Charles Dancla (1817-1907) Theme and Variations (Air Varié) on a theme by Bellini Op. 89, No. 3 for violin and piano – Practice video in 2 speeds
This tuneful and fun intermediate violin piece is great for violinists wishing to develop a virtuoso style.
Dancla, a celebrated violinist and pedagogue of the nineteenth century who had studied in the Paris conservatoire with Baillot, crafted this piece to be both technically interesting and musically engaging for the intermediate violinist of about grade 6 or 7 standard. The piece consists of an introduction, theme, two variations and a coda, alternating singing melodies with virtuoso techniques, including:
Easy natural harmonics
Manageable double and triple stops
A cadenza-like passage at the end of the introduction
Up-bow staccato
Practice in Two Different Speeds – Practice Tips
The video includes the accompaniment in two speeds: 1) ♩ = 76 2) ♩ = 86
Each speed has a version where the piano plays the violin part and a version where the accompaniment is payed alone.
Here are some practice tips:
Play along with the slow version to develop the phrasing of melodic lines and to practice the more difficult sections with a relaxed hand.
Try to develop a sense of comfort and ease whilst playing in the slower version and develop this feeling when practising along with the faster version in the video
Try developing an inner ear by listening to the piano accompaniment and watching the violin score. Can you imagine the sound of the violin?
Try to develop smooth shifts in the slower version.
Remember that glissandos sound better going upwards! (Downwards glissandos are risky – they can make your playing sound unsophisticated!)
Remember to play the triple stops (e.g. bar 63 and 66, etc) from the string (the bow starts from the string, rather than being dropped from above). This will help control of the timing and the quality of the sound.
The bottom notes of the triple stops areas like bar 63 and the beginning of 64 could be played more heavily than the top notes, which can be lighter, since the bottom notes have a melody in this place.
Carl Bohm (1844 – 1920) Perpetuo Mobile, No. 6 from Little Suite (Kleine Suite) for Violin and Piano – Practice Videos in 3 Different Speeds
First published in 1892, Carl Bohm’s “Perpetuo Mobile” (sometimes called “Perpetual motion” or “Moto Perpetuo”), No. 6 from the Little Suite (Kleine Suite), is a lively, intermediate-level composition with a memorable melody. It is ideal for concert recitals and has gained popularity through its inclusion in the Suzuki method (Book Four).
Why Learning Carl Bohm’s Perpetuo Mobile is Essential for Violinists
Bohm’s classic composition is not only enjoyable to play, but can also be learnt to help train important aspects of violin technique, including:
Precise string crossings with the bow
Smooth and accurate shifting to different positions with the left hand
Control and awarenes of dynamic contrasts
Developing a Sense of Ease
Importantly, “Perpetuo Mobile” can also be used to develop complete comfort in both the left hand and bowing arm. This is vital for building the “stamina” required to perform moto perpetuo-type compositions.
Practice tips
Approach your practice sessions with the goal of developing ease and reducing fatigue. Ask yourself, “How can I play this piece with less effort and more relaxation?”
To help you practice this piece, use these practice videos. There 3 videos in different speeds:
Slow Speed (♩ = 60):
Medium Speed (♩ = 85)
Faster Speed (♩ = 130)
Right Hand / Bowing 1) Playing along with the slow version of the video, try to pay close attention to string crossings: how far the right elbow and forearm needs to get to the required string.
2) Whilst playing on each string requires a correspoding level for the right elbow, remeber that sudden, fast movements are not preferable.
3) Try to make each movement smooth – and be ready for each string crossing by thinking ahead.
4) Experiment with starting the piece with the bow on or from the string. Remember to relax your right arm and shoulder. How does this help to create the required accent on the first note?
5) Try practising the slow version on the string with martele-type bowing, but in the middle of the bow to train playing into the string with accurate bow placement/lengths.
Ask yourself: – What do I have to do with the bow to create dynamic contrasts?
