How to Practice Sevcik's Masterworks

ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC - Preparatory Studies in Double Stopping, Op. 9

2013-10-23T20:49:00.002-07:00

The exercises with their variants are to be practised slowly, rhythmically and no louder than mf.
Forward or backward shifting of double stoppings to a higher or lower position should at first be very slow. The fingers should be placed on the strings so lightly that gliding through the intervals can proceed without jerking. Any faulty intonation must be corrected immediately. In doing this, the intention is not to move both fingers simultaneously, but rather to correct the lower note first, and then the upper one.

ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC - Changes of Position and Preparatory Scale Studies, Op. 8

2013-10-23T20:48:00.001-07:00

CHANGES OF POSITION AND PREPARATORY SCALE STUDIES Op. 8
The change of position exercises are one of Sevcik's most outstanding violin works. Quite apart from the gain to the intonation that can be obtained from them, they are also of the greatest importance for learning correct movement; for they demand an especially combined feeling for both holding and fingering. The change of position shows up in the clearest way that correct playing movements cannot be achieved by rigid jamming of the violin between shoulder and jaw. The change of position demands an acute feeling of equilibrium between hold and support of the hand. Essentially, it is this feeling of equilibrium which must be practised during the shift, or rather it must be acquired and refined. Therefore, one should not try to exclude the unsafe feeling by rigid jamming of the violin between shoulder and chin, but rather one should have the courage to practise balancing between the shifts. This is the only way in which absolute assurance in shifting can be achieved.
During all this, the left wrist remains stabilised and upright. Up to the fourth position the thumb should never abandon its place opposite to the fingers, and it should never during the downwards shift be allowed to reach back ahead of the hand. The more the grip is closed, the more smoothly can the shift proceed. The height of the thumb on the neck of the violin is dependent on the size of the hand and the arm's turning capacity. In the middle position of the hand the thumb will mostly lie on the neck with the inner side of the first joint, for the most efficient hold results from this position. According to Sevcik's directions, every bar should be repeated several times. It should then be played with the next bar and then both should be repeated together. The second and third, third and fourth, and so forth, should be treated similarly. Then the whole exercise should be played coherently, practising at first detache in the middle of the bow, then slurring the separate groups of crotchets, then two groups of crotchets, and last the whole bar. The arm moves forwards and backwards as on a hinge and leads the hand which is stabilised at the wrist, through the position. One should specially guard against lifting the wrist during the shift downwards. Preparatory Scale Studies
The old-fashioned shift of a third is now replaced by a shift of a fourth in the higher positions. Fingering of any scale is the same up or down, major or minor. Scales should be practised daily, in a different key in triplets (58th exercise) and in semiquavers (59th exercise), detache and slurred. At first very slowly, rhythmically and with a very pronounced shift.

ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC - Preparatory Studies to the Shake, Op. 7

2013-10-23T20:45:00.002-07:00

PREPARATORY STUDIES TO THE SHAKE Op. 7
The first book contains trill studies in the 1st position; the second is more or less a repetition of these in the other positions. When the trill functions are correctly grasped the study of both books may be reduced to a few specially useful exercises. In later days Sevcik no more asked that the finger be lifted high and then dropped with some force unto the string when trilling, as this move is not physiologically sound. The lower as well as the trilling finger should, on the contrary, be placed on the string as elastically as possible, and in no case should the trilling finger be pulled up high by special exertion ; it should strike the string from normal height.
The beating of the trill should be aurally controlled already.at low speed to ensure correct function. The impression should be one of light elastic bounce, materially different from simple placing of the fingers. A functionally correct trill can only be produced from the vertical hand in elastic equilibrium. If the shake is accelerated, a " locked shake " which is produced by hypertension of the hand muscles, should never be used. A functionally correct trill must not give rise to a feeling of hypertension. With the right methods of practice, exercises 1, 2, 3, 8, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20 and 23 in the first book will be sufficient. All shake exercises should be practised at first slowly throughout, then with double acceleration, and with rhythmical precision. From book 2, exercises 11, 13, 15, 16 and 17 will suffice.

ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC - School of Bowing Technic, Op.2

