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Scan 59
The violinist, 1900
27 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1ADVANTAGES OF CLASS INSTRUCTION
2BY RAY G. EDWARDS
4The violin teacher who neglects unison playing and a violin chorus is losing an opportunity that I wish again to bring to the attention of all readers. It is claimed that some pupils will develop errors in tone production when playing in unison, because such defects are not so noticeable when playing with others. But I have never advocated class lessons to the exclusion of private lessons, and would be indeed surprised if any teacher following such a course made much of a success in his or her work.
6Perhaps the ideal plan for teachers who can command certain hours of study from their pupils (as in an established college) is to set aside Saturday for class lessons, reserving the other days of the week for private lessons, so that each pupil is required to take two lessons, per week. At the private lesson special attention is given to individual needs in technic, intonation, solo work, etc., and the pupil has one whole week to prepare each lesson, notwithstanding he is taking two lessons a week.
8The Saturday class lesson is quite different. First comes the unison playing of scales, broken chords, and technical studies, from memory. This is the best way in the world to cultivate memory, for although each pupil may not be letter perfect, no two of them fall down at the same place, the result being that the playing goes right on. But each pupil dislikes to stop playing and will make a greater effort to make a good showing in class than in private work. This adds a new interest to technical study that should not be neglected. After the unison playing, which need not take more than twenty minutes, there is half an hour devoted to duets, trios or quartets for violins only, all the pupils taking part by assigning several instruments to each part. The duets by Mazas and Pleyel are best for this purpose. As the class advances this feature of the lesson naturally makes way for a string orchestra, merely by adding the viola, 'cello and bass. The lesson ends with solo work by each individual member of the class, or as many as there is time for.
10In this way confidence is developed, quite necessary as a preparation for the public performances and concert work to follow.
12The rivalry of the class work incites most pupils to do their best to add a little more finish to the solo work than would seem necessary if none but the teacher was to pass judgment on it.
14Nearly twice the amount of solo work can be done in this way, for each pupil hears the mistakes of others, and although they study different solos they absorb from each other's playing a general idea of many solos on which they need not take private lessons. I have found that by requiring strict attention of the entire class each pupil became interested in the solo work of the others, and could pick up the music and play it with very little practice.
16A class of this kind develops a very helpful fellowship among its members. For the more advanced students interpretation can be explained and illustrated quite as well for a dozen minds as for one, while the preparation of so many different solos gives each member of the class a much broader view and a larger knowledge of the literature for the violin.
18ST. LOUIS CHAPTER OF AMERICAN GUILD OF VIOLINISTS ENTERTAIN FRITZ KREISLER
20The only concert which Fritz Kreisler gave in the west during his short tour this season, was in St. Louis, with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He was entertained so royally that he spent three days in the city.
22The St. Louis chapter of the American Guild of Violinists, Victor Lichtenstein, president, tendered him a reception in the studios of the Lichtenstein School of Music.
24Henrietta Lichtenstein, who served at the reception, afterwards presented Kreisler with a rose, saying, "The American Guild of Violinists present this rose to you as a token of their great admiration." Kreisler then said, "Did you make up that little speech yourself, little girl?" Henrietta was wise enough not to say anything! Kreisler in his talk with us, deprecated the fact that so much stress is being laid on mechanical dexterity, deploring the practice of repeating a passage over and over a hundred times.
26"Music was taboo." Kreisler was in genial mood, relating many amusing anecdotes of his tours.
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