The exercises with their variants are to be practised slowly, rhythmically and no louder than mf.
Forward or backward shifting of double stoppings to a higher or lower position should at first be very slow. The fingers should be placed on the strings so lightly that gliding through the intervals can proceed without jerking. Any faulty intonation must be corrected immediately. In doing this, the intention is not to move both fingers simultaneously, but rather to correct the lower note first, and then the upper one.
ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC - Changes of Position and Preparatory Scale Studies, Op. 8
CHANGES OF POSITION AND PREPARATORY SCALE STUDIES Op. 8
The change of position exercises are one of Sevcik's most outstanding violin works. Quite apart from the gain to the intonation that can be obtained from them, they are also of the greatest importance for learning correct movement; for they demand an especially combined feeling for both holding and fingering. The change of position shows up in the clearest way that correct playing movements cannot be achieved by rigid jamming of the violin between shoulder and jaw. The change of position demands an acute feeling of equilibrium between hold and support of the hand. Essentially, it is this feeling of equilibrium which must be practised during the shift, or rather it must be acquired and refined. Therefore, one should not try to exclude the unsafe feeling by rigid jamming of the violin between shoulder and chin, but rather one should have the courage to practise balancing between the shifts. This is the only way in which absolute assurance in shifting can be achieved.
During all this, the left wrist remains stabilised and upright. Up to the fourth position the thumb should never abandon its place opposite to the fingers, and it should never during the downwards shift be allowed to reach back ahead of the hand. The more the grip is closed, the more smoothly can the shift proceed. The height of the thumb on the neck of the violin is dependent on the size of the hand and the arm's turning capacity. In the middle position of the hand the thumb will mostly lie on the neck with the inner side of the first joint, for the most efficient hold results from this position. According to Sevcik's directions, every bar should be repeated several times. It should then be played with the next bar and then both should be repeated together. The second and third, third and fourth, and so forth, should be treated similarly. Then the whole exercise should be played coherently, practising at first detache in the middle of the bow, then slurring the separate groups of crotchets, then two groups of crotchets, and last the whole bar. The arm moves forwards and backwards as on a hinge and leads the hand which is stabilised at the wrist, through the position. One should specially guard against lifting the wrist during the shift downwards. Preparatory Scale Studies
The old-fashioned shift of a third is now replaced by a shift of a fourth in the higher positions. Fingering of any scale is the same up or down, major or minor. Scales should be practised daily, in a different key in triplets (58th exercise) and in semiquavers (59th exercise), detache and slurred. At first very slowly, rhythmically and with a very pronounced shift.
The change of position exercises are one of Sevcik's most outstanding violin works. Quite apart from the gain to the intonation that can be obtained from them, they are also of the greatest importance for learning correct movement; for they demand an especially combined feeling for both holding and fingering. The change of position shows up in the clearest way that correct playing movements cannot be achieved by rigid jamming of the violin between shoulder and jaw. The change of position demands an acute feeling of equilibrium between hold and support of the hand. Essentially, it is this feeling of equilibrium which must be practised during the shift, or rather it must be acquired and refined. Therefore, one should not try to exclude the unsafe feeling by rigid jamming of the violin between shoulder and chin, but rather one should have the courage to practise balancing between the shifts. This is the only way in which absolute assurance in shifting can be achieved.
During all this, the left wrist remains stabilised and upright. Up to the fourth position the thumb should never abandon its place opposite to the fingers, and it should never during the downwards shift be allowed to reach back ahead of the hand. The more the grip is closed, the more smoothly can the shift proceed. The height of the thumb on the neck of the violin is dependent on the size of the hand and the arm's turning capacity. In the middle position of the hand the thumb will mostly lie on the neck with the inner side of the first joint, for the most efficient hold results from this position. According to Sevcik's directions, every bar should be repeated several times. It should then be played with the next bar and then both should be repeated together. The second and third, third and fourth, and so forth, should be treated similarly. Then the whole exercise should be played coherently, practising at first detache in the middle of the bow, then slurring the separate groups of crotchets, then two groups of crotchets, and last the whole bar. The arm moves forwards and backwards as on a hinge and leads the hand which is stabilised at the wrist, through the position. One should specially guard against lifting the wrist during the shift downwards. Preparatory Scale Studies
The old-fashioned shift of a third is now replaced by a shift of a fourth in the higher positions. Fingering of any scale is the same up or down, major or minor. Scales should be practised daily, in a different key in triplets (58th exercise) and in semiquavers (59th exercise), detache and slurred. At first very slowly, rhythmically and with a very pronounced shift.
ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC - Preparatory Studies to the Shake, Op. 7
PREPARATORY STUDIES TO THE SHAKE Op. 7
The first book contains trill studies in the 1st position; the second is more or less a repetition of these in the other positions. When the trill functions are correctly grasped the study of both books may be reduced to a few specially useful exercises. In later days Sevcik no more asked that the finger be lifted high and then dropped with some force unto the string when trilling, as this move is not physiologically sound. The lower as well as the trilling finger should, on the contrary, be placed on the string as elastically as possible, and in no case should the trilling finger be pulled up high by special exertion ; it should strike the string from normal height.
The beating of the trill should be aurally controlled already.at low speed to ensure correct function. The impression should be one of light elastic bounce, materially different from simple placing of the fingers. A functionally correct trill can only be produced from the vertical hand in elastic equilibrium. If the shake is accelerated, a " locked shake " which is produced by hypertension of the hand muscles, should never be used. A functionally correct trill must not give rise to a feeling of hypertension. With the right methods of practice, exercises 1, 2, 3, 8, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20 and 23 in the first book will be sufficient. All shake exercises should be practised at first slowly throughout, then with double acceleration, and with rhythmical precision. From book 2, exercises 11, 13, 15, 16 and 17 will suffice.
The first book contains trill studies in the 1st position; the second is more or less a repetition of these in the other positions. When the trill functions are correctly grasped the study of both books may be reduced to a few specially useful exercises. In later days Sevcik no more asked that the finger be lifted high and then dropped with some force unto the string when trilling, as this move is not physiologically sound. The lower as well as the trilling finger should, on the contrary, be placed on the string as elastically as possible, and in no case should the trilling finger be pulled up high by special exertion ; it should strike the string from normal height.
The beating of the trill should be aurally controlled already.at low speed to ensure correct function. The impression should be one of light elastic bounce, materially different from simple placing of the fingers. A functionally correct trill can only be produced from the vertical hand in elastic equilibrium. If the shake is accelerated, a " locked shake " which is produced by hypertension of the hand muscles, should never be used. A functionally correct trill must not give rise to a feeling of hypertension. With the right methods of practice, exercises 1, 2, 3, 8, 13, 16, 17, 19, 20 and 23 in the first book will be sufficient. All shake exercises should be practised at first slowly throughout, then with double acceleration, and with rhythmical precision. From book 2, exercises 11, 13, 15, 16 and 17 will suffice.
ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC - School of Bowing Technic, Op.2
Of the six books, two (I and II) are devoted to the training of the arm movements and four (III, IV, V and VI) to the training of the joints of the hand. It follows from this that the exercises contained in both parts are to be practised alternately,
In the School of Bowing Technic Sevcik used his outstanding gift of combination in developing supremely efficient exercises for all bowing possibilities. However, if play is functionally correct, it is possible to make do with only a part of these to learn a special set of movements. If this is functionally established, one may at times do without the variants. On the other hand it must be considered that these variants in particular give the playing technic extraordinary assurance and polish because they deal exhaustively with all movements of play.
To the practising material and its faultless acquisition, the same basic principle applies as to the technic of the left hand. Studies and exercises here are comparable to the wall-bar in the training of ballet dancers: it is not the use of the bar which will lead to success, but rather the method of training at it.
The bow-hold as postulated by Sevcik has already been discussed. It is the sense of touch in the right hand which is of decisive importance for faultless bowing. Here the position of the right arm is of only secondary importance, i.e., it has to adjust to the requirements of the hand. Hence it is inefficient and dangerous to allow the arm to take a certain position, to which hand movements would have to conform. The less the arm participates in the bowing technic, the smoother and more precise is the playing. Exact rhythm in the execution of bowing exercises is essential.
There are two advantages to the method of counting loudly demanded at times by Sevcik : first, it is more reliable than beating with the foot which will automatically accelerate as the number of notes increases, and, secondly, loud counting promotes independence
of play.