2013-10-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

   Of the six books, two (I and II) are devoted to the training of the arm movements and four (III, IV, V and VI) to the training of the joints of the hand. It follows from this that the exercises contained in both parts are to be practised alternately,
   In the School of Bowing Technic Sevcik used his outstanding gift of combination in developing supremely efficient exercises for all bowing possibilities. However, if play is functionally correct, it is possible to make do with only a part of these to learn a special set of movements. If this is functionally established, one may at times do without the variants.   On the other hand it must be considered that these variants in particular give the playing technic extraordinary assurance and polish because they deal exhaustively with all movements of play.
To the practising material and its faultless acquisition, the same basic principle applies as to the technic of the left hand. Studies and exercises here are comparable to the wall-bar in the training of ballet dancers: it is not the use of the bar which will lead to success, but rather the method of training at it.
   The bow-hold as postulated by Sevcik has already been discussed. It is the sense of touch in the right hand which is of decisive importance for faultless bowing. Here the position of the right arm is of only secondary importance, i.e., it has to adjust to the requirements of the hand. Hence it is inefficient and dangerous to allow the arm to take a certain position, to which hand movements would have to conform. The less the arm participates in the bowing technic, the smoother and more precise is the playing. Exact rhythm in the execution of bowing exercises is essential.
There are two advantages to the method of counting loudly demanded at times by Sevcik : first, it is more reliable than beating with the foot which will automatically accelerate as the number of notes increases, and, secondly, loud counting promotes independence
of play.
   The 1st and 2nd exercises serve to establish control of bowhold and bowing in general. Rests in the 1st, 3rd and 5th variants of the 2nd exercise should be used for controlling the tension of grip and direction of bow, and to correct them if necessary. The same goes for exercise 3, particularly in the variants 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15. Arm movements in full bow should be flowing and any unnecessary lift of the upper arm and elbow is to be avoided. Together with the 5th exercise, the 29th exercise from the second part of the " Bowing Technic " should be started. Crossing of strings should here be practised wherever possible by bending the wrist. Particularly the 30th exercise with variants (missing out one or two strings) should be played in this manner with only slight use of the forearm. Starting from here the bowing exercises of the first part should be used alternately with those from the second part. Detache bowing should never be pressed, but should sound intense and forceful also when played piano ; this is to be achieved only through a kinesthetic feeling of elasticity in the right hand. Any unnecessary lifting of the right arm forces the tone and deprives it of its carrying power.
    Spiccato is a bouncing technic of medium rapidity, in which the springing effect is produced through co-operation of the hand and forearm in dropping and rebounding. As a preparatory exercise the hand should perform a small semi-circular movement and at the centre of this motion the string should be touched during the up and down bow.
   The sautille on the other hand is a technic which develops from the detache. As soon as the bowhold relaxes somewhat during a quick detache, and the pressure of the bow on the string is thereby decreased, sautille will result due to the stick's proper elasticity.
An immediate start of sautill~ is effected by accentuating the first note, so that the bow bounces off the string.
   Staccato is best practised at first as a rolling movement in which the next lower string will also be bowed.
When this rolling motion has been sufficiently practised, the lower string will no more be touched.
   Staccato downwards is produced without change of bowhold but by raising the hand a little, which turns the stick inwards and the hair outwards.
Flying staccato is a combination of spiccato and staccato. The frequency of the bounce and thereby
the rapidity of the flying staccato will be increased, if the hand is slightly bent downwards at the wrist, and thereby tilted inwards.
Staccato ricochet (spring bow) is produced through the proper elasticity, of the bow. As a preparatory exercise, the bow should be thrown at the empty A string at down bow and slightly pulled immediately (but steadily) after the first drop; it is best to hold the bow only with the thumb and index finger. If the stick is not impeded by being pulled too quickly or too slowly, it will develop its own drumlike rebound, which gradually becomes smaller and quicker. This proper vibration of the bow is used in ricochet. One practises scales with it by playing first 3, then 4, 5, 6, etc. notes, keeping in mind that the bounce decreases, and that fingering therefore must be speeded up.
The spring bow arpeggios become ricochet arpeggios if taken at a fast speed. The bowhold should be very elastic, and the movement of the arm no bigger than necessary for crossing the strings. To keep the spring bow arpeggios at an even flow, a slight accent must be placed on the lowest note, which will give renewed ricocheting impetus to the bow.
The 20th exercise in sustained notes and retarded bow should not be neglected. Any unnecessary participation of the arm will be automatically excluded, because the player will feel it is inefficient.
The exercises in the higher positions should also be practised intensively. These are: exercises 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 25 and 26. Practising bowing in high positions, i.e. with shortened string vibrations, is of great advantage to the technic of bowing.

ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC Op. I PART 4

2013-10-23T20:37:00.001-07:00

   In his personal teaching, Sevcik recommended the following exercise for all double stoppings, e.g., for octaves :
   In this, especially the uninterrupted gliding from the third into the first, and from the first into the
third position is to be practised, and in doing this the fingers should glide over rapidly and lightly to stop the higher or lower strings the moment they leave their position. The jamming of the violin between shoulder and jaw should be avoided. It cannot be overemphasized that the assurance of the virtuoso cannot be achieved through a stable grip of the instrument, but only through a flexible equilibrium between body and instrument. This exercise (in all keys) is to be played slowly and piano. A turther and very useful exercise by Sevcik for the contracting finger intervals in high positions follows:
   2nd and 3rd fingers to be placed lightly on the upper string. Up to the fourth position, the thumb
should glide up and down alongside the hand without any individual movement.
Exercise 1
At first the intervals should be played with light gliding fingers. When intonation appears assured,
change of position in quicker tempo should be lightly jerked with the left hand, or rather, the forearm.
Exercise 2
First every group of quavers, whole bow. Pure intonation of the intervals within the octave to be
watched. Overstretching should be avoided by placing the fingers lightly.
Exercise 3
At first glide slowly and piano from interval to interval. Afterwards, jerked from the hand more
quickly and, lightly.
Exercise 4
The preparation to the fingered octaves to be practised with a minimum tension of the hand. In
the first exercise, hand and thumb should follow elastically the position of the first finger. In the
subsequent fingering exercises the hand should be held relatively horizontal to enable the player to distribute the necessary stretch more efficiently also to the 1st and 2nd finger and thus take strain off the 3rd and 4th. To be practised slowly, evenly and piano. At first, every group of crotchets full bow.
Exercise 5
Thirds to be practised at first as follows:
Then practise with the second and fourth fingers. Scales in thirds may then follow. If intonation is
faulty, tones should be singled out.
Exercise 6
   Here too, notes to be played singly and checked for intonation if double stoppings are not well in tune. At first very slowly and piano. Every group of crotchets whole bow.
Exercise 7
Combinations of double stoppings to be fingered as elastically as possible, slowly and piano. At first whole bow for a quarter of a bar.
Exercise 8
Practise in the same manner as the preceding.
Exercise 9
Chromatic thirds to be practised with relatively horizontal hand position, fingers to be placed as
lightly as possible. Slowly and piano, detache at first.
Exercise 10
Sixths to be practised at first as follows：
The original scales in sixths may now be taken.
Exercise 11
Fingers should be placed lightly. Every group of :rotchets to a bow to be played slowly.
Exercise 12
Preparatory exercise to playing in tenths:
1n this, the index should be stretched backwards to the E peg (:-), and from this position reach for
the lower note of the tenth with the first finger, whilst the 4th finger stops the upper note. When playing in tenths the tension of the fingers should be distributed fanwise over the whole hand, and not left to the 4th finger alone. Then the following to be practised:
Next, the original exercise.
Exercises 13 to 16
The applied double stop exercises are to be practised detache at first. If the intonation is faulty, double stoppings should be broken up, and that always from the lower note upwards.
Exercise 17
The three-part chords should first be practised as follows:
Then the original variants 1, 2, and 3.   Thereafter, each chord sounded simultaneously, on down
bows. In this, the middle string should first be gripped by the bow hair, so that the whole chord
sounds " unbroken ".
Exercise 18
The four-part chords are first practised arpeggiated:
Then the original variants.
Exercise 19
The pizzicato finger should be pulled off the string with a quick elastic movement.
Exercise 20
In pizzicato exercises with sustained bowed notes the fingertip should flip lightly off the string, applying moderate pressure only, so as not to touch the strings with the sustained notes.
Exercise 21
Both fingers should be placed lightly when playing harmonics. The finger nearest the nut should not press the string down on the fingerboard; the touch by the " harmonic " finger should be hardly perceptible. If the finger near the nut is too heavily exerted, hypertensions will result which impede both the intonation and the required stretches for double harmonics. When playing scales in harmonics, gliding from note to note should be practised as follows:
And this is how the original scales in harmonics should be practised.
Exercise 22
Arpeggios in harmonics to be practised in the same way:
Exercise 23
Preparatory exercise for double harmonics in thirds.
   The double harmonics in sixths to be practised in the same way.
When practising natural and harmonic tones mixed, sounded simultaneously, the natural note should not be stopped by pressing against the fingerboard. Pressure of the bow should be adjusted to the harmonic.

ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC Op. I PART 3

2013-10-23T20:30:00.001-07:00

Op. I PART 3
Exercise 1
To be practised alternately detache and slurred with the upper and lower fingering. When changing position, the thumb glides down slightly, under the neck of the violin, gradually and without jerking as the position becomes higher. No separate movements of the thumb. In practising the inaudible change of position demanded by modern technic, the broken thirds in the second bar should be played with the following fingering:
Exercise 2
For smoothness the shift of a fourth is to be preferred to the shift of the third when playing scales.
The following fingerings are recommended for scales preferring shift of the fourth, without regard to the harmonic progression of G major, or G minor, up to F major or minor. The change of position remains the same up and down, in major or minor. (Vide also Preparatory Scale Studies, Op. 8).
Like any stringed instrument, the violin, basically tuned in pure intervals, requires tempering of pitch to the vibration ratio during play. Intonation should be pressed to the extreme of what is subjectively felt as correct. Such a performance will create a colourful impression of purity and intensity of sound.
The B natural, attuned as a sixth to D, will sound flat when played together with E.
Alternately, the B, played as a lower tone to E in a chord, will sound too sharp for D. It follows that B must be tempered if these tones are to be played following each other or sounding together.
The leading notes require special attention: they should always be played sharp to the extreme upper
limit. Acuity in differentiating pure intonation is soon developed if critically practised. The student
will realise when he has to finger sharp or flat according to tonal requirements. Sevcik often used the intensive study of fourths as an excellent means for training the ear and furthering pure intonation. These should be played in all keys as follows :
The scales should be practised detache, and then in the three variants given by Sevcik.
Exercise 3
The intervals between the positions must be covered by gliding at light finger pressure. The wrist should remain stabilised.
Exercise 4
To be practised as follows:
The triads should first be played slowly. Whole bows and half bows should sound alike. Next, half
and then whole bars to be slurred.
Exercise 5
First to be practised in groups of 5 notes: Then dotted : L1/4 W.B.U1/4
Thereafter the original with the given bowing variants.
Exercise 6
First to be practised in groups of 5 notes, as in the previous exercise. Then with light and elastic finger attack:
Slowly and grouped at first, with whole bow. Then twice as fast, bar by bar, whole bow.
Exercise 7
The triplets to be practised as in No. 4. Then with all possible double stoppings:
Exercise 8
To be practised with light fingers. Special attention to be paid to pure semitones, particularly on the
E string. If the whole bar is slurred, the first note of every group should be lightly stressed.
Exercise 9
Care should be taken neither to let the fingers stretch off nor pull in, so that they always remain above the strings. In high positions, the fingers should not be placed fully on the tip and thus crowded off the fingerboard, but rather the 'smallest possible part of the fingertip should be used.
Exercise 10
To be practised at first slowly detache and piano. Smoothly and slowly glide through changes of position, with full attention to faultless intonation. Stretching of the fingers should be as elastic and yielding as possible.
Exercises 11 and 12
The exercises for change of position and intonation should be practised with supple arm action without partial movement of the thumb, as lightly and elastically as possible. The larger the interval jumps, the more care should be taken to balance the violin easily and to avoid any rigid position of the instrument.
Exercises 13 and 14
These exercises also should be played with true balance of the violin and without jamming. The
jumps in exercise 14 should be executed by the forearm and hand as elastically as possible from the
wrist.

ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC Op. I PART 2b

2013-10-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

Exercise 16
   Change of position from the first to the third should be only controlled by the arm, without bending the wrist and without reaching forward or backward with the thumb.
Exercise 17
When stretching, strain of the hand muscles will be avoided if fingers stop the string lightly.
Exercise 18
   In this important exercise, use is made of the independence of the fingers acquired through the previous exercises. First detache in the middle of the bow. Tempo: andante, fingers placed lightly. Then, ahways at the same speed, 4 notes slurred (middle), then 8 notes (whole bow), and then 16 notes (whole bow). There should be no increase in tempo until the several bars of the exercise can be produced with pure intonation, and the shifting of semitone intervals can be fingered effortless and without strain. Only then may the speed be doubled, with fingers gliding closely over the strings. First slur 8 notes, whole bow.
Exercise 19
First, the double bars are to be played detache; then slurs to quarter bars, half and full bars. Correct
faulty intonation by tracing single tones.
Exercise 20
To be practised as 27, book 1.
Exercise 21
The left arm is pulled in slightly more towards the middle of the body so that the hand is poised above the fingerboard, but this must not produce overstretching.
Exercise 22
First to be practised broken up, in quavers, then in double stoppings, one bar at a time.
If intonation is faulty, double stoppings must be broken up and intonation corrected.
Exercise 23
   First detache, then one, two, four and eight groups of triplets slurred together.
Exercises 24 and 25
Care should be taken to exclude jerks from the gliding movements of the hand which is worked by
the arm. No separate thumb movements.
Exercise 26
To be practised as 21, book 1.
Exercise 27
Four, eight and sixteen notes to be slurred.
Exercise 28
First detache, then slurs. Correct faulty intonation by tracing single tones.
Exercise 29
To be practised as 27, book 1.
Exercises 30 to 41
   (5th to 7th position, same principles as in previous exercises).

ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC Op. I PART 2a

2013-07-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

The exercises in this book are designed to help the student to achieve mastery in position playing.
They should be used in the order given by Sevcik. See footnote, first page, part 2, of the " School of
Violin Technic."
Already at a time when the odd positions were preferred to the even ones Sevcik emphasized the
importance of developing a good technic in the even positions. Since modern violin technic recognises the great importance of smooth position work and avoids audible portamenti even in the cantilena wherever possible, the use of the even positions is important.
Particularly the second position is essential not only for the smooth performance but also for the playing function. The middle position of the hand between the nut and the ribs of the violin is cogent for its balance.
Exercises 1 to 3
These exercises are to be played in the same manner as the corresponding ones in the first position. (Part l, exercises 1, 17 and 15 respectively).
Exercise 4
The shift from the first to the second position has to be executed from the arm while the wrist remains stable. The thumb should reach neither forward nor backward.
Exercise 5
As exercise 4.
Exercise 6
When stretching, strain of the hand muscles will be avoided if fingers stop the string lightly.
Exercise 7
In this important exercise, use is made of the independence of the fingers acquired through the
previous exercise. First detache in the middle of the bow. Tempo: andante, fingers placed lightly. Next, always at the same speed, 4 notes slurred (middle), then 8 notes (whole bow), and then 16 notes(whole bow). There should be no increase in tempo until the several bars of the exercise can be produced with pure intonation, and the shifting of semitone intervals can be fingered effortless and without strain. Only then may the speed be doubled, with fingers gliding closely over the strings. First slur 8 notes, whole bow.
Exercise 8
As exercise 22 in book 1.
Exercise 9
Principle of playing chromatic scales in position: up, once 4th, twice 1st finger; down, once 1st, twice 4th finger.
Exercise 10
First, the double bars are to be played detache; then slurs to quarter bars, half and full bars. Correct
faulty intonation by tracing single tones.
Exercise 11
To be practised as 27, in book 1.
Exercise 12
Double stops, with light finger attack only. As a rule, if intonation of the double stoppings is faulty,
each tone should be played separately to trace which of the two notes was out. At first detache middle, then whole bar slurred.
Exercise 13
To be practised with 4, 8 and 16 notes to a bow.
Exercise 14
First to be practised broken up, in quavers, then in double stoppings, one bar at a time.
The double stoppings detache for two bars, then one bar to a bow. If intonation is faulty, double
stoppings must be broken up and intonation corrected.
As soon as it is satisfactory, the given variant may be practised.
Exercise 15
These exercises are to be played in the same manner as the conesponding ones in the first position. (Part 1, exercises 14, 15 and 16).

ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC Op. I PART 1

2012-05-31T09:50:00.001-07:00

Exercise 1 The first four lines are to be played in crotchets, slowly (andante)and piano, with very little tension in the uptight left hand. At first the fingers should not be kept down. Pressure must be light: the string should not be pressed closely to the fingerboard.
It is important to concentrate on a feeling of elasticity in touch. To be practised at first detache in the middle, repeating every bar several times. Subsequently, every bar should also be taken several times slurred, whole bow. Then, the printed original variants should be practised in quavers and semiquavers.
On principle, every acceleration to double the speed.
This method is applied to all four lines.
The exercises in semiquavers now following should be fingered just as lightly as the crotchets. They should be played at first piano, andante, as quavers, detache, in the middle of the bow. Here too, fingers should at first not be kept down. Every bar to be repeated like this several times.
After this, every bar should be practised slurred, whole bow, but still slowly, until the speed can be doubled without impeding the grasp. Every exercise should be repeated several times. Movements must be light, effortless and fluent. Only then may the lower two fingers be kept down.
Exercises 2, 3 and 4
are to be played in the same manner.
Exercise 5
This especially important exercise should be practised very slowly at first, deache, in the middle of the bow, and mezzo piano. fringer attack should be light (string not to be pressed closely to the fingerboard). Then, at the same speed, each triplet should be played slurred, then two triplets to a bow, thereafter the whole bar. Then the whole bar with whole bow at the same speed, the first note of each triplet to be stressed. Accents are produced by a slight pressure of the right index finger. As soon as the intonation becomes faultless and the grasp is unimpeded, the exercise should be played at double speed, each bar slurred, and without stresses. This is an exercise for constant recapitulation. The daily ration is 4 to 8 groups of double bars, from memory and functionally perfect, i.e. fluent and relaxed.
Exercises 6 and 7
to be practised as Exercise 1
Exercise 8 In this important exercise, use is made of the independence of the fingers acquired through the previous exercise. First detache in the middle of the bow. Tempo: andante, fingers placed lightly. Next, always at the same speed, 4 notes slurred (middle), then 8 notes (whole bow), and then 16 notes (whole bow). There should be no increase in tempo until the several bars of the exercise can be produced with pure intonation, and the shifting of semitone intervals can be fingered effortless and without strain. Only then may the speed be doubled, with fingers gliding closely over the strings. First slur 8 notes, whole bow.
Exercise 9
contains shifting of semitone intervals in groups of triplets, and should be practised like exercise 5.
Exercise 11 should now be dealt with, before No. 10.
Exercise 11
To be played in the middle of the bow. Small elastic wrist movements should be used for crossing strings. Bowing variants 2 to 64 should be played in the middle of the bow, unless half or full bow is required.
Exercise 10
To be played at first detache in the middle, and repeated bar by bar. The change of string has to be effected smoothly and imperceptibly through slight wrist and forearm movements. Next, 4 notes should be slurred (half bow, middle), then 8 notes (whole bow). Similarly, bar 2 is to be practised, and then the first and second bars together (whole bow). Next the given semiquaver variantes.
Exercise 12 The scales are first practised detache, andante, piano, in the middle of the bow. The fingers should be placed on the fingerboard with little tension and not lifted higher than absolutely necessary. Pulling inwards of the fourth finger to be avoided: if it tends to do so, it should lean lightly against the third finger.
After this, the scale should be played, in groups of five, up and down.
Then, the variant marked (b) in the original is practised with whole bow. Next, one octave in the middle of the bow, with light fingers, at double speed. The hand should not turn round its lateral axis.
Exercise 13
Scales in broken thirds require absolutely faultless finger action, due to the mutation of fingering. The placing of fingers should be as light as possible. Ex.

