Beginner's Guide to Violin Playing
There are so many violin works that their evaluation has become a problem that classical music lovers cannot get rid of. This time I will try to classify violin pieces to help you step by step into world of violin art.
The first thing you need to understand is classification of violin pieces, which can roughly be divided into three types, namely etudes, concertos and sonatas. In terms of difficulty of evaluation, we can say that it is progressing.
Let's talk about sketch first, it's usually less than 10 minutes long, it's easiest type to get started. In addition, this type of work is usually very brilliant, with a strong melody, and it is very easy to get people's attention. For example, Sarasate's Song of Wanderer, Carmen Fantasy, Tchaikovsky's Melancholic Waltz, etc., are all very pleasant, and they are also very suitable for introduction to violin playing.
The second category is called concertos, and there are many such works. From Vivaldi, Bach to Mozart, many such works have been created. During Romantic period, violin concerto remained an important genre.
The main introduction for you today is so-called Four Violin Concertos, namely Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major, Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor, Violin Concerto in D Major Brahms. Concerto for violin and orchestra, Concerto for violin and orchestra in D major by Tchaikovsky.
As you can see, three of them are in key of D major. Since four strings of violin, from lowest to highest, are G or SO string, D string is RE, A string is LA, and E string is MI. Generally speaking, music with these four tones as main melody is more comfortable to play and easier to create a sense of resonance.
Among four pieces, it is recommended to start with Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor, because its melody is so beautiful. Also, piece is not too long and three movements are done in one breath, so it's easy to follow.
After that, I recommend listening to Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major. The sound effect of this work is very grandiose, and special attention should be paid when listening. The interweaving and opposition of violin and orchestra can very well reflect features of concerto.
Here you can add a little gossip, that is, Tchaikovsky actually did not know how to play violin, and this work was created by him on piano. Thus, many of bowing and fingering techniques are very incompatible with violin playing habits. However, it is also its uniqueness that has been preserved for so many years.
After that, you can start listening to Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major. This piece can well show limits of violin. Because there is some kind of hysterical emotion in whole song, all emotions can be shaken, and emotions are very full.
The End - Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major. This part has most depth and is not particularly easy to appreciate. When listening, you will find that presence of violin solo is not particularly strong. However, intertwining with group, you can listen to it almost like a symphony, which, as they say, is very deep.
Of course, in addition to above four violin concertos, such as later violin concertos of Wieniawski, Prokofiev and Sibelius, they are all very good. On whole, Violin Concerto is longer than Pieces, but it has enough drama to mobilize your ear and is well worth enjoying.
After listening to a concert, you can enter a sonata with a higher threshold. The reason threshold for sonata is high is because sonata emphasizes logic of music. It is not as lively as concerto, but also longer than etude, which sounds less attractive.
A sonata usually has two instruments, violin and piano, and often they don't have priority, and complexity of the piano is even higher. When a performer plays, there is no particular imagination, it's just an ideal presentation of music in a relatively high style.
I recommend everyone listen to Beethoven's sonata here. In total, he wrote 10 violin sonatas, of which fifth "Spring" and ninth "Kreutzer" are most famous. In addition, Brahms has three very classical violin sonatas that are also worth listening to.
In general, it is recommended that you first become familiar with four violin concertos and improve your ear resolution before enjoying violin and piano sonatas. You will find that this feeling will be different.
This article has been moved from the official account丨Beauty Above All
Illustration by Felix Vallotton
Beginner's Guide to Violin Playing