No. 12.
Few of the Fiorillo Études are played by the student strictly according to metronome time. Not so with Rode. His Caprices are often studied abroad for three years; and, by the time the student has completed them, he plays them like finished pieces, at metronome time. Often, too, the Rode Caprices are memorized, but the Fiorillo Études rarely are. The Berlin school neglects Fiorillo to a certain extent, but Halir, one of its best exponents, spends considerable time in the study of them, giving to them the grace, vivacity, and lightness of the French school when the text so demands, and also striving for the breadth of the German school in pure cantabile work, as found in slow movements. For intricate bowings Kreutzer, with the supplementary Massart[7] bowings, is adequate. Fiorillo’s Études, as previously stated, cannot be studied in their order. Individual needs govern the teacher. Perhaps one student may be studying Fiorillo, while, also studying the more difficult trill and double-stop Études of Kreutzer. Some of the Kreutzer Études have never been given to me by teachers. It is equally true of Fiorillo. If I seemed to have a weak point in technic, or if my bowings were stiff and angular, I returned to Kreutzer. I was taught Kreutzer and Rode, over and over, in Berlin. Many of the Berlin teachers say: “Get technic from the standard Concertos. Do not spend too much time on technic pure and simple.” The question in the mind of the Joachim School is “How is it possible for the Sevcik followers to have a repertoire, when they are made to study technical works of such length and seriousness as those of Sevcik?”
The twelfth étude of Fiorillo is not one in which technic is prominent. Its object is mainly the freedom of the bow-arm. The fingers of the left hand should be placed lightly over the strings, in readiness for their movement. They should anticipate a change of position. If the left hand is ready, bow technic is more easily secured. Note in the Hermann edition that the étude is marked forte. It should be played lightly, the upper third of the bow being used. There should be no marked contrasts of the legato and staccato; in fact, the staccato mark is not to be interpreted as necessary in such études as this, because the stroke is so free. It would be impossible to play this étude forte in the upper part of the bow, and give it lightness and grace. The short staccato also gives less breadth to the stroke. In similar passages the length of bow used should be about uniform. Note the inclination to cut the second note of a group of two tied notes in anticipation of a single staccato note. This should be avoided. All violin jerking of the bow on single first notes of a group should be avoided. The student should be careful to slide the thumb well under the neck of the violin in the fifth position passages. Do not move the hand while in one position, in anticipation of the next position. Do not depress the fingers in the fifth and sixth positions before passing to the third.
In this passage avoid forced attenuation:
Continuous syncopation should be uniformly smooth and even. Nothing is of such value to a violinist as a perfect command of the transition from the third to the fifth position, and vice versa. Many faults of technic arise from too much pressure of the thumb upon the neck of the instrument, thus giving the player no freedom, and inducing a bad habit of bending the thumb instead of strengthening it for the fifth position. If extensions are to be made, slide the thumb a little farther under the neck of the violin, and curve the fingers well.
Note in the sixth line the fifth position passage on the A string. Many players have to move the whole hand at this point, so that the fingers may lie easy on the string. The hand should assume a position which will enable the pupil to play with ease. The newer chin-rests, which are wider than the former ones used, do not seem to enable one to hold the violin with ease. The chin should rest on the edge of the chin-rest rather than far in or on the tail-piece. The muscles at the back of the head become cramped by gripping too hard. A little piece of chamois leather placed between the left jaw and the chin-rest will prevent a bruise of the flesh, the bane of professionals.
In the ninth line we have the form of bowing known as two cut and two slurred notes. The notes that are cut are not to be played sharply at the point of the bow. They are swung lightly along the strings, using about one-third of the bow, the tempo being moderate. Again, the student must be cautioned against cutting the value of the second slurred note in anticipation of a single staccato note:
Note the forte passage in the lower half of the bow:
This should be played in a somewhat disconnected style in the first half of the measure, with a strong accent on the first note of groups of two. The latter half of the measure falls about in the middle of the bow. A free stroke, not too short a staccato, is preferred.
The tenth line opens with an arpeggio played forte with staccato and legato strokes. The next similar passage is played pianissimo, in close imitation as to style. All passages of this nature are smoother in the upper part of the bow. Avoid forced accents or any movement which interferes with free bowing:
In the twelfth line a short legato passage is played in the upper half of the bow rather than with the whole bow. When one passage closes with down-bow, there should be no break in passing to the up-bow. Two notes slurred lie in the upper half with as long a bow as the tempo will allow. In passing from a long legato passage to a short one, it is well to estimate so well that the part of the bow desired may come at once under control. All passages requiring quick transitions on four strings should be played as broadly and with as free a bow-arm as the tempo will admit; in other words, too little bow gives no value to the passage, while a light stroke with a longer bow is made more valuable. Naturally, if the tempo is increased to allegro, we must remain near the point of the bow. When four strings are required, the bow-arm must be higher, and the distinction between a forearm stroke and a pure wrist stroke must be well defined. In rapid legato passages all pressure upon the bow-stick must be avoided.
Keep the legato work that follows in the upper half of the bow, avoiding pauses between bows, or unnecessary accentuation. Short groups of slurred notes must be played near the point of the bow. Short string-transfers are made with the wrist, and three or four string-transfers with wrist and arm, the bow never being tilted on its inner edge. Play on the outer edge of the hair as much as possible, resting the bow on two strings, or as nearly so as possible. Do not release the fourth finger from the bow-stick. Rest it at least against the stick if not on it; all work, especially in the lower half of the bow, demands this security of the hand. For string-transfers of this kind, see Sevcik’s School of 4,000 Bowings, Parts III, IV, and V; Casorti’s School of Bowing;[8] the work of Hans Sitt, Op. 92;[9] and the Kross Art of Bowing.[10]