– How does the amount of bow used and weight of bow arm differ when playing piano and forte? Experiment and take notes, writing it on your sheet music, if necessary
– How does the amount of bow and sound point used change the sound?
– What combination of bow speed, wieght, lenghts and use of sound points assist in creating crescendos and decrescndos?
Left Hand
1) Try only pressing the strings down as far as they need to go to create a good sound – pressing the string too heavily will impede agility.
2) Remember to adjust the left elbow (underneath the violin) when playing on different strings. How far to the right does your elbow need to be on the G string compared to its position under the violin when playing on the E string?
3) Practice shifting to different positions slowly, making a mental note of the feeling of position of the left hand, relevant finger and arm when the note(s) are perfectly comfortable and, most importantly, in tune.
4) Play along with the video(s) with the goal of creating absolute ease in the left hand. Make sure that you retain this feeling at different speeds.
5) Test yourself to see whether you can retain a sense of ease at many different tempos by playing along with the videos at many different speeds. Fee; free to speed up and slow down the video on YouTube using the video’s settings.
General aspects: practising with the videos
Use the video to get to know the musical work. Listen to the recording with the violin part.
Experiment by listening when doing other things, like tidying up. Does this change the way you play, think and/or practice in your next practice session(s)? If so, how?
Test your memory – use the piano accompaniment in the video to play along with. How far can you play from memory? Are there areas that need repetition? Feel free to repeat specific areas of the video and play along again!
If you have a strategy for memorisation try it in between each repetition of the video. What works really well in your memorisation strategy? What doesn’t work so well?
Rodolphe kreutzer (1766 – 1831) wrote his now famous collection of “Études ou caprices” [etudes or caprices] in about 1805. This popular second etude has become a mainstay of the violin learning repertoire.
Whilst these etudes were originally written for solo violin, this video includes a new ragtime accompaniment, which can be used as fun alternative to practising with a metronome!
The practice video includes a score of the etude with moving cursor to help sight read and locate any areas that require more practice. The video also includes 3 different speeds and a close-up of the left hand.
Practice tips:
If this is a new etude for you: listen to the etude before playing it; then listen to the accompaniment and look at the violin score. Can you imagine how the violin will sound?
Try “playing” along with the video without the bow, using the left hand only, firstly at the slowest tempo;
Play along with the accompaniment;
Make a note of the locations of any difficult areas (areas that are not fluent, etc);
Make sure you understand the fingering (Between which notes/fingers are the semitones? Are there any areas that require a position change?)
Repeat these areas without the accompaniment a few times with a relaxed hand;
Listen to every note you play- make the nicest sound you can (adjust any notes that need better intonation or sound quality);
Repeat with the accompaniment – try adjusting the speed of the accompaniment (in YouTube settings, and/or by choosing one of the 3 speeds in the video);
Make sure you have a comfortable left hand at all the different speeds;
Experiment with different rhythms and bowings (see below);
Try playing along with the accompaniment using these bowings and rhythms, etc.
Have fun!
Background, analysis of the etude; Kreutzer, the composer and teacher:
There is no doubt that Rodolphe Kreutzer was both an established violinist and composer. His compositional output includes no less than 19 violin concertos. His nineteenth concerto shows a mature compositional style which reminds the listener of some of the technical elements heard in his more famous etudes, together with an interesting mix of sturm und drang, reminiscent of Haydn or late Mozart and Beethoven, together with a virtuosity that anticipates the virtuoso passages found in the concertos of Charles Auguste de Bériot (1802 – 1870).
The second etude from his collection of 40 (later 42) was originally published with a set of bowing alternatives and rhythms which essentially help to develop what Ivan Galamian later referred to as “correlation” in violin playing – coordination of left and right hand movements. Additionally, the bowing exercises that Kreutzer introduces helps to gain skill with the violin bow that was evolving out of the baroque “swan-head” style to the classical and early romantic style bows. With their more hammer-like tips, these newer bows enabled the player to play nearer the point of the bow with more definition and energy and could develop the martele stroke that became so characteristic in this era.
