This volume is an introduction to cello playing by an outstanding recitalist, soloist and teacher of international repute whose natural wish - as a teacher - would be to sing, play and demonstrate what he means. Devoted pupil, Nona Pyron, herself a figure of some authority in the world of the cello, has guided and marshalled William Pleeth's brilliantly perceptive advice - based on his lifetime's playing and teaching - into the confines of this valuable book.

The Violin Prep Test has been specially designed to be taken by violinists who have been playing for a few terms. Built into it are all the sorts of skills they will be developing at this stage, such as a sense of pitch and rhythm, controlled and even playing, accuracy and quality of tone. This book contains tunes, pieces and listening games, as well as information about all parts of the test. There are also entertaining illustrations and a fun page - so practising for the big day will always be enjoyable!

String players face a bewildering array of terms related to their instruments. Because string playing is a living art form, passed directly from master to student, the words used to convey complex concepts such as bow techniques and fingering systems have developed into an extensive vocabulary that can be complicated, vague, and even contradictory. Many of these terms are derived from French, Italian, or German, yet few appear in any standard music dictionary. Moreover, the gulf separating classical playing from fiddle, bluegrass, jazz, and other genres has generated style-specific terms rarely codified into any reference work. All Things Strings: An Illustrated Dictionary bridges this gap, serving as the only comprehensive resource for the terminology used by the modern string family of instruments. All of the terms pertaining to violin, viola, cello, and double bass, inclusive of all genres and playing styles, are defined, explained, and illustrated in a single text. Entries include techniques from shifting to fingerboard mapping to thumb position; the entire gamut of bowstrokes; terms found in orchestral parts; instrument structure and repair; accessories and equipment; ornaments (including those used in jazz and bluegrass); explanations of various bow holds; conventions of orchestral playing; and types of strings, as well as information on a select number of famous luthiers, influential pedagogues, and legendary performers. All Thing Strings is expertly illustrated with original drawings by T. M. Larsen and musical examples from the standard literature. Appendixes include an extensive bibliography of recommended reading for string players and a detailed chart of bowstrokes showing notation and explaining execution. As the single best source for understanding string instruments and referencing all necessary terminology, All Things Strings is an essential tool for performers, private teachers, college professors, and students at all levels. It is also an invaluable addition to the libraries of orchestra directors and composers wishing to better understand the complexities of string playing. With the inclusion of terms relevant to all four modern string instruments played in all genres from jazz to bluegrass to historically informed performance this resource serves the needs of every string musician."

Fiddling has had a lengthy history in Africa which has long been ignored. Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje corrects this oversight with an expansive study on fiddling in the Fulbe, Hausa, and Dagbamba cultures of West Africa. DjeDje not only explains the history of the instrument itself, but also discusses the processes of stylistic transference and adaptation, suggesting how these may have contributed to differing performance practices. Additionally, DjeDje delves into the music, the performance context, the musicians behind the fiddle, the meaning of the instrument, and its use in these three cultures. This detailed work helps the reader understand and appreciate three little-known musical cultures in West Africa and the fiddle's influence upon them.

Finally, the long-awaited English edition of this historic Japanese book is here! The Beauty of the 'Burst pays tribute to Gibson's magnificent Sunburst Les Pauls made between 1958 and 1960, the most highly prized solidbody electric guitars ever. The magnitude of their value is directly related to their look (outrageous wood patterns, or "figured" timber), since non-players are paying top dollar for them. The book features lavish full-color photos of these beautiful instruments throughout; the guitars of famous players; a foreword by Ted McCarty; a bio of the author, world renowned collector Yasuhiko Iwanade; and the "Science of the Burst" section with over 30 pages of detailed reference facts on every facet of the guitar, including colors, wood figure, pick-ups, hardware and qualities of "voice." This may be the closest guitarists will ever be able to get to these incredibly collectible beauties! 216 pages, 8-1/2 inch. x 11 inch. Softcover

Notes for Violists: A Guide to the Repertoire offers historical and analytical information about thirty-five of the best-known pieces for the instrument, making it an essential resource for professional, amateur, and student violists alike. With engaging prose supported by fact-filled analytical charts, the book offers rich biographical information and insightful analyses that help violists gain a more complete understanding of pieces like Bela Bartok's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, Rebecca Clarke's Sonata for Viola and Piano, Robert Schumann's Marchenbilder for Viola and Piano, op. 113, Carl Stamitz's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra in D Major, Igor Stravinsky's Elegie for Viola or Violin Unaccompanied, and thirty other masterpieces. This comprehensive guide to key pieces from the viola repertoire from the eighteenth through the twentieth century covers concertos, chamber pieces, and works for solo viola by a wide range of composers, including Bach, Telemann, Mozart, Hoffmeister, Walton, and Hindemith. Author David M. Bynog not only offers clear structural analyses of these compositions but also situates them in their historical contexts as he highlights crucial biographical information on composers and explores the circumstances of the development and performance of each work. By connecting performance studies with scholarship, this indispensable handbook for students and professionals allows readers to gain a more complete picture of each work and encourages them to approach other compositions in a similarly analytical manner.

