 184 Geminiani chord 140, 299
finger movement (right) 264
pulling string 84 Given, Thelma 263
first finger, putting weight into 47
reaching back 133, 140, 309, 317
forearm movement, upper half 121 Goals xx, 60
rolling 190–191, 255
intonation 89
semitone spacing 80–81 Gravity, force of 164
pizzicato 320
separation between 82–83
pronation in the upper half 44–45 Groups 109–110
shape xviii, 137, 144
six fundamental types 122, 264
space between 135, 144 Grumiaux, Arthur
son filé 262 fourth finger (left) 156
speed 152
spiccato 285
See also ‘Fast fingers’
third finger on bow 45
square and extended xviii, 79–80
squeezing
thirds, scales in 309 H
vibrato 249
fingers and thumb xv
Haendel, Ida 287
first- and second-fingers 134 Flexibility 50–55, 179–180
neck 183 bow change, click at 50 Hair See Bow
sideways xviii, 97–98, 133, 135, Flow 112–113 Hand (left) See also 
139, 164–165, 174 Base joints (left)
thumb and first finger 182 Forearm balanced 192
massaging 170–171
tapping 187–188 chain reactions, causes of 165
tip or pad 99 Forearm rotation xix classic shape 133

336

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 336 26/03/2013 12:34:12

 contacting instrument 99, 243 gravitational attraction 63, 68, 85 shifting 224, 233, 243, 246
contracting 316 hesitation 55 surface noise 57
fingers, keeping near string 236 leading notes 62, 63, 64, 68, 86 tilting head 29
frame 162 measuring and relating xv, xx, xxii, tone exercises, improved by 1
higher, lower 97 60, 81 vibrato 252
keeping free 172 orchestral sound 221
Localizing 152, 199
massaging 170–171 positions, spacing in 71–73
mental rehearsal 323, 325 proportions 96
position at top of E string 97 quarter-tone scales 63 M
proportions 97 reference points 66
softening 138, 244, 316 scales 302 Martelé xiv, 49, 100, 103, 130,
tilt 36 semitone spacing 80–81 290–293
upper arm, releasing 314 structured and unstructured 55–56 bow hold 37, 293
upper fingers, based on xviii, sympathetic vibrations xx, 60–61 curves 124
140–141 tempered, expressive 63, 71 finger movement 292
widening at base joints xiv third tone 90 first-finger pressure 46
timbre 61, 65 proportions 96–97
Hand (right) See also Bow hold timing, technical and musical 205
uniform 74–75
chain reactions 164 vibrato 271
creating weight from 47, 48,
130–131 J Massage 166
flexibility xix, 20 ‘Mechanics’ (and ‘Technique’) 221
supination, pronation 37, 42, 99, 123 Jaw bone 27, 30
Mental control
Hands Joachim, Joseph 265 conscious 221, 223
independence xix detached 1, 23, 225, 227, 233
size, large and small 39, 81, 231, groups, playing in 109–110
248, 254
K
localization of 199
Hassid, Joseph 40, 149, 264 Kayser, H.E. 105, 152 mental block 283