(a) should be practised first at slow speed, then
(b), twice as fast in groups of 5 notes.

The left arm should not be pulled in more than necessary, the hand should not turn round its lateral axis.

Exercises 14, 15 and 16
These exercises are to be practised detache in the middle of the bow. Every two bars of the exercises
in sixths as follows:

Exercises 15 and 16 should be practised with whole bow, up and down stroke. Then in the middle, changes of strings to be effected by movements of the wrist with only slight use of the forearm.

Exercise 17
First to be practised broken up, in quavers, then in double stoppings, one bar at a time.
The double stoppings detache for two bars, then one bar to a bow. If intonation is faulty, double stoppings must be broken up and intonation corrected.
As soon as it is satisfactory, the given variant may be practised.
Exercise 18
To be practised daily in a different key. Groups of triplets to be practised first as follows:
Then apply two to three variants of the given bowings.
Exercise 19
First detache with light fingers, piano, in the middle of the bow. Watch clean semitone shifts. Then bar by bar with light finger placing and full bow.
Exercise 20
The back fingers (mute fingered notes) should be kept down during the whole bar, but only if the remaining fingering can function without undue strain.
The aim is to place both mute and sounded stops on so lightly that no strain results. Bowing variants as given. First detache in the middle, then legato whole bow, excepting the upper semiquaver variant where one triplet should be played detache in the middle, the next legato in the middle.
Exercise 21
Should be practised at first as follows:
Then:
Thereafter the original exercise is to be played detache, middle of the bow, then half a bar to the bow (whole bow) and then the whole bar slurred (whole bow).
Exercise 22 First to be practised:
If possible the hand should not be turned round its lateral axis. Then practice should proceed detache (middle) slowly, .evenly and with minimum tension.
Next, slurs as given.
Exercise 23
Double stops, with light finger attack only. As a rule, if intonation of the double stoppings is faulty, each tone should be played separately to trace which of the two notes was out. At first detache middle, then whole bar slurred.
Exercise 24
To be practised slowly, with little tension, and no more than mf. First every half bar full bow, then whole bar with full bow.
Exercise 25
First the semiquavers alone to be played at fluent speed (whole bow). Then half speed, adding the minims (whole bow to half bars). If tension results, reduce the speed and lighten the finger pressure.
Exercise 26
First, the double bars are to be played detache; then slurs to quarter bars, half and full bars. Correct faulty intonation by tracing single tones.
Exercise 27 First detache. Chords must be fingered before they are bowed; to be practised at first in broken chords:
When playing staccato on down bow, the right hand should be slightly tilted upwards from the wrist so that the stick turns inwards, the hair outwards.
Exercise 28 To be practised as 27.
Exercise 29 This is an important bowing study and for daily use. The study may be shared between two variants, so that half the exercise is practised with one and half with another variant. To be played from memory as soon as possible so that attention may be concentrated on the bowing. The first aim is to achieve a well sounding detache. The bow is only moderately tightened. The intensity of the tone will depend upon the intensity of the bow hold. The muscular tension devoted to the bow hold must never be excessive, since this would block the mobility of
the wrist.
Spiccato is to be practised through a circular movement of the forearm and the hand, above the string, so that the rotating bow produces the spiccato tone by touching the string ; this both in up and down bow.
Sautille results from a quick detache when the tension of the bow hold and thereby the pressure on the string is reduced. By virtue of its own elasticity, this will make the bow bounce from, or on, the string.
(Spiccato and Sautille see under bowing technic).

HOW TO PRACTISE ŠEVČĺK'S MASTERWORKS - 5

2009-08-29T23:05:00.001-07:00

The following is an explanation in terms of the movements of play of the methods of practice in " School of Violin Technic", " School of Bowing Technic" " Studies Preparatory to the Shake" " Changes of Position and Scale Exercises", and the " Preparatory Studies in Double Stoppings ". Furthermore, exercises are quoted which Ševčík used only when teaching personally. Finally, Ševčík's methods of practice are demonstrated on a Violin
Concerto.

Allocation of the Practising Material

Alternately with the first part of the " Violin Technic", the first book of the " Studies Preparatory to the Shake " should be used. At the same time, one should begin with the " School of Bowing Technic."
The exercises of the second part of the " Violin Technic " should be dealt with in the order as given by Ševčík (see footnote page 2, part 2). Simultaneously with the second part of the " Violin Technic", one should begin the second book of the " Studies Preparatory to the Shake", " Changes of Position and Scale Studies", as well as the " Double Stoppings"

HOW TO PRACTISE ŠEVČĺK'S MASTERWORKS - 4

2009-08-29T23:01:00.001-07:00

As to the bow, Ševčík demanded that it should be
held more from above than from the side.

The arrangement of the fingers on the stick should then be
as follows:

the index finger lies on the stick in the middle of the second joint,
the middle finger touching it at the bend between the first and second joints and
the ring-finger with the middle of the first joint,
while the little finger rests on the stick with its tip.
The thumb stands opposite the middle finger and
with this it forms a closed but elastic grasp.