The 1st and 2nd exercises serve to establish control of bowhold and bowing in general. Rests in the 1st, 3rd and 5th variants of the 2nd exercise should be used for controlling the tension of grip and direction of bow, and to correct them if necessary. The same goes for exercise 3, particularly in the variants 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15. Arm movements in full bow should be flowing and any unnecessary lift of the upper arm and elbow is to be avoided. Together with the 5th exercise, the 29th exercise from the second part of the " Bowing Technic " should be started. Crossing of strings should here be practised wherever possible by bending the wrist. Particularly the 30th exercise with variants (missing out one or two strings) should be played in this manner with only slight use of the forearm. Starting from here the bowing exercises of the first part should be used alternately with those from the second part. Detache bowing should never be pressed, but should sound intense and forceful also when played piano ; this is to be achieved only through a kinesthetic feeling of elasticity in the right hand. Any unnecessary lifting of the right arm forces the tone and deprives it of its carrying power.
Spiccato is a bouncing technic of medium rapidity, in which the springing effect is produced through co-operation of the hand and forearm in dropping and rebounding. As a preparatory exercise the hand should perform a small semi-circular movement and at the centre of this motion the string should be touched during the up and down bow.
The sautille on the other hand is a technic which develops from the detache. As soon as the bowhold relaxes somewhat during a quick detache, and the pressure of the bow on the string is thereby decreased, sautille will result due to the stick's proper elasticity.
An immediate start of sautill~ is effected by accentuating the first note, so that the bow bounces off the string.
Staccato is best practised at first as a rolling movement in which the next lower string will also be bowed.
When this rolling motion has been sufficiently practised, the lower string will no more be touched.
Staccato downwards is produced without change of bowhold but by raising the hand a little, which turns the stick inwards and the hair outwards.
Flying staccato is a combination of spiccato and staccato. The frequency of the bounce and thereby
the rapidity of the flying staccato will be increased, if the hand is slightly bent downwards at the wrist, and thereby tilted inwards.
Staccato ricochet (spring bow) is produced through the proper elasticity, of the bow. As a preparatory exercise, the bow should be thrown at the empty A string at down bow and slightly pulled immediately (but steadily) after the first drop; it is best to hold the bow only with the thumb and index finger. If the stick is not impeded by being pulled too quickly or too slowly, it will develop its own drumlike rebound, which gradually becomes smaller and quicker. This proper vibration of the bow is used in ricochet. One practises scales with it by playing first 3, then 4, 5, 6, etc. notes, keeping in mind that the bounce decreases, and that fingering therefore must be speeded up.
The spring bow arpeggios become ricochet arpeggios if taken at a fast speed. The bowhold should be very elastic, and the movement of the arm no bigger than necessary for crossing the strings. To keep the spring bow arpeggios at an even flow, a slight accent must be placed on the lowest note, which will give renewed ricocheting impetus to the bow.
The 20th exercise in sustained notes and retarded bow should not be neglected. Any unnecessary participation of the arm will be automatically excluded, because the player will feel it is inefficient.
The exercises in the higher positions should also be practised intensively. These are: exercises 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 25 and 26. Practising bowing in high positions, i.e. with shortened string vibrations, is of great advantage to the technic of bowing.
In the School of Bowing Technic Sevcik used his outstanding gift of combination in developing supremely efficient exercises for all bowing possibilities. However, if play is functionally correct, it is possible to make do with only a part of these to learn a special set of movements. If this is functionally established, one may at times do without the variants. On the other hand it must be considered that these variants in particular give the playing technic extraordinary assurance and polish because they deal exhaustively with all movements of play.
To the practising material and its faultless acquisition, the same basic principle applies as to the technic of the left hand. Studies and exercises here are comparable to the wall-bar in the training of ballet dancers: it is not the use of the bar which will lead to success, but rather the method of training at it.
The bow-hold as postulated by Sevcik has already been discussed. It is the sense of touch in the right hand which is of decisive importance for faultless bowing. Here the position of the right arm is of only secondary importance, i.e., it has to adjust to the requirements of the hand. Hence it is inefficient and dangerous to allow the arm to take a certain position, to which hand movements would have to conform. The less the arm participates in the bowing technic, the smoother and more precise is the playing. Exact rhythm in the execution of bowing exercises is essential.
There are two advantages to the method of counting loudly demanded at times by Sevcik : first, it is more reliable than beating with the foot which will automatically accelerate as the number of notes increases, and, secondly, loud counting promotes independence
of play.
