I highly recommend this book!

[Irene]

I'm about 2/3 of the way through "Violin Mastery" by Frederick Martens. The book is made up of 24 interviews with great violinists of that time (the book was published in 1918), including Ysaye, Auer, Elman, Heifetz, Kreisler, and others.

It is fascinating to read what they have to say about practice, artistry, ensemble and solo playing, etc.

If this book has a fault, it would be that a few of the things described are a little out of date (one of the violinists vehemently opposes the use of chin rests; perlon strings had not been invented yet, etc.) And of course they cannot speak about music schools and teachers of the late 20th century.

If someone has read "The Way They Play" by Applebaum, could you comment about that too? I haven't read it, but I understand that Applebaum is very long if one wants to read the whole thing. If "The Way They Play" is similar to "Violin Mastery", I would be interested in hearing about what modern violinists would say about these same topics.

Irene

[D_A]

I, too, liked "Violin Mastery". I haven't read them in years, but I believe "The Way They Play" is published in a number of different volumes, each of which covers several violinists. If you like VM, you will probably like TWTP.

: I'm about 2/3 of the way through "Violin Mastery" by Frederick Martens. The book is made up of 24 interviews with great violinists of that time (the book was published in 1918), including Ysaye, Auer, Elman, Heifetz, Kreisler, and others.

: It is fascinating to read what they have to say about practice, artistry, ensemble and solo playing, etc.

: If this book has a fault, it would be that a few of the things described are a little out of date (one of the violinists vehemently opposes the use of chin rests; perlon strings had not been invented yet, etc.) And of course they cannot speak about music schools and teachers of the late 20th century.

: If someone has read "The Way They Play" by Applebaum, could you comment about that too? I haven't read it, but I understand that Applebaum is very long if one wants to read the whole thing. If "The Way They Play" is similar to "Violin Mastery", I would be interested in hearing about what modern violinists would say about these same topics.

: Irene