Havas, Kató 197 Keller, Hans 6 Mental picture 9, 324

arm (left) 197
Head Knees 176, 195 arm (right) 118
angle 29 Knuckles (left) 38 bow hold 43
balancing 192 angle to fingerboard xviii, 99, chromatic scale 306
‘forward and up’ 29 135, 137 finger pressure 189
left, right 29, 98 fluency 105
movement, excessive 194 Knuckles (right) xix, 38
higher, lower 45–46, 99 fourth finger 156
relaxing the weight 30–31 intonation 55
rotating 30 parallel with bow 42
springiness 50 perfect result, picturing 224, 323
Heifetz, Jascha 16, 45, 266, 301 tension in hand 172
fast playing 111 Kreisler, Fritz 253, 260, 329 thumb 53, 181
fourth finger (left) 156 trills 151
intonation, adjusting 89
shifting 32 Kreutzer, Rodolphe See Etudes visualization 156
warm-up exercise 155 Mental rehearsal
322, 324–325
Hesitation 55 L bow shaking 323
before playing 106 left hand 323
Lactic acid 165–166 memory 323
High-, low-frequency
scratches 13 Lengthening and Menuhin, Yehudi 104, 166, 329
widening xviii, 168, 173–178 practice-mute 5
Hips 176, 193
costal arch 176–177 single-finger scales 235
Hodgson, Percival 8, 44
Léonarde, Hubert 150 Milstein, Nathan 45, 89, 253, 333
Holt, John 303
Leverage xix Mobility 98, 176, 194–195
Homeostasis 196 bow hold 37, 47, 213, 293 bow-hold 44
Horowitz, Vladimir 101 chin on chin-rest 31 costal arch 176
elbow (right) 129 elbow (left) 142
Hurwitz, Emanuel 145 hand and arm movements 296 head 29
Hyper, hypo mobility 192 point, placing on string 277 thumb 182
right hand Momentum
first finger 39–40 bow leading hand xix, 3, 13, 14–15,
I first finger and thumb 54 165, 176, 223
second finger 47–48 double stops 310
Imagination, musical xviii, 1, 93,
second finger and thumb xix spiccato 15
104, 221, 230, 330
thumb, counterpressure of 278 violin, raising 29
Inhibition 199
Listening xvi, xviii, 13, 57, 221 Moser, Andreas 141
Inspiration 1, 230, 233 acoustic beats 57–58
Mozart, Leopold 230, 249, 262
Interference 108, 122, 223, 224, 319 ear tests, sensitizing with 58–60
expression 230
feedback 242
Intermediate notes 235, 239, 240 fourth finger (right) in upper half
improving 9, 57, 330
44–45
Intonation intonation 75
adjustment, instant 89, 314–315 Geminiani exercise 140–141
pre-hearing 55, 75, 93, 226,
bow pressure 84 pressure exercise 18
233, 236
son filé 262
checking with open strings 60, 62 pressed tone 3
sympathetic vibrations 60–61
evenness 302 quarter-tone scale 63
vibrato 249
expression through 94 resonance 4
finger shapes 80 sensation, linking sound with 222 Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus 18

337

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 337 26/03/2013 12:34:12

 Muscles Progress, fastest possible xvi octaves in a passage,
active, passive 168 improving 315–316
Projection 7, 265
contraction 41, 168 perfect fifths (double stops) 311–312
fixing 176 Proportions 96 pitch–sound–rhythm 302
minimum effort 171 arm (right) 119 pizzicato 320
minor pectoral 170, 174 bow, balancing in hand 44 practice chart 307
tightening 89–90 bow length and speed 268–269 practising elements of 301
zero point 168 describing xiv–xv quarter-tone scale 63
give of the wood and hair 15 single-finger scales 161, 235–236
Mutter, Anne-Sophie 323 ricochet 102 string crossing 303
sounds, describing 9–10 substitutions 242
N Speed–pressure–soundpoint xx, 6, 7, thinking ahead 112–113
9, 102, 227, 271–272 thirds 217, 308–309, 309–310