The 1st and 2nd exercises serve to establish control of bowhold and bowing in general. Rests in the 1st, 3rd and 5th variants of the 2nd exercise should be used for controlling the tension of grip and direction of bow, and to correct them if necessary. The same goes for exercise 3, particularly in the variants 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15. Arm movements in full bow should be flowing and any unnecessary lift of the upper arm and elbow is to be avoided. Together with the 5th exercise, the 29th exercise from the second part of the " Bowing Technic " should be started. Crossing of strings should here be practised wherever possible by bending the wrist. Particularly the 30th exercise with variants (missing out one or two strings) should be played in this manner with only slight use of the forearm. Starting from here the bowing exercises of the first part should be used alternately with those from the second part. Detache bowing should never be pressed, but should sound intense and forceful also when played piano ; this is to be achieved only through a kinesthetic feeling of elasticity in the right hand. Any unnecessary lifting of the right arm forces the tone and deprives it of its carrying power.
Spiccato is a bouncing technic of medium rapidity, in which the springing effect is produced through co-operation of the hand and forearm in dropping and rebounding. As a preparatory exercise the hand should perform a small semi-circular movement and at the centre of this motion the string should be touched during the up and down bow.
The sautille on the other hand is a technic which develops from the detache. As soon as the bowhold relaxes somewhat during a quick detache, and the pressure of the bow on the string is thereby decreased, sautille will result due to the stick's proper elasticity.
An immediate start of sautill~ is effected by accentuating the first note, so that the bow bounces off the string.
Staccato is best practised at first as a rolling movement in which the next lower string will also be bowed.
When this rolling motion has been sufficiently practised, the lower string will no more be touched.
Staccato downwards is produced without change of bowhold but by raising the hand a little, which turns the stick inwards and the hair outwards.
Flying staccato is a combination of spiccato and staccato. The frequency of the bounce and thereby
the rapidity of the flying staccato will be increased, if the hand is slightly bent downwards at the wrist, and thereby tilted inwards.
Staccato ricochet (spring bow) is produced through the proper elasticity, of the bow. As a preparatory exercise, the bow should be thrown at the empty A string at down bow and slightly pulled immediately (but steadily) after the first drop; it is best to hold the bow only with the thumb and index finger. If the stick is not impeded by being pulled too quickly or too slowly, it will develop its own drumlike rebound, which gradually becomes smaller and quicker. This proper vibration of the bow is used in ricochet. One practises scales with it by playing first 3, then 4, 5, 6, etc. notes, keeping in mind that the bounce decreases, and that fingering therefore must be speeded up.
The spring bow arpeggios become ricochet arpeggios if taken at a fast speed. The bowhold should be very elastic, and the movement of the arm no bigger than necessary for crossing the strings. To keep the spring bow arpeggios at an even flow, a slight accent must be placed on the lowest note, which will give renewed ricocheting impetus to the bow.
The 20th exercise in sustained notes and retarded bow should not be neglected. Any unnecessary participation of the arm will be automatically excluded, because the player will feel it is inefficient.
The exercises in the higher positions should also be practised intensively. These are: exercises 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 25 and 26. Practising bowing in high positions, i.e. with shortened string vibrations, is of great advantage to the technic of bowing.
ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC Op. I PART 4
In his personal teaching, Sevcik recommended the following exercise for all double stoppings, e.g., for octaves :
In this, especially the uninterrupted gliding from the third into the first, and from the first into the
third position is to be practised, and in doing this the fingers should glide over rapidly and lightly to stop the higher or lower strings the moment they leave their position. The jamming of the violin between shoulder and jaw should be avoided. It cannot be overemphasized that the assurance of the virtuoso cannot be achieved through a stable grip of the instrument, but only through a flexible equilibrium between body and instrument. This exercise (in all keys) is to be played slowly and piano. A turther and very useful exercise by Sevcik for the contracting finger intervals in high positions follows:
2nd and 3rd fingers to be placed lightly on the upper string. Up to the fourth position, the thumb
should glide up and down alongside the hand without any individual movement.
Exercise 1
At first the intervals should be played with light gliding fingers. When intonation appears assured,
change of position in quicker tempo should be lightly jerked with the left hand, or rather, the forearm.
Exercise 2
First every group of quavers, whole bow. Pure intonation of the intervals within the octave to be
watched. Overstretching should be avoided by placing the fingers lightly.
Exercise 3
At first glide slowly and piano from interval to interval. Afterwards, jerked from the hand more
quickly and, lightly.
