More eBay Knockoffs - Now Violins

[amerikajinda]

Originally Posted by antirabbit

I have, the passages I think you are thinking of are totally dependant on right hand finger dexterity, which my teacher taught very well.
Things like a fly spicatto on an up bow, is fairly well done by most, but a flying spicatto on a down bow is a whole other story!

Exactly! That's the passage I was referring to... it's a thing of beauty to see a fine violinist play that part where it jumps in octaves from the high 'E' to the really high 'E' and and then all the way back half-step by half step all in one bow...

Here's an interesting thought on how to choose a bow:

"...don't pay attention to balance, weight and mounting of the bow.. these are all external, and quite superficial characteristics, that people are usually drawn to or put off by. Most people think that bows are very subjective... more so than violins. However, I believe the quality of a bow can be measured by the quality of sound it produces. A heavy bow does not necessarily mean a large tone : A large sound can be obtained from a light bow, and a thin sound from a heavy bow. It's important to feel the true capabilities of a bow, and to hear if it is drawing the maximum tone from your violin. An exceptional bow will feel and sound striking straight away... it's tone will distinguish itself."

http://www.atelierlabussiere.com/bows.htm

 

[tweedlesinpink]

Originally Posted by amerikajinda

The best way to improve your bow technique would be to get a really good private teacher! You might even have to commute to NYC or somewhere once a week (I had friends in HS who did that) since the teachers aren't so great in your area, but you really can't just read about it... just like you can't read about how to perform surgery and then expect to be able to do it (sorry for my tone today -- I'm really sounding a bit snippy, but rest assured, I'm not trying to be mean!

)
oh, but i'm in singapore you see...NYC is a little bit of a stretch to commute

interesting background the both of you have! the closest thing i have at the moment to a good tutor is a buddy who's studied with one of the ex-LSO concertmasters in the UK, whom i go to everytime i hit a problem. i'm looking for a good teacher and i think i might have found somebody...fingers crossed like i said i've wasted a good number of years, but i guess what matters now is that i do sincerely want to work on the various aspects of my technique, to whatever ends it takes me.

antirabbit, would be interested in hearing more!

 

[amerikajinda]

Yeah that would be a bit of a commute...

Well as it's late here in the States and I must get to bed, I'll leave you with this joke (I hope you haven't heard it before!)

Boy on the Street in NYC: "Pardon me sir, but how do I get to Carnegie Hall?"

Arthur Rubenstein (polished Polish pianist): "Practice, practice, practice!"

 

[amerikajinda]

Another way to improve your violin playing is by taking practice tests like the one below to improve your knowledge of classical music in general. Even non-violinists may be interested in giving it a try. (NOTE: This was the actual written part of the admission process to get into Juilliard in 2001) 1. Who wrote the following: a) Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 b) Fauré's Requiem c) Wagner's Ring Cycle 2. Tschaikovsky wrote 6 symphonies including Symphony no. 4. Name the other five. 3. Explain "counterpoint" or write your name on the reverse of the paper. 4. Which of the following would you tuck under you chin? a) a timpani b) an organ c) a 'cello d) a viola 5. Can you explain "sonata form"? (Answer yes or no.) 6. Which of the following literary works was made the subject of a Verdi opera? a) First among Equals -- Jeffrey Archer b) Macbeth -- William Shakespeare c) Noddy and Big Ears -- Enid Blyton 7. Domenico Scarlatti wrote 555 harpsichord sonatas for which instrument? 8. Arrange the following movements in order of speed, starting with the slowest first. a) Quickly b) Slowly c) Very Quickly d) At a Moderate Pace 9. Where would you normally expect to find the conductor during a performance? 10. Which of the following wrote incidental music to A Midsummer Night's Dream? a) Des O'Connor b) Mickey Mouse c) Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy d) Terry Wogan 11. Which of the following is the odd one out? a) Sir Colin Davis b) Andrew Davis c) Sir Peter Maxwell Davies d) Desmond Lynham 12. Arrange the following words into the name of a well known Puccini opera. Bohème, La 13. Within five minutes, how long is Chopin's Minute Waltz? 14. From which of the following countries did Richard Strauss come? a) Venezuela b) Sri Lanka c) Germany d) Japan 15. For what town were Haydn's "Paris" Symphonies written? 16. Which is the odd one out? a) Fantasy Overture Romeo and Juliet -- Tchaikovsky b) Romeo and Juliet -- Berlioz c) Romeo and Juliet Ballet -- Prokofiev d) Ten Bottles of Beer on the Wall -- anon. 17. From which aria do the following lines come? "La donna e mobile qual piuma al vento, muta d'accento e di pensiero. Sempre un'amabile leggiadro viso, in pianto o in riso, e mensognero..." 18. Spell the following musical terms. allegro rallentando crotchet pizzicato intermezzo 19. Tosca is a character found in which Puccini opera? 20. What's the difference between a violin and a viola? (answer: There is no difference. The violin just looks smaller because the violinist's head is so much bigger...)