Neaman, Yfrah xviii, 122, 229, 264 spiccato 284, 286 tuning 85–89
attack, angle of 273 strings, thickness 6 two-octave 75
finger preparation 145 string vibration, widest 14 uniform intonation 55–56
melodic playing 302 tone from right hand in vibrato 249
upper half 49, 130–131
Neck 27, 28, 30, 31, 197 width of hair, string length 265 Scotoma xvii
See also Blind spots
Neveu, Ginette 264 Pulling down 102
Scroll
angle xviii
O Q height 32
higher, lower 6–7, 32, 98
Octaves (double stop) 313–314 Quantz, Johann xiv, 63, 92, 206 left, right 33–34, 98
fingered 316–317
lift, right 32
lower note louder 315
string-length 318 R Second finger (left) 81–82, 139–140
double stops, independence in 83
Oistrakh, David 16, 272
Rabin, Michael 5 half position 71
bow arm 122
opening between first
first performances 332 Recordings 329–330
and second 133–134, 194
fourth finger (left) 156 Resistance, line of least 6–7 practise method for
scales and arpeggios 302 chromatics 305–306
staccato 287
Resonance 4, 57, 62, 65, 209
square and extended 79
Rhythm 218–221 third finger, separation between 82
Opposites, pracising by 145
co-ordination 218 thirds 141
Overlapping 145, 303 expression through 94 V-shape with first finger 133–134
fingers (left) 186
orchestral section, sound 221 Second finger (right) 131
P crease, contact-point 41, 43
shifting 243–244
underlying pulse xx, 112, 218 helping first finger 47–48
Pain 163
leverage 47–48
Partial tones 8 Rhythm practise 94–95, 114, 116 thumb, not pulling in towards 165
Percentage shots 107–108 Ricci, Ruggiero 162 thumb, relative to 39, 40
tremolo 296
Perfect fifths 67, 76, 318 Ricochet 279, 280
first finger, experimenting Self-correction
Perfect intervals 66, 85–86, without 281 automatic 313
91–92, 311–312 fist bow-hold 264
Semitone 71, 80–81, 85–86
Perlman, Itzhak 81, 329 Rode, Pierre 265, 327 Ševčík, Ottakar 152, 226
Piano 2, 40, 60, 101 Rolland, Paul 29, 179
experiment on 8 Shifting 224
finger preparation 146 Rolling 190–191, 255, 257 classical 191, 235, 238–239, 246, 248
flow 112 combination 238, 240, 248
Romantic shift See Shifting
hand position 50 descending 30
Rostal, Max exchange 239, 241
intonation 62, 64, 68, 70, 70–71, 86
bow hold 40 exercises 239–242
staccato 283
vibrato 260 fingertip 234
timing, technical and musical 205
Rubinstein, Artur 220 leading shifting 48
Pitch–sound–rhythm–ease 94–95, ghost notes 233, 242
111, 114–115 Rushing 108, 113
illusion of string length 247
Pivot 31 intermediate notes 235
string crossing 101, 102, 112, 205, S listening 243
294, 295 no such thing 232
thumb (right) 52 Sautillé 37, 110, 279 playing musically 113, 233
bow hold, balancing not gripping 44 pre-hearing 233, 236
Pizzicato (left hand) 154, 203, 228
sweet spot 282 romantic 191, 235, 238, 239, 248
Pizzicato (right hand) 319–322 semitone with one finger 85
Scales 55, 73, 105, 261,
as a practice method 148 slow arrival speed 239, 245–247
301–307, 326, 327, 330
‘Bartók’ pizzicato 320 square and extended 80
Casals 18
Point-of-balance 14, 46, 119, 120 chromatic scales 305 substitution 238, 240
expression 225, 228 sustaining during 234
Positions 231, 236, 238–239 tension 244
finger preparation 146
Posture xvi, 192, 204 fingers, holding down 150 timing 205, 213, 220,
239, 243–244, 245
Pressure 164, 265 fourth finger warm-up exercise 160
upper arm 121
See also Bow pressure, fourths (double stops) 311
Fingers (left) non-diminuendo 303–304 Shoulder rest 27, 28, 182

