Notoriously reticent about his early years, violinist Jascha Heifetz famously reduced the story of his childhood to "Born in Russia. First lessons at 3. Debut in Russia at 7. Debut in Carnegie Hall at 17. That's all there is to say." Tracing his little-known upbringing, Jascha Heifetz: Early Years in Russia uncovers the events and experiences that shaped one of the modern era's most unique talents and enigmatic personalities. Using previously unstudied archival materials and interviews with family and friends, this biography explores Heifetz's meteoric rise in the Russian music world from his first violin lessons with his father, to his studies at the St. Petersburg Conservatory with the well-known pedagogue Leopold Auer, to his tours throughout Russia and Europe. Spotlighting Auer s close-knit circle of musicians, Galina Kopytova underscores the lives of artists in Russia s "Silver Age" an explosion of artistic activity amid the rapid social and political changes of the early 20th century."

Play-along with the best-known selections from the first five movies in the Harry Potter series String books include a play-along CD with a backing and performance track for each title as well as a pull-out piano part. Titles include: Hedwig's Theme * Harry's Wondrous World * Nimbus 2000 * Fawkes The Phoenix * Double Trouble * A Window to the Past * Hogwarts' March * Hogwarts' Hymn * Professor Umbridge * Fireworks (Grade 2-3) This title is available in SmartMusic.

This study is an analysis of the first three of Beethoven's late quartets, Opp. 127, 132, and 130, commissioned by Prince Nikolai Galitzin. The five late quartets, usually considered as a group, were written in the same period as the Missa solemnis and the Ninth Symphony, and are among the composer's most profound musical statements. Daniel K. L. Chua believes that of the five quartets the three that he studies trace a process of disintegration, whereas the last two, Opp. 131 and 135, reintegrate the language that Beethoven himself had destabilized. Through analyses that unearth peculiar features characteristic of the surface and of the deeper structures of the music, Chua interprets the "Galitzin" quartets as radical critiques of both music and society, a view first proposed by Theodore Adorno. From this perspective, the quartets necessarily undo the act of analysis as well, forcing the analytical traditions associated with Schenker and Schoenberg to break up into an eclectic mixture of techniques. Analysis itself thus becomes problematic and has to move in a dialectical and paradoxical fashion in order to trace Beethoven's logic of disintegration. The result is a new way of reading these works that not only reflects the preoccupations of the German Romantics of that time and the poststructuralists of today, but also opens a discussion of cultural, political, and philosophical issues. Originally published in 1995. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

J. S. Bach's sonatas and partitas for solo violin have been central to the violin repertoire since the mid-eighteenth century. This engaging volume is the first comprehensive exploration of the place of these works within Bach's music: it focuses on their structural and stylistic features as they have been perceived since their creation. Joel Lester, a highly regarded scholar, teacher, violinist, and administrator, combines an analytical study, a full historical guide, and an insightful introduction to Bach's style. Individual movements are related to comparable movements by Bach in other media and are differentiated from superficially similar works from later eras.

Lester employs descriptions of historical and contemporary recordings, as well as accounts of nineteenth-century performances and commentaries on historical editions, to explore these works as they evolved through the centuries. Wherever possible, he uses analytic tools culled from eighteenth-century ideas, key notions originally developed for the specific purpose of describing the repertoire under consideration. Beginning with an overview of the solo violin music's place within Bach's oeuvre, this study takes the Sonata No. 1 in G minor as the paradigm of Bach's compositional strategy, examining each movement in detail before enlarging the discussion to cover parallel and contrasting features of the A-minor and C-minor sonatas. Next, a chapter is devoted to the three partitas and their roots in various dance-music traditions. The book concludes with a summary of form, style, and rhetoric in Bach's music, in which Lester muses on these masterpieces with an overall command of the music, criticism, and history of the 1700s that is quite rare among scholars.

A novel and unprecedented investigation of a particular portion of Bach's accomplishment and a particular aspect of his universal appeal, Bach's Works for Solo Violin will help violinists, students, scholars, and other listeners develop a deeper personal involvement with these wonderful pieces.

Team Strings is firmly established as a leading series of string tutors. It presents a flexible course which can be tailored to suit each student, ideal for individual, group and class tuition - including the ABRSM music medals. The books in the series contain plenty of carefully graded music in a wide range of styles, from Baroque and Classical eras to film, folk, jazz and Latin American. The series encourages ensemble playing with varied repertoire and develops instrument-related aural skills, improvisation and composition. Included are scales and arpeggios and downloadable online audio comprising of over 70 backing tracks to make every student feel like a star performer. Team Strings is available for Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass all of which are compatible. There is also a separate book of Piano Accompaniments/Score. All of the books in the series are fully integrated allowing students using Team Strings to play in ensembles with students using Team Brass and Team Woodwind.

