Last week, one of my students pointed out that there is a violin playing grasshopper in James and the Giant Peach, the 1996 film based on the book by Roald Dahl. Here is a scene from the movie. If you’re familiar with this scene and you’ve always wondered what the grasshopper is playing, it’s the Gavotte en Rondeau from Bach’s Partita No. 3. Here is a great performance by violinist Ilya Kaler:
Here are two short videos that show Shinichi Suzuki working with students. They offer a glimpse of the good humor and almost childlike joy for which Suzuki was known. In the first clip Suzuki demonstrates the students’ ability to stop and start at any point in the last movement of the Bach A minor Concerto (Suzuki Violin Book 7). The game he uses reinforces the idea that you really know a piece well if …
Technique is conception. -Zvi Zeitlin As we begin a new year of practicing, let’s consider the mental side of violin playing. The concepts we hold in mind can be an important guide for sound, phrasing, musical style and other aspects of playing. Technique should always serve the musical concept. In many cases, starting with a musical concept can propel us over a technical hurdle. Think about your last practice session. Did you …
Here are some inspiring clips featuring the great Russian violinist, Maxim Vengerov. In the first video, Vengerov performs the Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957). The Chicago Symphony accompanies, conducted by Daniel Barenboim. The concerto is followed by two encores: The Sarabanda from J.S. Bach’s Partita No. 2 for Solo Violin (0:35:31) and Eugene Ysaye’s Ballad (0:40:06). Polish violinist and composer Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880) contributed greatly to the development …
August 6 marked the passing of one of the twentieth century’s greatest violinists, Ruggiero Ricci. Ricci’s playing was notable for its fire, brilliance and daredevil virtuosity. Like Yehudi Menuhin, Ruggiero Ricci was a child prodigy and a student of the legendary teacher Louis Persinger. Ricci’s long career provided a link between the world of Ysaye, Kreisler and Heifetz and the present. Go to NPR and Slipped Disk for video of Ruggiero Ricci’s playing and more …
“Beautiful tone, beautiful heart.” “Tone has a living soul without form.” -Shinichi Suzuki Tonalization is “the ability to produce and recognize a beautiful, ringing tone.” Dr. Suzuki observed that singers cultivate their voices daily through “vocalization” exercises. He believed that instrumentalists should approach tone in a similar way. Great musicians make their instruments “sing”, developing a concept of tone that is inspired by the natural expression of the human voice. Tonalization starts …
The beginning of a new year is a great time to evaluate our practicing and to reaffirm our commitment to consistent, thoughtful practicing. How we practice is as important as how much we practice. Here are some tips to keep in mind: 1. Practice Every Day In some ways, practicing is like exercise. If it’s sporadic you won’t see progress and you’ll be constantly frustrated. When practicing becomes a part of your daily routine, …