338

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 338 26/03/2013 12:34:13

 position 28 Stage whisper 208 Thinking ahead 112–113, 321
too high 30
Stopping before starting 199–200 Third finger (left) 139
Shoulders xviii, 131, 176 Stretching 166
over-reaching 71
left 165 second finger, separation
pulling in 28 String between 82
raising 27, 28, 176, 178–179, vibration, width of 16 straightening 133
195, 200, 233 String crossing 303 weak in pizzicato 155
tension 30, 197 clockwise, anticlockwise 106 Third finger (right)
Sight-reading 162 legato xix crease 41
smooth 294–295 crease-contact near point 43
Silverstein, Joseph xvii wide 53 pad, contact with frog 41, 43
Sitt, Hans 105, 327 pulling in 45
Strings
Sixths (double stop) 134, 141–142, cause and effect 1 thumb, relative to 40–41
312–313 fingers pulling or pushing 84 ‘tone finger’ of bow 45

Slow Arrival Speed 245–246 flatter nearer fingerboard 297 Thirds

friction 2, 265 double stop 141, 308–309
Slurs 219 further apart at bridge 247 interval 82
fast fingers 153–154, 172, 186 gut 6, 45
fingers, dropping not rolling 191 height above shoulder 27–28 Third tone 90–91, 303
Solar plexus 176, 252 horizontal xviii Thumb (left) 78
length when stopped 318
Son filé 262–263 chromatic scales 305
less flexible closer to bridge 5, 23
counterpressure 189, 197
Sound, impurities in xx level with floor 32, 197
forward, back 99
Soundpoints 1 meeting bow-hair 173
higher, lower 99
short 84
Spiccato xiv, 25, 100, 213, how many joints? 181
springiness xv, 189, 255,
279–280 over-pressing 197
280–281, 315
bow hold 282–283 pivot 182
supporting the bow 35
balancing not gripping 44 position on neck 176
swinging from side to side 2
bow moving within hand 37, 52–53 preparation 182, 205
sympathetic vibrations.
fingers on bow 49 rotation 182, 255
See Intonation
first finger, experimenting squeezing xviii, 75, 102, 182
tension xv, xx, 6–7, 23
without 281 tension 195
thickness 3, 6, 274
fist bow-hold 264, 282–283 vibration, width of 2, 7, 13, 265 Thumb (right) 40
brushed 279 watching 13 contact-points 54
chords, played with spiccato stroke counterpressure 278
298 Style 93
pitch–sound–rhythm 93–94 curved xxi–xxii, 99
co-ordination 148–149, 203, 286
flexibility 21
curves 123, 284 Supination, pronation 37, 42,
détaché 285 52, 99 giving 53
Dounis, Dr D.C. 285 Flesch, Carl 44, 47 muscle contraction 41
Flesch, Carl 285 forearm rotation 123 pivot 52
flexibility, fingers and thumb 286 placement xix
Supination shift See Shifts
groups 110, 257–258 placement on bow, diagonal 39
height and length 285 Suzuki, Shin’ichi 197, 321
tension 40–41
length 285–286 Sympathetic movements 131, 198, three joints, not two 53
momentum 14–15 254 tip, pad 53, 99
pizzicato practice method 148–149,
Sympathetic vibrations
287 Timing, technical and
See Intonation
point-of-balance 120 musical 205, 219–220, 291
proportions 48, 96, 284–285, 293 Szeryng, Henryk 40, 264, 301
Tone production See also 
run, end of 289 Szigeti, Joseph 197 Bow speed
scratches 284, 286–287 bridge, bowing too far from 6
soundpoints exercise 286
T describing 9, 13–14
speed limits 110
evenness 14
string thickness 285
thumb flexibility 195 Tapping 152, 187–188 excess pressure 2–3, 84
tilt of bow 286 Tension 31, 233 impurities, high and
up not down, like pianist 283–284 associations with 163, 172, 180 low frequency xx, 13
upward movement 3 chain-reactions 164 isolating factors 12
forearm, massaging 170–171 left-finger pressure 165, 189,
Spohr, Louis 27, 249
intonation 75, 89–90 320–321
Square and extended 79–80 left forearm rotation 35 orchestral section sound 221
Square (right arm) 120 left-hand 84, 215 speed–pressure–soundpoint 13
minor pectoral 174 string thickness 5–6
Squeezing 163, 164, 197
raising shoulders 27 sustaining evenly 112
See also Fingers (left),
right-hand 44
Fingers (right) tilt of bow 265
shaking bow 195
fingers and thumb (left) xv shifts 244 Tonus 7
thumb and first finger (right) squeezing 133, 164–165
198–199 Tortelier, Paul 28
thumb (right) 40–41
Staccato 279 vibrato 183–184, 195 Tremolo 296–297
flying, solid 279 fast 256–258 sympathetic movements 296
perfect result, picturing 324 Trills xix, 151, 224
Tenths (double stop)
Stage-fright 323 string length 318 finger angles 134

339

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 339 26/03/2013 12:34:13

 models 217 concept of 225, 252 varying 206, 210
studies, fourth-finger 161 continuous 112, 257, 259–260 vibrato ‘trill’ 258
copying 329 violin, holding firmly 30
Tuning direction xv, xix width See speed and width
narrow fifths 92 Winram, James 249
dotted motion 250
unisons 57 double-contact, principle of 183 ‘wrist’ vibrato 48
exaggeration, practising by 109, 206 Viola 6, 92, 173
U expression 94, 95, 206, 220
fingers Violin
angle to body xviii, 33
Upper arm (left) See also holding down 150
flatter without shoulder rest 27
Elbow (left) square and extended 79
gripping xviii
balance 192 fingertip xvi, 158, 249, 253,
lighter, heavier 29
immobility 28 254, 256, 331
neck sloping down 32
knuckle joints, angle leading vibrato 48
position on shoulder 34, 98
to fingerboard 144 finger-vibrato 252, 255
raising 29
locking 165, 197, 314 finger, weight of xix
tilt xviii, 28, 31, 35–37, 144
space 256 four basic groups 250–251
fourth-finger 156, 158, 161, 217 Viotti, J.B. 265
Upper arm (right) 120
See also Elbow (right) groups of eight 257–258
rotation 179 hand 193, 252, 254 W
scroll, height of 32 intonation 89, 250–251
upper half 99 leading bow with 271, 279 Waves 209–210
listening 330 Winram, James 249
Upper partials 8, 8–9 mental picture 156
models 217 Wrist (left) 197
freeing 184
V Mozart, Leopold 249
give 176
nail joint 193
high 131
Végh, Sándor 110, 210 pitch xix, 250
in, out 99
third finger on bow 45 pizzicato 322
locking 165
‘playing itself’ 225
Vengerov, Maxim 174, 216 pushing out xviii, 136
proportions 96
straight line at 136
Vibrato xiv, 16, 57, 59, 101, 201, quiet playing 214
206, 208, 222, 224, 230, rolling 257 Wrist (right) 42, 48
233, 266, 267, 296, 331 scales 225 excessive movement 193
accents 259, 279 speed and width 108, 193, 206, higher, lower 99
arm 193, 252, 254, 254–255, 256 211, 213, 214–215, 249, tilt of bow 265
blind-spots xviii 251, 253, 256, 259, 331 upper half, supporting in 130
bow, shaking 195 Spohr, Louis 249
bulge notes 270 string, releasing 251 Y
chain-reactions 165 sympathetic movements 254, 296
chords 299 tension 183, 195 Yankelevich, Yuri 100, 189, 331
colour 205, 207, 221, 249, 253 throb 12, 225, 251, 257 pressure exercises 18

