Baroque etudes

[bryan]

Are there any etudes and/or exercises that are specifically suited to aiding in Baroque style playing?

[Andres Sender]

Not in the modern sense of etudes. But the Geminiani tutor has a lot exercises and music in it. The Leopold Mozart book is also full of illustrations regarding style, and does include a number of useful exercises–it’s a must-have for anyone wanting to play baroque style in any case.

Although there are some useful collections of baroque music, I don’t know of an edition that presents graded material truly edited from an HIP perspective, so to play in the style you basically have to either have a teacher who really knows the style, or really learn what’s in the Mozart book so you know what to do with the music. Of course preferably you’ll do both.

[bryan]

Thank you Andres. What is the full name of the Mozart book?

[Andres Sender]

Here you are. I ordered mine direct from Oxford U. Press but couldn't find it at the website just now.

A Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing

While I'm at it, you can get the Geminiani book here:

The Art of Playing on the Violin

[bryan]

Thank you! Too bad they didn't have a viola version . . .

[tradfiddle]

Bryan,

Are you looking for a set of Baroque / early Classical Viola etudes / methods? If so I can post some excellent references (although all are in French!).

[tradfiddle]

In addition to Geminiani and Mozart for violin there is also Corrette with:

l'Ecole d'Orphee op.18

and

L'Art de se perfectionner dans le violon.

The former gives good examples of student level Baroque pieces demonstrating the difference between French and Italian style. The latter shows precise fingerings for more difficult pieces and shifts. Both are available from King's Music as facsimiles: www.kings-music.co.uk

For viola there is an outstanding compilation of French methods from the 'golden age of viola' (e.g. ca. 1760 to 1810). Classical rather than Baroque, I know, but this is the period when the viola begins to get its own solo repertoire (with Flackton, Corrette, Graun, Bruni, Hoffmeister, Rolla, VanHal, Stamitz et al.). This book is worth its weight in gold for the period violist and has enough etudes to last a lifetime. It is:

Laine, Frederic (2002) Corpus Pedagogique pour l'Alto (Volume 1). Periode Classique, Domaine Francais 1. Sprimont: AMICUS/Mardaga.

Within it are the excellent Methods and Etudes of Corrette (1773) and Bruni, as well as many others including those of Cupis and Martinn. Those of Bruni are available in more recent editions. (Methode pour l'Alto-Viola, Suivis de 25 Etudes). I got my copy of Laine through the French Amazon website.

[bryan]

Thanks tradfiddle, that's exactly what I'm looking for. I guess I could always brush up on my French too . . .

[bryan]

I found another I would like to share with the group:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/det...F8&v=glance