It is interesting to note, that the first edition of the etudes published around 1805 includes 15 bowing patterns (see fig. 1), whilst subsequent editions include a gradually growing number of bowing patterns and also different rhythms. Abram Yampolsy’s edition from 1950 includes no less than 46 different patterms (see fig.4). This may well indicate the usefulness of the concept of the bowing exercises for developing fluency and technical skill with the bow. With each generation of violinists/teachers adding something of their own, this Kreutzer etude has become a quasi living historical musical and pedagogical document – reflecting musical and technical developments in violin playing throughout the two hundred years or so of the etude’s existence.
Figure 1 (below): The 15 bowing patterns that appeared in the first edition in 1805
By about 1850, Ferdinand David’s edition features 20 bowing patterns (see figure 2).
Figure 2: The 20 bowing patterns that appear in Ferdinand David’s edition in 1850
By 1894 Edward Singer’s edition includes 25 bowing patterns (see fig. 3):
Figure 3: The 25 bowing patterns of Edward Singer in 1894
And in 1950, Abram Yampolsy’s edition includes 46 different bowing patterns on two pages:
Figure 4: The 46 bowing patterns of Abram Yampolsky in 1950
What is your fourite bowing pattern? Are any of them particularly difficult (or easy)? Do you find them helpful in developing fluency? Can you think of your own bowing patterns or rhythms?
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La Cumparsita – arranged for violin and piano by Fiona Vilnite.
Originally composed by Gerardo Hernán Matos Rodríguez (1897-1948) in 1916, this tango has become one fo the most popular tangos ever written.
This arrangement for violin and piano is great for intermediate students who are able to shift into 3rd position and also for more advanced players who can take advantage of playing an octave up in bars 28 and 29!
Henry Schradieck (1846-1918) – Exercises on One String
Arranged for Violin with Samba-Style Rhythm Accompaniment by Fiona Vilnite
These exercises form the first chapter of H. Schradiek’s “The School of Violin Technics” Book 1. The book is organised into seperate chapters of exercises that introduce playing and shifting between different positions. However, it is these first-position exercises that have, for many – beginners and professionals alike – become a mainstay of the daily warm-up routine. The exercises can help to develop agility and an awareness of the processes involved in the individual movements of the fingers of the left hand. For new or novice violinists, and perhaps especially those who have small hands, it is nice that the exercises start from the open string in the major key – since the 2nd finger is in the high (#) placement. This makes it easier for players to obtain (or “reach”) the correct pitches with the 4th finger and correlates with the 2nd finger placement advocated in other methods, such as the Suzuki School. Because of this, the Schradieck exercises can also be learnt/practised in parallel to the repertoire presented in these methods. Also, because these exercises are short, they can be memorised easily and/or learnt by ear.
These videos (see below) include a samba-style rhythm accompaniment and are designed to assist with warming-up and developing a great left-hand technique. Each video can be repeated or played consecutively, depending on the feeling in the left hand. Remember keep an awareness of the feeling in the left hand, play with a relaxed left hand and rest between exercises.
Exercise number 1 played on all four strings
This exercise is great even for beginning violinists. Play along and learn from memory!
Exercises 2 and 3 on the A string:
Exercises 4 and 5 on the A string:
Exercises 5 and 6 on the A string:
Practice Tips:
Play along with the videos!
Remember that practising these exercises in small doses every day – as a warm-up, for example – may be more beneficial than playing many exercises one after the other – especially for more novice players who are still developing a relaxed left-hand posture.
Make sure that the left hand thumb is not unnessesarily squeezing the neck of the violin (this would be one cause of tension in the left hand)
Find a comfortable position for the thumb, and check that it is not horizantal or beneath the neck of the violin. The thumb should be pointing upwards and approximately opposite the second finger. This will assist the fourth finger to reach to the correct note (E natural on the A string) and allow the hand to move in a more natural trajectory.
