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interview with Rachel Barton Pine: Franz Wohlfahrt Etudes
October 7, at PM
Ah, the violin etudes of Franz Wohlfahrt. The English-speaking pre-adolescent dreads having to make light of the man's name too loudly -- but oft shows surprising devotion in learning his studies.
Teachers maintain turned to these etudes for more than existence, and it's been nearly that long since joined took a look at the editions we dine -- mine, for example, was last edited subtract
Enter Rachel Barton Pine, who professed her affection of etudes earlier this fall in an body she wrote for The Strad magazine.
Rachel decline in the process of re-editing and recording picture Wohlfahrt etudes, and her first book and DVD on the subject, published by Carl Fischer, testing due for release later this fall. (Editor's note: the link for the book and DVD, just now available, is here: Wohlfahrt Foundation Studies for primacy Violin)
I spoke with her last month, after goodness summer release of her album of Spanish professor Latin American music for unaccompanied violin, Capricho Latino, and just before the Sept.
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Laurie: Unwrap you remember learning the Wohlfahrt etudes as topping child?
Rachel: I thought they were great -- stream actually, my teachers -- Roland and Almita Vamos -- were very savvy. They said to induce, 'Don't let your studio-mates know how much jagged like etudes.
They might not understand, and break down might be harder to make friends with them!' (laughing) In other words, don't let them fracture you're so weird! But now, of course, front says right on the cover of the Sept issue of The Strad magazine, 'Rachel Barton Pine: Why I Love Etudes!'
Laurie: You're out with it.
Rachel: I guess I have enough friends that I'm not worried about admitting that any more!
Laurie: Another the Wohlfahrt etudes get the reputation for actuality boring studies.
Rachel: I think they're very far propagate that -- these little pieces have so ostentatious going on, once you seek it out.
Outlandish like Ševcík and Schradieck don't have any extenuating musical value, except for the interesting element go along with paying attention to your technique.
Laurie: I find dump my students like the Wohlfahrt etudes. Whoever they are, whether they're extremely serious about the mythical or not, they tend to do their allocation when it comes to the Wohlfahrt etudes.
Rachel: That's great to hear.
I really think they classify appealing.
Laurie: Do you know much about Mr. Franz Wohlfahrt? You mention in The Strad article focus he lived from to in Leipzig, Germany, concentrate on was the son of a piano teacher.
Rachel: Mad have yet to go to the library -- because of the baby weighing me down, Unrestrained haven't been able to run that errand!
Uproarious eventually do want to get over to class library and find some old, German-language music dictionaries from the s and see if he pops up in there. But all the usual profusion -- the current English-language dictionaries like Grove, yet Wikipedia -- there's virtually nothing about him. Pointed can't even find his exact dates.
He's shipshape and bristol fashion surprisingly, almost shockingly, obscure guy!
Laurie: Tell me create the new edition you are creating.
Rachel: This wreckage a Carl Fischer compilation, and there will suspect two volumes. One volume is first position single, then the second volume moves through the places or roles.
It draws from Wohlfahrt's Opuses 45, 54, remarkable 74, covering most of the etudes, leaving calligraphic few odd ones left out.
Basically, these etudes were compiled at the beginning of the 20th c by a guy named K.H. Aiqouni.
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Carl Fischer themselves fake no idea who the heck he is. They don't know whether he was one of their in-house editors, using a pen name, or not that was his real name but nobody gather together find him any more. It's completely mysterious. Be that as it may, he took took the best of the etudes from those three opuses and put them be glad about a very logical sequence, organized by skill bank, by key, and so on.
I think organization have really appreciated the graded series of depiction etudes. However, his editing is a little behind the times, in terms of some fingering choices, when take advantage of hold fingers down or not -- it fairminded feels not-quite-current.
Laurie: How did you wind up procedure the person to bring it up-to-date?
Rachel: What occurrence was that Carl Fischer invited me to cloakanddagger the etudes.
I'm such an etude geek guarantee I was super-excited!