The position of the arm will always be ruled by the bowhold, and not vice versa. The upper arm should therefore not be lifted in such a way that, when playing at the frog, the elbow would be as high as, or even higher than, the wrist. In the first place this would impair the
playing at the lower half of the bow, the precision of spring bow technic, and the sensitivity of phrasing. Mention should here be made of the so-called "Russian" bowhold of which Sevcik did not approve. Anyhow, this bowhold was not taught by any of the other great teachers of violin playing such as Hubay or Auer, both of whom were adherents to the so-called " Franco-Belgian " bowing technic. The Russian bowhold became fashionable with the use of steel strings which demanded a stronger bow pressure than gut strings. The raising of the arm resulting from this lateral
bowhold soon became a mannerism which was detrimental to elastic and finely differentiated bowing. Even Carl Flesch who at first propagated the Russian bowhold appreciated its disadvantages as time went by--as proof vide his directions in " The Art of Violin Playing " of 1923, as opposed to those in " Problems of Sound" 1932. He describes the Russian bowhold in his " Art of Violin Playing " as follows" " The index touches the stick at the line separating the second from the third joint, and in addition embraces it with its first and second joints." In " Problems of Sound " he says" " however, the index must never lie on the stick at the beginning of the root joint, or all advantages of this grip become disadvantages; the tone becomes hard, unelastic and incapable of modulation. The technic at the frog becomes clumsy and the détaché at the point shaky." As is obvious, Flesch contradicted his original stipulation nine years later, and described all its disadvantages. Also, he was no longer convinced of the reality of its advantages for he wrote further: " For the rest, I usually leave it to the pupil whether he wishes to use the Russian or the Franco-Belgian bowhold." Shortly before his death, Flesch expressed the same opinion to the writer who proved the Russian bowhold to be physiologically detrimental to movement.

HOW TO PRACTISE ŠEVČĺK'S MASTERWORKS - 3

2009-08-29T22:47:00.001-07:00

    Erroneous concepts of playing functions are greatly
to be blamed for causing uneconomic practise. Even
outstanding teachers have erred in this matter, confusing cause and effect. Thus, the pupil is usually told that he must place the fingers of the left hand as firmly as possible on the fingerboard. Nothing could be more harmful and dangerous than this postulate. On the contrary the fingers must be placed lightly and with elasticity on the fingerboard. Brilliant violin playing requires the optimum quick and effortless change of the fingers, which can only be achieved if a minimum of effort is applied in fingering. If the finger is placed too firmly on the fingerboard, the surplus tension may influence the other fingers and impair
their independence.
   What induces the pupil as well as some less experienced teachers to believe that the fingers should be placed firmly on the fingerboard is the quick and elastic attack produced in faultless fingering (functioning of the grip), for this gives a firm, clicking impression. However, this elastic attack is achieved only as a result of correct finger action; there is no short cut, or rather, it cannot be replaced by a makeshift
attack of the fingers' without seriously endangering the technic of playing by this sham function.
   Regulated according to Ševčík's teaching, the fingering position of the hand is the physiologically soundest one. Forearm and back of the hand should form a straight line, and the left arm should be pulled in towards the middle of the body and turned inwards as far as this is possible without hypertension. Depending on its length, the thumb touches the neck of the violin either with the first joint or in the bend of the knuckle. The common assumption that it was Ševčík's instruction to place the thumb under the neck of the violin is erroneous.
   What is decisive for a faultless technic is not so much the exact reproduction of movements as directed, but rather the kinesthetic adaptation to the necessary movements. This feeling has to be sensed as an elastic grasp of the left hand. In this a very fine elastic tension is felt at the back of the hand which will leave greatest freedom of movement to the fingers in the basic joints and yet guarantee elasticity in grasping. Only with this condition of the left hand will perfect
play result, leading to brilliant pearly playing of passages, rebounding trills and expressive vibrato.