Schradieck notes that during exercises, the hand should be kept “completely quiet, letting the fingers fall strongly and raising them with elasticity.” Indeed, the hand should be relaxed. Grabbing or pinching the violin will not allow the fingers to fall onto the string naturally and their lifting movements will also be inhibited.
Try Practising the exercises on different strings, remembering to adjust the position of the elbow under the violin when needed.
Mexican Hat Dance for Violin and Piano – arranged by Fiona Vilnite
A mixture of two traditional Mexican tunes – “La Rapsa” and “Jarabe Tapatío,” this arrangement is designed to be played in 1st position, so that it can be played by violinists of all standards. It can also be a fun addition to the beginning violinist’s repertoire.
The YouTube video of the Mexican Hat Dance for violin includes the performance with close-up of the left-hand and play-along accompaniments at three different speeds. All versions include the sheet music score.
Practice tips!
The first note provides an introduction to the piece. There are three instructions indicated on the score about how to play it: sfp, tremoloand crescendo.
“Sfp” (= sforzando piano) (italian) is a dynamic indication – that is, how loudly (or softly) the note should be played. Sforzando literally means “accented,” whilst pianomeans “soft” or “gentle.” So, “sfp” simply means that you need to start the note strongly and very quickly become quiet. This can be done on the violin by starting to play the note towards the heel of the bow and playing a full bow. (Remember! The more bow you use, the louder it is!)
Next, the tremolo is played at the tip of the bow (tremolo = short, fast, repeated notes at the same pitch). To achieve a crescendo on the tremolo, gradually use more bow!
Experiment with the fingering!
Some of the passages require deliberate thougt about finger placement – especially where there are semi-tones (or half-tones). Fingering (and its alternative in some places) is suggested on the score. Choose a fingering that will enable you to play with comfort and ease at a fast tempo. Try to find out which is the most effective and accurate. Remember, that the easiest solution at slow tempos may not be the most accurate at a fast tempo.
Playing with the accompaniment
The piece is in 6/8 – (= six quavers/8th notes) in one bar.
Remember to keep the pulse in mind when playing – especially in the rests – so that the next entry is together with the piano.
Practice along with the video
The video includes 3 tempos (slow, medium and fast). Each tempo has a separate piano accompaniment track.
Try listening to the violin and piano recording whilst following along with the score and left hand on the violin (playing without the bow).
Play along with the accompaniment
Identify areas that were not perfect
Repeat these areas as many times as needed (at least 3 or 4 times) or until improved
Slow down the video further using YouTube’s settings, if needed.
Charles Dancla (1817-1907) – Mazurka for Violin and Piano op.123, no.11
Article written by Fiona Vilnite
Originally published in an album of “Twenty Little Pieces” for easy violin, this characteristic mazurka-style piece is great for intermediate violinists. About grade 4 in standard, it explores the use of 1st and 3rd positions, chromatic fingerings and short (staccato) notes with bow retakes.
A pupil of the celebrated violinist and pedagogue Pierre Baillot (1771-1842), Charles Dancla is remembered worldwide for his compositions for student violinists. These works address aspects of violin technique in a logical manner within a musical setting that is still interesting and accessible in modern times. Interestingly, Dancla was also a prolific composer of over 150 large-form works, including 4 symphonies (see A. Mason Clarke A Biographical Dicionary of Fiddlers) – largely forgotten in modern times.
The form of this piece: A (A minor), B (F major ), A (A minor), plus CODA (A major).
Theme A:
Theme B:
CODA:
Practice tips:
Some Left-Hand Aspects
Whilst it is possible to play the beginning of the first theme in 1st position with an open E string, playing in 3rd position (2nd finger on A string) produces a rounder, more refined sound.
Try adding a little vibrato to the short notes in bar 1….
How does this change the sound quality?
Do you notice the difference in sound quality between these short notes with or without vibrato?
Aspects of intonation:
Remember that good intontation requires a good understanding of the sound – or rather how it should sound. Listening to recordings of the work (see below) can help with gaining a general concept of this. Also, listening to the pitches that are being produced on the instrument whilst playing and changing them accordingly to match the pitches you actually know and have heard, can help in improving and maintaining intonation.