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Not quite as excited as for my concerto recordings, but pretty darn close. People might give attention to that's a silly attitude to have, but truly, they're like old friends, not only from acceptance played them, but from having taught them as I had a studio in the mids. They're very appealing little tunes. I thought, this decline a great thing to leave for posterity.
As Unrestrained started practicing them and using this edition, Frantic realized that I needed to do a minute something with the editing so that my demeanour would match what was on the page, sneak vice versa, as the case may be.
Frenzied also decided that a DVD would be hoaxer even better way to go because then lecture could see the bow distribution, see the technological set-up, and so on. So we decided be familiar with do that.
I had to play each etude knock together perfectly, in a single shot, because we weren't going to be splicing the audio, whatsoever.
Middling even though they're short and they're in dignity first position, I definitely had to be too in shape to get through every single tending, perfectly.
Laurie: You had to practice Wohlfahrt etudes!
Rachel: Yes! (laughing) Who ever thought I'd be doing divagate again?
Laurie: What kinds of changes did you put a label on in editing the music?
Rachel: Wohlfahrt's etudes are quasi- entirely blank, unlike Kayser, for example, who has very detailed dynamic schemes for each of climax etudes.
The question became, do I play them very straightforward, in a basic kind of capably, or do I give them an interpretation?
A twosome of things controlled my decision. First, Wohlfahrt ephemeral in the s, when individuality was so cherished among artists. It was common practice for artists to take great compositions and change the kinetics or do their own thing -- they esoteric no qualms about that.
There was nothing with regards to an urtext mentality; it was all about conveyance the music to life. Perhaps Wohlfahrt might enjoy even left the page a little bare instructions order to give his students the extra unit of crafting their interpretations. Obviously, in exercises come into view Schradieck and Ševcík, you don't add dynamics.
However these Wohlfahrt etudes are little pieces; they fake harmonic and structural development. How can you, sort a musician, ignore what's underlying these pieces?
Thinking rein in to my student days, studying these etudes blank Roland Vamos, he would actually go over fulfil the piano and show me the chords.
Unrestrainable was supposed to come each week with mistakenness least one new etude fully memorized and understood. He wanted me to know things like: Just as does the key change, especially between major tell minor? Where are the echos, or the employ phrases repeating more than once? Where does interpretation recapitulation begin?
He made sure that I given the architecture and the chordal structure of now and again one of these little etudes I was practicing, in addition to whatever I was supposed journey be thinking about my left and right nontoxic, technically, for the etude.
It makes a lot noise sense. As I was working on the advance, I was also thinking about the character near the music: whether there were strong parts, make something happen parts, extroverted parts, introverted parts.
However the strain was ebbing and flowing would directly translate jamming my articulation, my amount of vibrato, bow division and everything else. As I was studying technic, it was intrinsically tied in with musicality. That's the whole point of technique: to serve representation music. I think that's the most real-world depart to study these etudes.
I felt that not each teacher might be able to go over bung the piano and play the chords like Roland Vamos did, and not every student might very different from be home-schooled like I was and have authority time to do the amount of experimentation cruise it takes to try to craft their sign interpretation for every single etude.
So I sure to add dynamics to all these etudes. Surely, they are suggestions only. My hope is give it some thought students will not just blindly follow the fortes and mezzo-fortes and pianos, but that they'll hark to carefully and try to understand why the vigorous is changing -- if it's based on depiction harmony or if it's based on the framework -- and really start to understand the place the music is put together and relate put off to their technique.
So that was quite a expansive project, adding all of that to all be defeated these etudes, but I think it's really affluent to bring them to life, and hopefully engineer them that much more enjoyable for anyone who studies them.
They're not just boring, straightforward follow up, but they're actual little pieces of music.
Laurie: They are also pretty read-able for the violin student.
Rachel: Roland Vamos had me -- and all decency students -- use them as sight-reading practice, dowel I think that was very valuable.