Vaughan Williams fist encountered the old English folk song Dives and Lazarus when he was 21, and here presents five variants that are, in his own words, 'not exact replicas of traditional tunes but rather reminiscences of various versions in my own collection and those of others'. The work was premiered in Carnegie Hall as part of the 1939 New York World's Fair, and is a wonderful example of the sumptuous string textures and modal tonalities that have become the composer's trademarks.

The ukulele has gone from strength to strength in recent years, undergoing a massive resurgence. You can hear the uke all over the place, from trendster indie rock to top ten pop songs, from unshakeable TV ads to YouTube megahits. And this obsession shows no sign of abating - all over the country people are picking up a ukulele and starting to strum, at home, in classes and down at the pub. Schools are even replacing the faithful recorder with a jazzy, inexpensive uke. Famous idlers Gavin Pretor-Pinney and Tom Hodgkinson have spent hours idling away on their ukuleles to produce the ultimate uke handbook: an illustrated guide to its history crossed with a how-to guide and songbook. This is the book that will bring the underground movement into the mainstream. The first half of the book delves into the rich history of this eccentric little instrument, from its birth in Hawaii to its popularity across the world, with a timeline from 1879 to today and a ukulele hall of fame that includes George Formby, Hawaiian legend Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and YouTube ukulele superstar Jake Shimabukuro. Then on to the practicalities: the anatomy of the ukulele, which uke to buy, how to play it, how to strum, pick, read chord charts and tune the strings. Once you know all this, you can get playing the songbook, which includes a wide spread of songs from medieval lays and nursery rhymes to blues and rock 'n roll. Beautiful presentation and tab notation make reading the music easy, even for beginners. With the highest production values, a light touch and an irresistible instrument at centre stage, this book is a must-have for all aspiring Formbys.

For the first time, Star Wars(R) A Musical Journey (Music from Episodes I-VI): Instrumental Solos includes selections from all six Star Wars(R) movies arranged for Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Trumpet, Horn in F, Trombone, Piano Accompaniment, Violin, Viola and Cello. The arrangements are completely compatible with each other and can be played together or as solos. Due to level considerations regarding keys and instrument ranges, the wind instrument arrangements are not compatible with the string instrument arrangements in this series. Each book contains a carefully edited part that is appropriate for the Level 2--3 player and a fully orchestrated accompaniment CD. Each song on the CD includes a demo track, which features a live instrumental performance, followed by the play-along track itself. Also included is 4-color art as well as black and white art from the movies. Titles:
Episodes I -- VI
1. Star Wars (Main Theme)
Episode I: The Phantom Menace
2. Jar Jar's Introduction
3. Augie's Great Municipal Band
4. Qui-Gon's Funeral
5. Duel of the Fates
6. Anakin's Theme
7. The Flag Parade
Episode II: Attack of the Clones
8. Across the Stars
9. The Arena
10. The Meadow Picnic
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
11. Battle of the Heroes
Episode IV: A New Hope
12. Cantina Band
13. The Throne Room
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
14. The Imperial March
15. May the Force be With You
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
16. Princess Leia's Theme This title is available in SmartMusic.

Play the Viol is the first comprehensive guide to appear in modern times and covers the treble, tenor, and bass viol. Its detailed technical instruction is based on original sources and on Alison Crum's extensive experience of performing and teaching. The book assumes no knowledge beyond an ability to read music, but aims to help players to reach an advanced standard, even without regular access to a teacher.

`In all areas of human endeavour, time and again an individual appears who, due to a multitude of personal attributes, elevates his or her field to a hitherto unknown height. Such an individual was William Primrose. His name and the viola are synonymous.' Janos Starker This unique book is the result of a series of conversations with Primrose in the last years before his death in 1982. David Dalton describes how he came to the great artist armed with every question he could think of pertaining to performing on and teaching the viola. The lively dialogue contains a wealth of illuminating advice for the student on the technicalities of playing the viola. It is, however, far more than a technical guide. The two violists discuss the unique position of their instrument - `an instrument without tradition' is Primrose's bald description. They cover the topic of repertoire with fascinating insights into the performance of the great concertos by Bartok and Walton, with which Primrose was so closely associated. Still more invaluable advice emerges from the discussion of Primrose's own experience, on the art of performance, on demeanour on stage, on competitions, on recordings, and on preparing for a career. The book is a tribute to one of the greatest artists of this century.

Known principally as the father of Wolfgang Amadeus, Leopold Mozart was a distinguished musician in his own right. An excellent violinist and composer, his greatest contribution to music was his Treatise on Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing. Published at Ausburg in 1756 it was the major work of its time on the violin and it contains much that is of considerable interest and value to musicians today: notes on performance, practice, a glossary of technical terms and specific chapters on the playing of written and improvised embellishments, the trill, and special rhythmic figures. Copious exercises illustrate each point made in the text. A Preface--revised for this edition--offers an illuminating biographical study of Leopold both as a man and as a musician.