HOW TO PRACTISE ŠEVČĺK'S MASTERWORKS - 2

2009-08-29T22:36:00.001-07:00

Ševčík's method is sometimes criticised for developing one-sided virtuosity in the pupil. This is unjustified: It is not fair to blame the method for having been applied to men of outstanding and lesser genius alike.
The true musicality contained in his works is just as
outstanding as their practicality. Whoever studied under Ševčík's guidance and had the benefit of his oral instruction knows how he insisted on good musical interpretation.
Consequently, though Ševčík's personal teaching was fully adequate both technically and musically, it may not be so simple to apply the printed music to full advantage, for none of his works contains adequate instructions about the necessary and efficient condition of the physical mechanism. This Ševčík controlled and corrected when teaching. Sparing of words in his lessons and never fond of lengthy explanations, he gave his students useful exercises designed to eliminate or correct faulty movements.
Like any other course of studies for the violin, Ševčík's work, though more concentrated and rational, is a means of schooling the sequence of movement. It is however impossible to secure functionally correct performance through exercises unless the right attitude exists towards physical problems. This attitude may be a natural gift or it must be developed through a conscious grasp of the principles of movement.
All repeated actions become habitual : if motions are
systematically wrongly practised, i.e. inefficiently
executed, they will defeat their aim. In short, one may learn systematically what is wrong just as easily as what is correct.
   In his Violin Method Ševčík aimed at absolute freedom and independence of both left and right hand. To achieve this, he proceeded so systematically that every possible movement is provided for.
   Such thoroughness combined with such rational selection of material had never been achieved before in a method of musical studies. However, Ševčík presupposed a natural ability for faultless playing functions.
When studying, one of the greatest dangers is to apply force when attempting to overcome emerging difficulties. This results in strain which will magnify the handicap, rather than remove it. All playing motions must, therefore, be practised first at a slow pace in order to control their ease of execution as well as their correct course, and intonation. The pupil must learn how to remove inhibitions by reducing the tension which arises through overstretching during
practice. What must be "practised " is the permanent control of the state of tension and of the unimpeded course of motions. But in 95 cases out of 100, the violinist assumes that practice consists in the countless repetition of functionally faulty passages, hoping in vain that they will thereby one day become faultless.
   Speeding up of motions automatically adds to the tension. It follows that it is necessary to practise with a minimum of strain so that no hypertension can develop when speed of movement is increased. For, if the movement of playing is not relatively effortless and faultless at a slow speed, it will be even less so at a fast speed.

HOW TO PRACTISE ŠEVČĺK'S MASTERWORKS - 1

2009-08-29T22:17:00.001-07:00

   Ševčík's Violin Method represents the end of an
epoch in the development of literature for violin
tuition. It is so complete a masterpiece as to be
hardly surpassable.
Ševčík, a pupil of Professor Bennewitz at the Prague
Conservatoire, was himself an outstanding violin
virtuoso. As a young man he toured Russia where, however, he soon gave up playing in public and devoted
his efforts entirely to teaching.   His assurance and pure intonation in playing lasted until his old age. Ševčík began teaching in Charkow, but within two years he became Professor at the Conservatoire in Kiew. From that time dates his Op. 1, the " School of Violin Technic". Thanks to his extraordinary success as a teacher and his great organising ability he, although only thirty, was appointed Inspector of the Royal Russian Conservatoires of Music. In 1892, having spent nearly twenty years in Russia, he returned home to take charge of the Prague Conservatoire's Master Classes. Within a few years many of
his pupils became reputed virtuosos and his name acquired international fame. Among his pupils of that time Jan Kubelik, Jaroslav Kocian, Sascha Culbertson, Marie Hall and Daisy Kennedy excelled through their technically polished and faultless violin playing.
   In 1902 Ševčík was called to Vienna as Principal of
the Master Classes of the Academy of Music. After
the first world war he retired to Pisek in Bohemia and
there his pupils from all over the world followed him.
He travelled twice to America to teach at the Cornell Institute in Ithaka. In Vienna Ševčík had again launched a veritable army of outstanding violinists and virtuosos, among them one of the most brilliant stars: Erica Morini. At the same time Ševčík's Violin Method became so well known throughout the world that there was hardly a violinist who did not use it.
After his Op. 1, the " School of Violin Technic" in four parts, his Op. 2, " School of Bowing Technic " in six parts was published, next the " Violin Method for Beginners " Op. 6, the " Studies Preparatory to the Shake " Op. 7, " Changes of Position and Scale Exercises " Op. 8, and the " Preparatory Studies in Double Stoppings " Op. 9. Moreover, mention may here be made of a later work which was partly written in America, i.e. Op. 11, a great School of Violin Technic in 16 volumes with the title, " School of Intonation on an Harmonic Basis", published by Harms in New York. The fundamental principle of this work consists in a development of a technic of motion based on harmonic conditions, Ševčík believed he could show in this work an even more rational method of studying the violin; it contains many brilliant ideas and exercises but is very involved and on the whole less concentration is applied to technical problems than in Op. 1.
At the end of the 1920's Ševčík wrote another " School of Violin Interpretation", Op. 16, as well as technical analyses of standard works of the violin literature, Op. 17 to 21. In 1934, when, active as ever at the age of 81 he was preparing new works, death overtook him.

PREFACE

2009-08-29T21:47:00.001-07:00

Ševčík's works for the study of violin playing have
been used the world over for more than half a century
as an unsurpassed standard work. However, it has
become apparent that many violinists do not realise
how best to allocate the practising material and also
do not perceive the required sequence of bodily
motions correctly. In such cases study is fruitless,
a waste of time and labour. These facts induced the
Publishers to provide instructions how best to study
in Ševčík's work the material itself, as well as the
required sequence of movements, so as to achieve a
sound and reliable technic in a comparatively short
time.
Author of these instructions is Prof. A. Mingotti,
the Munich violinist and outstanding teacher who, as
a former master-pupil and Prof. Ševčík's deputy is
best qualified to issue them.

The Publisher.