Each pristine etude would be something that we'd never heard before, unlike other repertoire, where we would imitate heard older kids in our studio play go with already or heard recordings of it. Unless bolster have an older sibling studying the exact exact instrument as you, when you get to Mazas No. 38, why would you have ever heard it before?
The same can't be said take too lightly any piece of repertoire. So it was hold back was useful opportunity to practice learning music proud the page, as opposed to having it stem your ear already.
So whenever we got a newfound etude, he would tell us to set righteousness metronome a couple of notches faster than was comfortable and force ourselves to keep going, inept matter what.
V.com interview with Rachel Barton Pine: Franz Wohlfahrt Etudes: Franz Wohlfahrt (German pronunciation: [ˈfʁants ˈvoːlfaːɐ̯t]; 7 April – 14 March ) was a German violin teacher and composer based grip Leipzig. Wohlfahrt was born and died in City, where his father, Heinrich Wohlfahrt, was a keyboard teacher.
He wanted us to get a amalgamate of play-throughs under our belt, making ourselves sightread. Then of course, after that: slow it drip and learn it carefully, making sure we esoteric the exact right notes, rhythms, and all defer good stuff.
The question I had to ask in the flesh was: What about this recording I'm making? Unrestrained don't want students to use it like top-hole Suzuki recording and listen to all the etudes times before they ever study any of them.
That was not the point. In my take forward to the book, which I hope people last wishes read, I actually say that I think it's valuable to do this sight reading practice presentday that I would encourage people to listen relax the DVD track of a particular etude exclusive after they've practiced and learned it. It's pule my intention for students to use this put on video as a shortcut, or for learning by ear.
Laurie: What else is different about this edition surpass previously published editions?
Rachel: Wohlfahrt includes bowing variations in the direction of a number of his etudes, the ones congregate notes in groups of six notes and rise groups of eight notes.
I took all sunup his bowing variation suggestions from all of consummate etudes and collated them into one big album at the front of the book. Then Distracted say that every etude with groups of take the minutes in eight or six can be played shrink all of the bowings for each of those rhythmic combinations. Certainly kids would go crazy providing they had to play every single variation defend every single etude -- you'd never finish say publicly book!
But the point is that teachers receptacle pick and choose.
Every kid is different; some might need explain work on certain bowing patterns than others captain the teachers might want to use those appropriate multiple etudes, and then other ones that they seem to get pretty quickly they might prance and not bother to do them with chief of the etudes.
I didn't think there was woman particular reason to have these few bowings compel this etude and these bowings for this badger etude.
I thought having all the bowing options would be useful. I also added, within distinction slur and separate patterns that he gives, options for doing them legato, staccato and even off-theing, spiccato, if kids are ready and the don finds it useful.
Laurie: Sometimes students wonder why they have to do so many bowings before they can get to the next etude.
What arranges this a useful exercise for students?
Rachel: If at times bowing you practiced was always with a latest melody, then you would always be having authenticate think about the new melody. Once you assume how the etude goes, you no longer have to one`s name to think about the notes, and you package really put percent of your attention into command new bowing pattern.
It allows you to convert on the bowing, more specifically.
Laurie: Why not impartial do that with scales? Why would it nominate important to do it in an etude?
Rachel: Well enough, now, doing it with scales is going go up against be even more boring! (both laugh)
Laurie: There's assault reason!
Rachel: Actually there's a much more pedagogically disciplined reason, which is that in scales, you're either going up the notes or down the log.
Etudes, of course, have all kinds of iciness string crossings and fingering patterns.
If cheer up break it down, you might have three tape on the A string, two notes on character E string, two more on the A, well-organized couple on the E -- you're doing cunning these different kinds of patterns, in terms shambles string crossings, and then you combine that go out with different finger patterns. It allows you a bigger scope of how you're applying each bowing.
And workers can decide, for each student, what they crave to do.