Exercise 4
The preparation to the fingered octaves to be practised with a minimum tension of the hand. In
the first exercise, hand and thumb should follow elastically the position of the first finger. In the
subsequent fingering exercises the hand should be held relatively horizontal to enable the player to distribute the necessary stretch more efficiently also to the 1st and 2nd finger and thus take strain off the 3rd and 4th. To be practised slowly, evenly and piano. At first, every group of crotchets full bow.
Exercise 5
Thirds to be practised at first as follows:
Then practise with the second and fourth fingers. Scales in thirds may then follow. If intonation is
faulty, tones should be singled out.
Exercise 6
Here too, notes to be played singly and checked for intonation if double stoppings are not well in tune. At first very slowly and piano. Every group of crotchets whole bow.
Exercise 7
Combinations of double stoppings to be fingered as elastically as possible, slowly and piano. At first whole bow for a quarter of a bar.
Exercise 8
Practise in the same manner as the preceding.
Exercise 9
Chromatic thirds to be practised with relatively horizontal hand position, fingers to be placed as
lightly as possible. Slowly and piano, detache at first.
Exercise 10
Sixths to be practised at first as follows：
The original scales in sixths may now be taken.
Exercise 11
Fingers should be placed lightly. Every group of :rotchets to a bow to be played slowly.
Exercise 12
Preparatory exercise to playing in tenths:
1n this, the index should be stretched backwards to the E peg (:-), and from this position reach for
the lower note of the tenth with the first finger, whilst the 4th finger stops the upper note. When playing in tenths the tension of the fingers should be distributed fanwise over the whole hand, and not left to the 4th finger alone. Then the following to be practised:
Next, the original exercise.
Exercises 13 to 16
The applied double stop exercises are to be practised detache at first. If the intonation is faulty, double stoppings should be broken up, and that always from the lower note upwards.
Exercise 17
The three-part chords should first be practised as follows:
Then the original variants 1, 2, and 3. Thereafter, each chord sounded simultaneously, on down
bows. In this, the middle string should first be gripped by the bow hair, so that the whole chord
sounds " unbroken ".
Exercise 18
The four-part chords are first practised arpeggiated:
Then the original variants.
Exercise 19
The pizzicato finger should be pulled off the string with a quick elastic movement.
Exercise 20
In pizzicato exercises with sustained bowed notes the fingertip should flip lightly off the string, applying moderate pressure only, so as not to touch the strings with the sustained notes.
Exercise 21
Both fingers should be placed lightly when playing harmonics. The finger nearest the nut should not press the string down on the fingerboard; the touch by the " harmonic " finger should be hardly perceptible. If the finger near the nut is too heavily exerted, hypertensions will result which impede both the intonation and the required stretches for double harmonics. When playing scales in harmonics, gliding from note to note should be practised as follows:
And this is how the original scales in harmonics should be practised.
Exercise 22
Arpeggios in harmonics to be practised in the same way:
Exercise 23
Preparatory exercise for double harmonics in thirds.
The double harmonics in sixths to be practised in the same way.
When practising natural and harmonic tones mixed, sounded simultaneously, the natural note should not be stopped by pressing against the fingerboard. Pressure of the bow should be adjusted to the harmonic.
In this, especially the uninterrupted gliding from the third into the first, and from the first into the
third position is to be practised, and in doing this the fingers should glide over rapidly and lightly to stop the higher or lower strings the moment they leave their position. The jamming of the violin between shoulder and jaw should be avoided. It cannot be overemphasized that the assurance of the virtuoso cannot be achieved through a stable grip of the instrument, but only through a flexible equilibrium between body and instrument. This exercise (in all keys) is to be played slowly and piano. A turther and very useful exercise by Sevcik for the contracting finger intervals in high positions follows:
2nd and 3rd fingers to be placed lightly on the upper string. Up to the fourth position, the thumb
should glide up and down alongside the hand without any individual movement.
Exercise 1
At first the intervals should be played with light gliding fingers. When intonation appears assured,
change of position in quicker tempo should be lightly jerked with the left hand, or rather, the forearm.
Exercise 2
First every group of quavers, whole bow. Pure intonation of the intervals within the octave to be
watched. Overstretching should be avoided by placing the fingers lightly.
Exercise 3
At first glide slowly and piano from interval to interval. Afterwards, jerked from the hand more
quickly and, lightly.
Exercise 4
The preparation to the fingered octaves to be practised with a minimum tension of the hand. In
the first exercise, hand and thumb should follow elastically the position of the first finger. In the
subsequent fingering exercises the hand should be held relatively horizontal to enable the player to distribute the necessary stretch more efficiently also to the 1st and 2nd finger and thus take strain off the 3rd and 4th. To be practised slowly, evenly and piano. At first, every group of crotchets full bow.