Index of musical examples

Bach, Johann Sebastian Sonata in C minor, op. 30 no. 2 Sonata in G, op. 78
Concerto no. 2 in E, BWV1042 mov. 1, b. 19 69 mov. 1, b. 90 176
mov. 1, b. 1 65 mov. 1, b. 212 70
Sonata in E-, op. 12 no. 3
Partita no. 3 in E, BWV 1006 Sonata no. 1 in G, op. 78
mov. 1, b. 5 271
Preludio, b. 17 106 mov. 1, b. 3 67
mov. 1, b. 23 70
Partita no. 2 in D minor, BWV1004 Sonata no. 2 in A, op. 100
Allemanda, b. 12 83 Sonata in G, op. 30 no. 3 mov. 2, b. 162 322
Fuga, b. 4 304 mov. 1, b. 51 296 mov. 2, b. 162 321
mov. 1, b. 1 210
mov. 1, b. 4 174 Sonata no. 3 in D minor, op. 108
Brahms, Johannes mov. 1, b. 29 220
Sonata no. 1 in G minor, BWV1001 mov. 2, b. 1 146
Concerto in D, op. 77 mov. 2, b. 43 216
mov. 4, b. 1 209
mov. 1, b. 90 107
mov. 3, b. 1 92
Bartók, Béla Britten, Benjamin
First Rhapsody Scherzo (Sonatensatz), WoO2 Simple Symphony
mov. 1, b. 2 108 b. 3 101 mov. 2, b. 1 319
mov. 1, b. 38 108 b. 10 259
Bruch, Max
Beethoven, Ludwig van Sonata in D minor, op. 108 Concerto in G minor, op. 26
Concerto in D, op. 61 mov. 1, b. 1 37 mov. 1, b. 6 66
mov. 1, b. 89 107 mov. 1, b. 61 72 mov. 1, b. 6 276