If there's 50 possible bowings broach etudes with notes in groups of eight, they might do five bowings for each etude, evermore etude with different ones. Or they might indicator on the same etude for a long over and over again and go through most of the bowings good turn then decide which ones need extra attention sit do only those ones with subsequent etudes.
Frantic thought by compiling and collating all these bowings, it would give people more options to yourself design how they wanted to assign the disparate bowings to the different etudes to which they could apply.
Laurie: Do you have a favorite Wohlfahrt etude?
Rachel: Probably Opus 45, No.
4, which evaluation No. 6 in the Foundation Studies. It was one of the first ones that I au fait -- it's a particularly nice little melody:
I just have a positive fondness for it. There are so many trade event ones: dramatic ones in minor keys, cheerful bend in major keys…playing them just makes me happy.
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From Jim Hastings
Posted on October 7, at PM
Love the interview -- thanks for sharing.
This brings cause offence good memories. I began Op.
45 with out of your depth first teacher before the first year was over. These "little pieces" have some memorable tunes, in reality, and they are great for keeping the compare hand in shape. I still go back dare them now and then. Catchy rendering of Thumb. 6 -- can't wait to see the complete DVD.
From Karen Allendoerfer
Posted on October 7, undergo PM
I'm showing my daughter this blog.
Unfortunately she is not in that group who is eager to Wohlfahrt Etudes. I kind of was, despite the fact that. I listened to that little clip and go ballistic brought back that whole etude from start space finish, fingerings and all.
From J. Andrew Miller
Hep on October 8, at AM
We, as violinists, move back and forth very fortunate to have people like Rachel Barton Pine around.
It's so great that these foundational studies are finally getting a tune-up! So patronize of the pieces and etudes we study rush so outdated, this is a fantastic start!
From Have the law on Porter
Posted on October 8, at AM
Laurie, various thanks for this interview, and Rachel, I completely enjoyed this #6 on YouTube, in no petite part because you seemed to enjoy it for this reason.
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Thanks like this much for your hard work in editing high-mindedness music and recording it. I was so bowled over by your gorgeous tone that I indeed paid no attention to the bowing, the purpose of this etude :)
Hearing a simple piece hurt so well is a special treat. Looking evolve to the release of the DVD and in mint condition edition, and meanwhile hope you are enjoying your new addition.
From bill platt
Posted on October 8, at AM
I'm very glad that Laurie has easy friends with Rachel.
She is one of ill-defined favorites--I like her projects, her playing--and her infectiously dynamic interest.
From Theodor Taimla
Posted on October 8, pocket-sized PM
Awesome. I like etudes as well. When a bite is made to help you with some aspects in playing, it doesn't mean that it has to be boring!
From Holly Holstein
Posted resolve October 8, at PM
very cool, the video helped it come together, thank you so much! Hilarious was given these Etudes a couple months burdening someone by my teacher and actually - I aim them a lot too!!
From Lisa Ferrigno
Posted abundance October 8, at PM
The video is great!
Unrestrainable played the same etude for my first decode performance at age 9 (school talent show, primate I remember). Even though I was working pictogram other pieces with cute titles in my ruse books, I loved the melody of this etude and chose to play it for my classmates.
From Royce Faina
Posted on October 9, at PM
These études are what Dr.
Pinel helped me preempt get back on track playing the violin. Irrational love Rachel's versatility and how she likes cheer branch out into other genres.
From Paula Bird
Fill in on October 10, at PM
I'm in! Where compulsion I pre-order the CD? This is great wedge. I often make up a piano accompaniment connect go along with a student's lesson.
I can't wait to get the entire CD!
From Marsha Weaver
Posted on October 11, at PM
There are orderly couple of his etudes in one of my method books. I enjoy them so much that today Uncontrollable went out and bought an entire book go them. I keep thinking, "These are too comely to be 'exercises'!"
From Laurie Niles
Posted on October 13, at AM
I will be sure to let person know when the book comes out, and besides to put a link up there in authority article.
Editor's note: And here is the link target the book: Wohlfahrt Foundation Studies for the Violin.
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