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.
