Difficult passagework in violin literature
I think it was Auer who said the student would benefit a lot from taking difficult individual passages from the repertoire and practicing them as etudes. I think it'd be interesting to make a list of such passages, a bit like Gingold's series of orchestral excerpts.
What passages would you suggest?
Replies (12)
Wagner's scores are loaded with difficulties. Take any act of the Ring and formidable passages are easy to find, The Ride of the Valkyries and the Magic Fire passages found in Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung are especially taxing. Not only are they hard, they're often really long. Excellent for endurance. The entire 3rd act of Götterdämmerung is really formidable, especially during the Immolation Scene to the conclusion of the act. All the 1st violin parts are on //imslp.org
Elgar, Enigma variations, second movement.
I don't need a list. All I need to do is to look at almost any page of any of the numerous pieces I have lying around in my practice room; or anything our orchestral librarian places on the stand in front of me ;)
How about the last page of Barber's "School for Scandal" overture: a whole page of triplets at breakneck speed, lots of accidentals, and no pattern whatsoever to them!
for viola, but I keep a copy of a section the Moldeau for an exercise in 2nd position and endurance.
Oh if orchestral excerpts do count I'd say that Mahler's 5th is among the hardest non-solo parts. To orchestral solos maybe Scheherazade or Ein Heldenleben...
Hi,
To the OP: If I am not mistaken, there is a book by Joseph Szigeti which is a compilation for just that purpose. I don't know if it is still in print.
Cheers!
It would seem like kind of a bore to take all those passages out of context.
A cellist in Houston who used to manage a music store suggested wallpapering the bathroom with all the unplayable music one owned. I could wallpaper several rooms and it would be a whole house except that I have quit buying music that I cannot play.
I don't think said cellist had very much he could have put on his walls.
Yes, I could imagine phoning up a composer: "I have your concerto in front of me. Presently it will be behind me..."
Hi,
John: I don't give up on anyone, and yes, I would much rather be friends!
Must be my past scholarly background that has made me always cautious if I attribute something to someone without 100% certainty.
Cheers!
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February 16, 2013 at 05:20 AM · Started thinking about the descending scale in thirds in the 3rd var. of the 24th caprice. Then I realized every variation in the piece is an excerpt of the sort your speaking of.