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Scan 7
The violinist, 1903
17 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 5. See the scan on archive.org.
1Sketch of Otokar Sevcik
2By Alexander Lehmann
4At present there is no other teacher of the violin in Europe that attracts so much attention as Professor Sevcik of Prague. Look at the violinists he has ushered into the world. On this side of the water his name was practically unknown until we heard of his illustrious pupil, Jan Kubelik, whose name is as familiar to every music lover in America as any "household word." Another one, a classmate of Kubelik by the name of Jaroslav Kocian, whose playing created a furore in Europe and in the eastern cities of America, will make his first appearance in Chicago on the 8th of January.
6Professor Sevcik was born in 1852 at Horazdowitz, Bohemia, and entered the Prague Conservatory in 1866, graduating in 1870. After a successful debut in that city as soloist he was engaged as concertmaster at the Mozarteum at Salzburg (birthplace of the immortal Mozart), remaining there for three years. He then went to Vienna, where he soon became a favorite. His services were sought by Royal Capellmeister Proch, who appointed him concertmaster for the comic opera. Remaining there some time, he was later called to Moscow as professor in the conservatory. Here he soon became conspicuous by bringing out a number of splendid players. About two years later he went to Kiew, where he filled the same position. The pupils coming from these institutions the professor calls his Russian pupils. Among them are the virtuosi Serbulow, Michel de Sicard (whose coming to America has been announced) and M. Suesser-mann. The latter assumed the name of Zacharewitsch. His playing has created the greatest enthusiasm at Berlin and other cities in Germany and he has been engaged for an American tour.
8In 1892 Professor Sevcik returned to Prague as professor at the conservatory, where he still is. It was in that year that Kubelik, then twelve years of age, became his pupil. Among other distinguished violinists who came from Professor Sevcik's school are Em. Ondricek, Hans Lange, Marie Herites, Adele Heller and Miss Watts. Prof. Sevcik writes me that the greatest pupil of all is a young girl by the name of Marie Hall, who is still studying. "I will write more of this gifted girl," he says, "at a later date. Her playing a short time ago at Prague was simply marvelous, and it has been predicted that her playing in the near future will astonish the world."
10The professor's fame has become so extended, pupils coming from all parts of Europe and America, that many had to be turned away disappointed. It is through Sevcik that the Prague Conservatory has become the leading institution in Europe.
12Before leaving Kiew in 1892, Alexander II decorated him for pedagogical science with the Imperial Cross of St. Stanislaus.
14In last month's issue of The Violinist Sevcik's method of teaching was partly explained by Mr. Oscar Bush and is continued by him in this number. I may state, however, that the noted teacher begins with exercises for the development of the finger muscles of the left hand; this practice is followed to such an extent that a pupil in a comparatively short time is able to execute difficult passages with ease. At the same time he teaches the beginner the gliding on the finger-board from the first to the higher positions.
16Professor Sevcik has published technical studies for the violin, Op. 6 (semitone system); Op. 7, 8 and 9, for slightly advanced pupils, and Op. 1 for the more advanced, to which are added, think of it! four thousand bowing exercises systematically and progressively graded from the very first beginning to the complete training of the right hand (Op. 2). Forty variations (Op. 3) in easy styles, involving the employment of the various styles of springing bow. These studies were published a few years ago and are being extensively used.
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