Exercise 5
Thirds to be practised at first as follows:
Then practise with the second and fourth fingers. Scales in thirds may then follow. If intonation is
faulty, tones should be singled out.
Exercise 6
Here too, notes to be played singly and checked for intonation if double stoppings are not well in tune. At first very slowly and piano. Every group of crotchets whole bow.
Exercise 7
Combinations of double stoppings to be fingered as elastically as possible, slowly and piano. At first whole bow for a quarter of a bar.
Exercise 8
Practise in the same manner as the preceding.
Exercise 9
Chromatic thirds to be practised with relatively horizontal hand position, fingers to be placed as
lightly as possible. Slowly and piano, detache at first.
Exercise 10
Sixths to be practised at first as follows：
The original scales in sixths may now be taken.
Exercise 11
Fingers should be placed lightly. Every group of :rotchets to a bow to be played slowly.
Exercise 12
Preparatory exercise to playing in tenths:
1n this, the index should be stretched backwards to the E peg (:-), and from this position reach for
the lower note of the tenth with the first finger, whilst the 4th finger stops the upper note. When playing in tenths the tension of the fingers should be distributed fanwise over the whole hand, and not left to the 4th finger alone. Then the following to be practised:
Next, the original exercise.
Exercises 13 to 16
The applied double stop exercises are to be practised detache at first. If the intonation is faulty, double stoppings should be broken up, and that always from the lower note upwards.
Exercise 17
The three-part chords should first be practised as follows:
Then the original variants 1, 2, and 3. Thereafter, each chord sounded simultaneously, on down
bows. In this, the middle string should first be gripped by the bow hair, so that the whole chord
sounds " unbroken ".
Exercise 18
The four-part chords are first practised arpeggiated:
Then the original variants.
Exercise 19
The pizzicato finger should be pulled off the string with a quick elastic movement.
Exercise 20
In pizzicato exercises with sustained bowed notes the fingertip should flip lightly off the string, applying moderate pressure only, so as not to touch the strings with the sustained notes.
Exercise 21
Both fingers should be placed lightly when playing harmonics. The finger nearest the nut should not press the string down on the fingerboard; the touch by the " harmonic " finger should be hardly perceptible. If the finger near the nut is too heavily exerted, hypertensions will result which impede both the intonation and the required stretches for double harmonics. When playing scales in harmonics, gliding from note to note should be practised as follows:
And this is how the original scales in harmonics should be practised.
Exercise 22
Arpeggios in harmonics to be practised in the same way:
Exercise 23
Preparatory exercise for double harmonics in thirds.
The double harmonics in sixths to be practised in the same way.
When practising natural and harmonic tones mixed, sounded simultaneously, the natural note should not be stopped by pressing against the fingerboard. Pressure of the bow should be adjusted to the harmonic.
ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC Op. I PART 3
Op. I PART 3
Exercise 1
To be practised alternately detache and slurred with the upper and lower fingering. When changing position, the thumb glides down slightly, under the neck of the violin, gradually and without jerking as the position becomes higher. No separate movements of the thumb. In practising the inaudible change of position demanded by modern technic, the broken thirds in the second bar should be played with the following fingering:
Exercise 2
For smoothness the shift of a fourth is to be preferred to the shift of the third when playing scales.
The following fingerings are recommended for scales preferring shift of the fourth, without regard to the harmonic progression of G major, or G minor, up to F major or minor. The change of position remains the same up and down, in major or minor. (Vide also Preparatory Scale Studies, Op. 8).
Like any stringed instrument, the violin, basically tuned in pure intervals, requires tempering of pitch to the vibration ratio during play. Intonation should be pressed to the extreme of what is subjectively felt as correct. Such a performance will create a colourful impression of purity and intensity of sound.
The B natural, attuned as a sixth to D, will sound flat when played together with E.
Alternately, the B, played as a lower tone to E in a chord, will sound too sharp for D. It follows that B must be tempered if these tones are to be played following each other or sounding together.
The leading notes require special attention: they should always be played sharp to the extreme upper
limit. Acuity in differentiating pure intonation is soon developed if critically practised. The student
will realise when he has to finger sharp or flat according to tonal requirements. Sevcik often used the intensive study of fourths as an excellent means for training the ear and furthering pure intonation. These should be played in all keys as follows :
The scales should be practised detache, and then in the three variants given by Sevcik.