 

[antirabbit]

haha,
There are a few perspectives to take on your issue with finding a teacher...one is to guide you to technical proficiancy, where you can then learn how to learn and in time you will be able to play anything (this takes alot of time), or to have specific goals in mind, pieces or concerti in mind, or to say join a community orchestra.
Obviously, you will not be able to solo with a top tier group...but none of us will!
I would look at this almost philisophically, as teaching technique can be like math, it is all in the delivery, so you must find someone that you can learn from, someone who's illustrations make sense to you and inspire you to push ahead. Or you will find your self very frustrated and wondering why you are not improving.
Most teaching is successful when one can take a well honed practice or knowledge and make it an analog for another....be comfortable with someone, take a lesson or two and see what you get out of it. Do not be overyly impressed with how they play or whom they have studied with, rather, how effectively they can express the points to you and have them stick. Also, make sure you can take criticism from them.

 

[tweedlesinpink]

now i love the viola (to be more precise, i like walton's viola concerto and mozart's sinfonia concertante) but some of the jokes about the viola are really pretty good.

antirabbit i get what you mean...in fact when i said i had foudn someone it was only after speaking to my friend and telling him all that i was looking for in a teacher--not just musically, but also philosophically and personally (can he explain himself well in english, which not many local teachers can? does he have a sense of humour?--may seem trivial but i would love to be able to actually look forward to funny and enjoyable classes) so maybe after june when i have more time i will give him a call and try out a lesson or two. also, my bow has just begun to split at the tip! well, what a excellent day... it had split years ago and been repaired, but evidently the work couldn't last the course.

 

[amerikajinda]

Originally Posted by tweedlesinpink

does he have a sense of humour?--may seem trivial but i would love to be able to actually look forward to funny and enjoyable classes.

This is a good point - the chemistry between teacher and student is extremely important. If you dread going to your lesson and count down the minutes during the lesson, you won't profit from it...

Many teachers will give a free trial lesson so you can try out a few different teachers and see if there's a fit.

Do any of the first violinists in the SSO or the SCO offer lessons?

 

[tweedlesinpink]

yes, in fact most of the SSO musicians would be teaching on the side, i believe.
SCO--the chinese orchestra?--that's an "ethnic" chinese orchestra, no violinists there.

going to take the bow down to one of the luthiers to see what he can do.
i just took a quick read of the document linked at the top of the page (atelier la bussiere), interesting.

 

[amerikajinda]

May be a good idea to ask the luthier ahead of time how much it might cost to fix your bow... it might not be worth it. I remember hearing once that a cracked stick can't ever be repaired. You should be able to get a decent pernambuco stick for around $200...
How much do the SSO members charge per lesson? You might even see if they offer 45-minute or even 1/2 hour lessons... my guess is they might charge about $100/hr?

 

[tweedlesinpink]

yup, how much as well as how long it would take and whether it is in fact worth it, since i pretty much need a bow (i have another one but i don't like it as much) soon.
dunno about that "cracked stick can't ever be repaired"--the last repair job didn't cost much and lasted me 1.5 years, so that to me was worth it...especially since i like the bow.

i'm actually thinking of hour-long lessons still, but fortnightly instead of weekly, since that way i'd get more actual practice time in between classes. more worth my while that way, especially because i'm less quick to catch new passages and techniques learnt, more time needed, that sort of thing.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by amerikajinda

Another way to improve your violin playing is by taking practice tests like the one below to improve your knowledge of classical music in general. Even non-violinists may be interested in giving it a try.
(NOTE: This was the actual written part of the admission process to get into Juilliard in 2001)