340

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 340 26/03/2013 12:34:13

 (Concerto in G minor, op. 26) no. 33, b. 1 83 Sarasate, Pablo de
mov. 1, b. 10 276 no. 35, b. 12 112
Carmen Fantasy, op. 25
mov. 1, b. 16 6 no. 36, b. 1 130
Introduction, b. 49 113
mov. 1, b. 16 273 no. 37, b. 1 201
Introduction, b. 65 241
mov. 3, b. 19 112
Introduction, b. 137 277
mov. 1, b. 34 298 Lalo, Edouard Introduction, b. 158 245
mov. 1, b. 37 83
mov. 1, b. 37 260 Symphonie Espagnole, op. 21
b. 37 224 Habanera, op. 21 no. 2,
mov. 3, b. 44 84 b. 26 122
mov. 1, b. 45 269
Massenet, Jules Malagueña, op. 21 no. 1
Campagnoli, Bartolomeo Méditation from Thaïs b. 55 203
New method for the violin b. 3 253
Playera, op. 23 no. 1
part 4, no. 236 240 b. 4 65
Mendelssohn, Felix b. 4 212
Chausson, Ernest Concerto in E minor, op. 64 b. 7 222
Poème, op. 25 mov. 1, b. 2 67 b. 31 228
b. 117 68 mov. 1, b. 84 123 b. 88 228
mov. 1, b. 85 296
mov. 2, b. 9 72 Zigeunerweisen, op. 20, no. 1
Dont, Jakob b. 98 321
24 Etudes and Caprices, op. 35
no. 3, b. 1
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Schnittke, Alfred
110 Concerto no. 3 in G major, K216
mov. 1, b. 51 63 Suite in the Old Style
mov. 1, b. 78 213 Ballet, b. 9 284
Dvořák, Antonin Fugue, b. 41 76
mov. 2, b. 9 107
Romance, op. 11
b. 43 76 Concerto no. 4 in D, K218 Schubert, Franz
mov. 1, b. 42 162
Sonatina in A, op. 137 no. 2
Elgar, Elgar mov. 1, b. 42 194
mov. 1, b. 31 108
mov. 1, b. 42 283
Sonata in E minor, op. 82 mov. 1, b. 45 89
mov. 1, b. 131 215 Sonatina in G minor, op. posth. 137
mov. 1, b. 52 72 no. 3, mov. 4, b. 1 261
mov. 1, b. 57 207
Fauré, Gabriel mov. 3, b. 23 287 Sonatine in D, op. 137 no. 1
Sonata in A, op. 13 mov. 1, b. 1 70
Concerto no. 5 in A, K219
mov. 1, b. 57 68
mov. 1, b. 40 69
mov. 1, b. 40 267 Ševčík, Ottakar
Fiocco, Joseph-Hector mov. 1, b. 40 270 Changes of Position and
Allegro, b. 18 145 Scale Exercises, op. 8
Sonata in B-, K454 no. 1, b. 1 269
mov. 1, b. 1 66
Franck, César mov. 1, b. 14 284
mov. 1, b. 50 210 Sibelius, Jean
Sonata in A, op. 26
mov. 1, b. 5 108, 278 Concerto in D minor, op. 47
mov. 2, b. 48 209 Symphony no. 39 in E-, K543 mov. 1, b. 4 107
mov. 2, b. 56 206 var. 6, b. 1 116 mov. 1, b. 20 272
mov. 2, b. 95 70
mov. 2, b. 168 266 Violin Concerto no. 4 in D, K218
mov. 1, b. 49 80 Tartini-Kreisler
Variations on a theme by Corelli
Grieg, Edvard var. 1, b. 1 308
Paganini, Niccolò
Sonata in C minor, op. 45
mov. 1, b. 145 214 24 Caprices, op. 1
no. 1, b. 1 213 Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich
mov. 1, b. 254 245
no. 3, b. 2 280 Concerto in D, op. 35
no. 15, b. 15 271 mov. 1, b. 23 65
Handel, George Frederic no. 15, b. 19 289 mov. 1, b. 23 150
Sonata no. 4 in D, op. 1 no. 13 no. 19, b. 1 315 mov. 1, b. 40 305
mov. 2, b. 24 114 no. 24, var. 6, b. 1 113 mov. 3, b. 416 271

Three Pieces, op. 42

Kabalevsky, Dmitri Provost, Heinz
Meditation, b. 20 72
Concerto in C, Op. 48 Intermezzo, b. 25 116 Meditation, b. 34 216
mov. 1, b. 9 xxii
Pugnani-Kreisler Violin Concerto in D, op. 35
Kayser, Heinrich Ernst mov. 1, cadenza 276
Praeludium and Allegro
Etudes, op. 20 no. 1 295 Praeludium, b. 21 84, 174
Praeludium, b. 35 51
Vivaldi, Antonio
Kreisler, Fritz Allegro, b. 41 77 Concerto in G minor, op. 12 no. 1
mov. 1, b. 7 270
Caprice Viennois, op. 2
b. 21 329 Rode, Pierre
Wieniawski, Henryk
Concerto no. 7 in A minor, op. 9
Kreutzer, Rodolphe mov. 1, b. 4 174 Concerto no. 2 in D minor, op. 22
mov. 1, b. 68 208
42 Etudes ou caprices
no. 2, b. 1 100 Saint-Saëns, Camille Polonaise brillante, op. 21
no. 6, b. 1 37 Concerto no. 3 in B minor, op. 61 b. 23 324
no. 8, b. 1 271 mov. 1, b. 20 267 b. 78 313
no. 13, b. 1 264
no. 30, b. 11 296 Havanaise, Op. 83 210 Scherzo-Tarentelle, op. 16
no. 31, b. 20 211 b. 48 65 b. 40 111

341

EP72151 Fischer - The Violin Lesson (TEXT).indd 341 26/03/2013 12:34:14