Exercise 3
The intervals between the positions must be covered by gliding at light finger pressure. The wrist should remain stabilised.
Exercise 4
To be practised as follows:
The triads should first be played slowly. Whole bows and half bows should sound alike. Next, half
and then whole bars to be slurred.
Exercise 5
First to be practised in groups of 5 notes: Then dotted : L1/4 W.B.U1/4
Thereafter the original with the given bowing variants.
Exercise 6
First to be practised in groups of 5 notes, as in the previous exercise. Then with light and elastic finger attack:
Slowly and grouped at first, with whole bow. Then twice as fast, bar by bar, whole bow.
Exercise 7
The triplets to be practised as in No. 4. Then with all possible double stoppings:
Exercise 8
To be practised with light fingers. Special attention to be paid to pure semitones, particularly on the
E string. If the whole bar is slurred, the first note of every group should be lightly stressed.
Exercise 9
Care should be taken neither to let the fingers stretch off nor pull in, so that they always remain above the strings. In high positions, the fingers should not be placed fully on the tip and thus crowded off the fingerboard, but rather the 'smallest possible part of the fingertip should be used.
Exercise 10
To be practised at first slowly detache and piano. Smoothly and slowly glide through changes of position, with full attention to faultless intonation. Stretching of the fingers should be as elastic and yielding as possible.
Exercises 11 and 12
The exercises for change of position and intonation should be practised with supple arm action without partial movement of the thumb, as lightly and elastically as possible. The larger the interval jumps, the more care should be taken to balance the violin easily and to avoid any rigid position of the instrument.
Exercises 13 and 14
These exercises also should be played with true balance of the violin and without jamming. The
jumps in exercise 14 should be executed by the forearm and hand as elastically as possible from the
wrist.
Exercise 1
To be practised alternately detache and slurred with the upper and lower fingering. When changing position, the thumb glides down slightly, under the neck of the violin, gradually and without jerking as the position becomes higher. No separate movements of the thumb. In practising the inaudible change of position demanded by modern technic, the broken thirds in the second bar should be played with the following fingering:
Exercise 2
For smoothness the shift of a fourth is to be preferred to the shift of the third when playing scales.
The following fingerings are recommended for scales preferring shift of the fourth, without regard to the harmonic progression of G major, or G minor, up to F major or minor. The change of position remains the same up and down, in major or minor. (Vide also Preparatory Scale Studies, Op. 8).
Like any stringed instrument, the violin, basically tuned in pure intervals, requires tempering of pitch to the vibration ratio during play. Intonation should be pressed to the extreme of what is subjectively felt as correct. Such a performance will create a colourful impression of purity and intensity of sound.
The B natural, attuned as a sixth to D, will sound flat when played together with E.
Alternately, the B, played as a lower tone to E in a chord, will sound too sharp for D. It follows that B must be tempered if these tones are to be played following each other or sounding together.
The leading notes require special attention: they should always be played sharp to the extreme upper
limit. Acuity in differentiating pure intonation is soon developed if critically practised. The student
will realise when he has to finger sharp or flat according to tonal requirements. Sevcik often used the intensive study of fourths as an excellent means for training the ear and furthering pure intonation. These should be played in all keys as follows :
The scales should be practised detache, and then in the three variants given by Sevcik.
Exercise 3
The intervals between the positions must be covered by gliding at light finger pressure. The wrist should remain stabilised.
Exercise 4
To be practised as follows:
The triads should first be played slowly. Whole bows and half bows should sound alike. Next, half
and then whole bars to be slurred.
Exercise 5
First to be practised in groups of 5 notes: Then dotted : L1/4 W.B.U1/4
Thereafter the original with the given bowing variants.
Exercise 6
First to be practised in groups of 5 notes, as in the previous exercise. Then with light and elastic finger attack:
Slowly and grouped at first, with whole bow. Then twice as fast, bar by bar, whole bow.
Exercise 7
The triplets to be practised as in No. 4. Then with all possible double stoppings:
Exercise 8
To be practised with light fingers. Special attention to be paid to pure semitones, particularly on the
E string. If the whole bar is slurred, the first note of every group should be lightly stressed.
Exercise 9
Care should be taken neither to let the fingers stretch off nor pull in, so that they always remain above the strings. In high positions, the fingers should not be placed fully on the tip and thus crowded off the fingerboard, but rather the 'smallest possible part of the fingertip should be used.
