Help With Gavinies

March 30, 2004 at 07:34 PM · gavinies is much harder than it seems. I wouldn't try and play this etude too fast, first of all it quite difficult to play a figure like that in the third measure at allegro. I personally used this etude as an intonation and sostenuto exercise and never really took the tempo up to allegro. Gavinies can hurt your hands if you're not careful, they are quite awkward at times. I would just recomend playing it rather slowly and very sustained with beautiful ringing tone, and not expecting anything more out of it. Of course, ask your teacher what to do, they probabely have some idea of what you're looking for in this etude. p.s. no.15 is really fun.

March 30, 2004 at 10:17 PM · No. 15 is beautiful but if you want fun do no.16 I find it fun, people think it's cool too!

I digress...

I played No.1 at about 90, and Played the bottom not a little bit heavier, Make sure you work on your doublestop scales for this piece, especially your thirds and tenths.(get those fingers stretchy) Just have fun with this piece! 42 to 45 are my favorite measures, I wrote and etude for that, it just changes keys and it's fun.

September 4, 2004 at 08:05 PM · As with several other classic studies books (e.g., Kreutzer, Rode, Dont) the #1 in Gavinies may not be the best place to start. I'd recommend starting with either #8, #12 or #17. You'll get experience with the style, get good left hand stretching, and good bowing technique work. Do these very slowly. Work up speed by changing rhythm of 4 16th notes to dotted-16th + 32nd + dotted-16th + 32nd. Then change pattern so that the 32nd note in the group of four comes first and third. And if you're not using it, I'd recommend the Galamian edition. After a few months of this, you'll find the #1 much easier.

September 4, 2004 at 08:38 PM · i might add to that in general i believe its a better idea not to push an etude too much if you cant get it after a reasonable amount of work. you can always come back to later and you'll probably find it much easier. you still learn something from the struggle even if you cant play it perfecftly at teh end.

September 4, 2004 at 09:41 PM · If you feel like you're drowning, perhaps you've missed a couple of steps on the way. Rather than beat yourself up repeatedly, giveit a try every once in a while, between other studies. Work your way back to it by practicing preliminary etudes that are more manageable from the start.

September 7, 2004 at 02:29 PM · most probably its too hard for you if you've been working on it for 3 weeks and are bogged down and tired of it, mabye Gavinies are to hard for you? The first etude actually in my opinion is one of the easier out of the 24. You should possibly try some more kreutzer for a long time, and then go to the Gavienies

September 8, 2004 at 12:49 AM · I can totally relate to your struggle...I played a whole slew of the Gavinies etudes this summer, and i felt like even at painfully slow tempo it was still horribly out of tune!

Best of luck to you!