Whilst a concept of tone quality and pitch is most the important in obtaining good intonation, it is also handy to know the geography of the notes on the instrument. In other words, it is useful to know where to find the notes on the instrument. Dancla’s composition requires the player to think especially about the placement of the first finger in first position on the A and E strings:
To produce the note F natural on the E string in themes A and B, remember to place the first finger low, next to the nut on the E string. To produce the note B natural on the A string, the first finger needs to be placed in a “normal” (or higher) position. The difference (or space) between the two notes is physically located a semitone apart (between the strings):
Remember that in the coda, the situation with the 1st finger is different – the F sharp on the E string requires the finger to be in a normal high place, and the first finger on the A string changes according to the note required – if it is an A sharp, the 1st finger needs to be in a low place next to the nut (since this effectively heightens the open string A). If the note is a B natural, the 1st finger needs to be placed a half-tone (semitone) higher on the same string.Right-Hand Aspects
One of the main aspects of right-hand technique in this piece is the re-taking of the bow in the main theme. Remember to:
Start the note from the string, especially after retaking the bow.
Try retaking the bow in a circular manner, as if drawing a circle in the air with the right hand.
The process of playing the note and retaking the bow can be split into 3 parts:
1. The bow is stopped on the string, 2. The bow plays the note, 3. retake the bow in a circular motion:Starting the note from the string gives definition to the beginning of the note. Taking the bow off the string at the beginning of the retake in a circular motion allows the string to vibrate and resonate for longer than if the bow is stopped on the string before retaking.
Try doing the retakes in the rests between the notes:
Remember to use enough bow on the longer notes (minims and dotted minims) and also the notes that precede the long notes in the places maked below:
Practice along with the practice video on YouTube (see below).
Tips for practising with the video:
If this is a completely new piece for you, listen to the piece first before playing along.
If you already have some knowledge of this piece, select a comfortable tempo (the video includes 3 different tempos) and play along.
Try playing first with the violin and piano version, then with the piano accompaniment. After this, you can choose a faster tempo.
Try “playing” along with one of the violin and piano versions, but with the left hand only – without using the bow. Listen carefully to pitches on the video.
Try “playing” along without the bow also in the piano accompaniment versions (without the recorded violin sound)…. Can you imgaine the sound of the violin part whilst doing this?
Identify areas that are more difficult for you. Stop the video and repeat the video in these places, play along again as many times as needed. Try to become aware of your mistakes and also improvements. Did this help you in gaining accuracy? Experiment!
Speed up and slow down the video as required (using YouTube’s settings) and repeat as many times as needed until fluent!
Charles Dancla (1817-1907): Etude No. 29 Op. 84 Chasse du jeune Henry Piano Accompaniment arranged by Fiona Vilnite
This etude, which appears as No.17 in some editions, is from Dancla’s collection of 36 etudes entitled “36 Études mélodiques et très faciles” (Very Easy and Melodic etudes).
This great etude is full of character and is perfect for violinists wishing to develop simple double stops and a sense of rhythm in 6/8 time. About grade 3 in standard (or lower intermediate), it provides an opportunity to travel into 3rd position towards the end with a classic D major arpeggio.
The theme from this etude appears in Étienne Méhul’s comic opera Le jeune Henri (first performed in 1797). Whilst it is perhaps unusual to re-use a (then) popular theme in a work that was intended to be for an unaccompanied instrument as a technical etude, it certainly lives up to the collection’s name – i.e. that it is truly melodic. The Etude is preceded in the original edition by a preparatory exercise, that prepares the player for the rhythms and tonality that follows in the etude itself.
This new practice video includes both the etude and the preparatory exercise with a newly-added piano accompaniment. This helps to keep in tune and in time during practice sessions, and provides an alternative to practising with a metronome.