Exercise 10
To be practised at first slowly detache and piano. Smoothly and slowly glide through changes of position, with full attention to faultless intonation. Stretching of the fingers should be as elastic and yielding as possible.
Exercises 11 and 12
The exercises for change of position and intonation should be practised with supple arm action without partial movement of the thumb, as lightly and elastically as possible. The larger the interval jumps, the more care should be taken to balance the violin easily and to avoid any rigid position of the instrument.
Exercises 13 and 14
These exercises also should be played with true balance of the violin and without jamming. The
jumps in exercise 14 should be executed by the forearm and hand as elastically as possible from the
wrist.
ŠEVČĺK'S VIOLIN TECHNIC Op. I PART 2b
Exercise 16
Change of position from the first to the third should be only controlled by the arm, without bending the wrist and without reaching forward or backward with the thumb.
Exercise 17
When stretching, strain of the hand muscles will be avoided if fingers stop the string lightly.
Exercise 18
In this important exercise, use is made of the independence of the fingers acquired through the previous exercises. First detache in the middle of the bow. Tempo: andante, fingers placed lightly. Then, ahways at the same speed, 4 notes slurred (middle), then 8 notes (whole bow), and then 16 notes (whole bow). There should be no increase in tempo until the several bars of the exercise can be produced with pure intonation, and the shifting of semitone intervals can be fingered effortless and without strain. Only then may the speed be doubled, with fingers gliding closely over the strings. First slur 8 notes, whole bow.
Exercise 19
First, the double bars are to be played detache; then slurs to quarter bars, half and full bars. Correct
faulty intonation by tracing single tones.
Exercise 20
To be practised as 27, book 1.
Exercise 21
The left arm is pulled in slightly more towards the middle of the body so that the hand is poised above the fingerboard, but this must not produce overstretching.
Exercise 22
First to be practised broken up, in quavers, then in double stoppings, one bar at a time.
If intonation is faulty, double stoppings must be broken up and intonation corrected.
Exercise 23
First detache, then one, two, four and eight groups of triplets slurred together.
Exercises 24 and 25
Care should be taken to exclude jerks from the gliding movements of the hand which is worked by
the arm. No separate thumb movements.
Exercise 26
To be practised as 21, book 1.
Exercise 27
Four, eight and sixteen notes to be slurred.
Exercise 28
First detache, then slurs. Correct faulty intonation by tracing single tones.
Exercise 29
To be practised as 27, book 1.
Exercises 30 to 41
(5th to 7th position, same principles as in previous exercises).
Change of position from the first to the third should be only controlled by the arm, without bending the wrist and without reaching forward or backward with the thumb.
Exercise 17
When stretching, strain of the hand muscles will be avoided if fingers stop the string lightly.
Exercise 18
In this important exercise, use is made of the independence of the fingers acquired through the previous exercises. First detache in the middle of the bow. Tempo: andante, fingers placed lightly. Then, ahways at the same speed, 4 notes slurred (middle), then 8 notes (whole bow), and then 16 notes (whole bow). There should be no increase in tempo until the several bars of the exercise can be produced with pure intonation, and the shifting of semitone intervals can be fingered effortless and without strain. Only then may the speed be doubled, with fingers gliding closely over the strings. First slur 8 notes, whole bow.
Exercise 19
First, the double bars are to be played detache; then slurs to quarter bars, half and full bars. Correct
faulty intonation by tracing single tones.
Exercise 20
To be practised as 27, book 1.
Exercise 21
The left arm is pulled in slightly more towards the middle of the body so that the hand is poised above the fingerboard, but this must not produce overstretching.
Exercise 22
First to be practised broken up, in quavers, then in double stoppings, one bar at a time.
If intonation is faulty, double stoppings must be broken up and intonation corrected.
Exercise 23
First detache, then one, two, four and eight groups of triplets slurred together.
Exercises 24 and 25
Care should be taken to exclude jerks from the gliding movements of the hand which is worked by
the arm. No separate thumb movements.
Exercise 26
To be practised as 21, book 1.
Exercise 27
Four, eight and sixteen notes to be slurred.
Exercise 28
First detache, then slurs. Correct faulty intonation by tracing single tones.
Exercise 29
To be practised as 27, book 1.
Exercises 30 to 41
(5th to 7th position, same principles as in previous exercises).
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