1. Who wrote the following:

a) Beethoven's Symphony No. 6
b) FaurÃ

's Requiem
c) Wagner's Ring Cycle

2. Tschaikovsky wrote 6 symphonies including Symphony no. 4. Name the other five.

3. Explain "counterpoint" or write your name on the reverse of the paper.

4. Which of the following would you tuck under you chin?

a) a timpani
b) an organ
c) a 'cello
d) a viola

5. Can you explain "sonata form"? (Answer yes or no.)

6. Which of the following literary works was made the subject of a Verdi opera?

a) First among Equals -- Jeffrey Archer
b) Macbeth -- William Shakespeare
c) Noddy and Big Ears -- Enid Blyton

7. Domenico Scarlatti wrote 555 harpsichord sonatas for which instrument?

8. Arrange the following movements in order of speed, starting with the slowest first.

a) Quickly
b) Slowly
c) Very Quickly
d) At a Moderate Pace

9. Where would you normally expect to find the conductor during a performance?

10. Which of the following wrote incidental music to A Midsummer Night's Dream?

a) Des O'Connor
b) Mickey Mouse
c) Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
d) Terry Wogan

11. Which of the following is the odd one out?

a) Sir Colin Davis
b) Andrew Davis
c) Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
d) Desmond Lynham

12. Arrange the following words into the name of a well known Puccini opera.

Bohème, La

13. Within five minutes, how long is Chopin's Minute Waltz?

14. From which of the following countries did Richard Strauss come?

a) Venezuela
b) Sri Lanka
c) Germany
d) Japan

15. For what town were Haydn's "Paris" Symphonies written?

16. Which is the odd one out?

a) Fantasy Overture Romeo and Juliet -- Tchaikovsky
b) Romeo and Juliet -- Berlioz
c) Romeo and Juliet Ballet -- Prokofiev
d) Ten Bottles of Beer on the Wall -- anon.

17. From which aria do the following lines come?

"La donna e mobile
qual piuma al vento,
muta d'accento
e di pensiero.
Sempre un'amabile
leggiadro viso,
in pianto o in riso,
e mensognero..."

18. Spell the following musical terms.

allegro
rallentando
crotchet
pizzicato
intermezzo

19. Tosca is a character found in which Puccini opera?

20. What's the difference between a violin and a viola?
(answer: There is no difference. The violin just looks smaller because the violinist's head is so much bigger...)

What kind of questions are these?

 

[amerikajinda]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

What kind of questions are these?

haha - that was a joke

except the last question - that's actually true.

 

[jufros]

Anyone here a Joshua Bell fan? He plays a Stradovarius and, in my humble opinion, has one of the most beautiful violin tones I've ever heard. I saw him about 2 years ago with the LA Phil and Esa-Pekka Solonen. Amazing show.

 

[amerikajinda]

Funny you should mention good ole' Joshua! There's an article about him in today's Washington Post Magazine: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...hpostmagazine/ Basically, one morning a few months ago he pretended to be a mere street musician, playing for change outside of a subway station during the crowded morning rush hour -- the reporters who put him up to this experiment wanted to see if passers-by would notice that one of the finest violinists in the world was playing (on a $4 million dollar "Golden Period" Stradivarius, no less) -- instead of the usual caliber of "violinist" we get playing on the streets of D.C. (I go out of my way to avoid them because their "playing" is truly offensive to my ears

). See the four video clips... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...1.html?sub=new Some interesting articles about Joshua and his (third) Strad (which was actually stolen in 1936 and remained underground until about 1987). Here's a pic in the actual case from which it was stolen from a dressing room in Carnegie Hall during a performance (seen next to a Guarnarius, which wasn't stolen, because it was being played at the time.)

http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Musi...ell/index.html http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/...?from=storyrhs http://huberman.info/biography/stolen_strad/ http://www.joshuabell.com/strad.html And a more recent pic of the $4 million instrument Joshua owns and plays:

And oh yeah - I'm a big fan -- he's definitely one of the top 10 violinists currently on tour.

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by amerikajinda

Funny you should mention good ole' Joshua! There's an article about him in today's Washington Post Magazine:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...hpostmagazine/

Basically, one morning he pretended to be a mere street musician, playing outside of a subway station during the crowded morning rush hour -- the reporters who put him up to this experiment wanted to see if people could tell that one of the finest violinists in the world was playing a $3.5 million dollar Stradivarius as opposed to the usual caliber of "violinist" we get playing on the streets of D.C.
See the video...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...1.html?sub=new

That is a great article, thanks!