Practice Tips:
Use this etude to practice intonation:
The open A (la) string played as a double stop helps to reference the notes played by the fingers on the E (mi) string, assisting in developing harmonic intonation
Practice the etude slowly without vibrato – playing without vibrato helps to develop core, stable intonation
Use the etude and its preparatory exercise to practice bow distribution
The exercise is preceded by a direction to play at the point of the bow, giving an impulse to the quaver (1/8th) notes . Indeed, this advice will help the player to recover enough bow for playing the following crotchets (1/4 notes)
Remember to start the etude on an up bow! (The exercise starts with a down bow)
For practising with the video, try the following:
1) Listen to the violin and piano version once through without the violin
2) Take the violin without the bow and listen to the violin and piano version again, whilst following the along with the left hand only
3) Take the violin and the bow and play along with the piano accompaniment
4) Repeat these steps with the etude’s preparatory exercise
Happy Practising!
The video is in 4 parts:
1) Etude Violin and Piano (0:01)
2) Etude Piano Accompaniment (Play Along) (1:12)
3) Preparatory Exercise Violin and Piano (2:24)
4) Preparatory Exercise Piano Accompaniment (Play Along) (3:07)
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Carl Bohm (1844-1920) – Intermezzo from 6 Miniatures for violin and piano Opus 187, No.2.
This great intermediate violin piece is perfect violinists wishing to strengthen their skill in shifting between 1st and 3rd positions, venturing into 5th position and for practising natural harmonics in a musical context.
Perfect for violinists in their 3rd or 4th year of study (equivalent to about grade 4 or 5 violin), Carl Bohm’s Intermezzo is full of playful musical character, which is not constricted at all by the relatively easy technical level of the violin part. It is full of dynamic contrasts, with a dramtic crescendo in the middle of the piece, which leads to a fortissimo, followed by a return of the quiet (piano) main theme. A loud quadruple stop and final strong note finishes the piece.
The new practice video includes 4 versions or the work:
1) Violin and Piano ? = 120 2) Piano accompaniment ? = 120 3) Violin and Piano ? = 80 4) Piano Accompaniment ? = 80
Feel free to play along and change the speed of the video using YouTube’s settings.
PRACTICE TIPS:
When playing along with the video, be mindful of any mistakes (no matter how small!). Make a (mental) note of them, and replay those areas again 🙂
If using this video for sight-reading practice, try playing along with the video until the end, still making a note of areas that were incorrect.
Did you need to repeat any areas for getting the rhythm more perfect?
How was your intonation?
Do you need to practise your shifts more slowly?
Do you have a clear mental image of your target note (the sound of the note in your head) when shifting to a new position?
Franz Wohlfahrt (1833 – 1884) – March Style Piano Accompaniment to Etude No. 1, Opus. 45 Book 1.
Learning studies and etudes on the violin can sometimes be far from interesting, but playing them in different styles can be fun!
This new arrangement of F. Wolfhart’s classic etude in a March-style will hopefully help violinists experiment and discover ways of having fun with etudes.
About grade 2 or 3 standard, this etude will help you learn how to play confidently in C major. It utilises the 1st position only, but its range covers all 4 strings. It is also great for more advanced players that wish to practice sight-reading, or for those wishing to repeat basic aspects of technique.
Practice Tips:
Note where the tones and semitones are located (and between which fingers)
Play along and learn with the new video on YouTube, then play without it – can you still imagine/hear the accompaniment whilst playing the violin without the video?
Did playing with the accompaniment change your view of this study/etude? If so, how?
Try playing “air violin” along with the video – i.e. move the fingers of the left (and right) hand along with the video, but without the violin and then play the “real” violin again afterwards.
How did you feel when playing the real/actual violin again?
Happy Practising!
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Download the free violin sheet music for Wohlfahrt’s etude HERE
Right-Hand Aspects
Starting the note from the string gives definition to the beginning of the note. Taking the bow off the string at the beginning of the retake in a circular motion allows the string to vibrate and resonate for longer than if the bow is stopped on the string before retaking.