Notes for Violists: A Guide to the Repertoire offers historical and analytical information about thirty-five of the best-known pieces for the instrument, making it an essential resource for professional, amateur, and student violists alike. With engaging prose supported by fact-filled analytical charts, the book offers rich biographical information and insightful analyses that help violists gain a more complete understanding of pieces like Bela Bartok's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, Rebecca Clarke's Sonata for Viola and Piano, Robert Schumann's Marchenbilder for Viola and Piano, op. 113, Carl Stamitz's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra in D Major, Igor Stravinsky's Elegie for Viola or Violin Unaccompanied, and thirty other masterpieces. This comprehensive guide to key pieces from the viola repertoire from the eighteenth through the twentieth century covers concertos, chamber pieces, and works for solo viola by a wide range of composers, including Bach, Telemann, Mozart, Hoffmeister, Walton, and Hindemith. Author David M. Bynog not only offers clear structural analyses of these compositions but also situates them in their historical contexts as he highlights crucial biographical information on composers and explores the circumstances of the development and performance of each work. By connecting performance studies with scholarship, this indispensable handbook for students and professionals allows readers to gain a more complete picture of each work and encourages them to approach other compositions in a similarly analytical manner.

(String Letter Publishing). The unmistakable voice of the mandolin has been heard from the earliest incarnations of blues to the contemporary roots music revival. Now learn the essentials of the style by playing 13 classic tunes Covers: tuning & basic technique; blue notes & tremolo; songs in G; changing keys; moving to A; open tuning & slide mandolin; and so much more. Songs include: Corrina * Dupree Blues * Florida Blues * Short'nin' Bread * Trouble in Mind * and more. Great for guitarists who want to learn to double on mandolin, or mandolin players who want to add blues to their repertoire.

Notation in Johannes Brahms's sonata scores tells violinists and pianists far more than merely what pitches to play and how long to play them-if read carefully, these scores reveal an immense amount of expression, both of musical and human essences. Joel Lester's Brahms's Violin Sonatas magnifies key passages from these scores, revealing in clear and accessible language how the composer built his themes and musical narratives and how, ultimately, Brahms's music came to sound Brahmsian. Through close readings and annotated musical examples, Brahms's Violin Sonatas guides practitioners to read scores with care and to develop their own informed interpretation of the pieces, eschewing the notion of a single "correct" interpretation of the historical score. By exploring not only the sonatas' musical elements, but also their relationship to important events in the composer's life, Lester shows how subtle components can communicate the gestures, moods, personalities, and emotions that make Brahms's music so compelling. A companion volume to the author's award-winning 1999 study Bach's Works for Solo Violin: Style, Structure, and Performance (OUP), Brahms's Violin Sonatas is a clear and practical guide to understanding and performing Brahms's music in the present.

Music from all three films arranged for string instruments. Desirable and collectible, these instrumental folios are loaded with full-color photos of scenes from all three films. They are printed on top-quality antique paper stock, and the covers showcase the new "trilogy" artwork. The string series was written especially for violin, viola, and cello. Each book features a piano accompaniment and a carefully crafted removable string part complete with bowings, articulations, and keys well suited for the Level 2-3 player. A fully orchestrated accompaniment CD, with demo tracks (featuring live string performances) and play-along tracks, completes each package. The string books are completely compatible with each other and can be played together or as solos. Due to level considerations, the string books are not compatible with the books in the wind series. Titles are the twelve major themes from the blockbuster trilogy: from The Fellowship of the Ring: The Prophecy * In Dreams * Concerning Hobbits * Many Meetings * The Black Rider; from The Two Towers: Gollum's Song * Rohan * Evenstar * Forth Eorlingas; from The Return of the King: Into the West * The Steward of Gondor * Minas Tirith.

Intermediate-level solos based on 68 fiddling favorites of reels, jigs, hornpipes and all styles of barn-dance tunes is not only interesting and fascinating, it is also very beneficial for the development of technique. As technique studies, in their respective grades, these barn-dance tunes are in a class by themselves. Excellent repertoire. Guitar chords included.

This is a collection of 47 big-note, level 1 easy solos on old favorites designed to build technique, range, and endurance while maintaining student interest. These familiar folk tunes are fun to play and ideal as a supplement to any method. All of the solos in this text may be played together in ensemble with the Fun With Viola, Fun With Cello, and Fun With String Bass books. Basic information on parts of the violin and tuning is included. The tunes in this book provide an excellent source of practice material for learning note values, articulations, and dynamics. Bowings are included throughout the book.

This collection of unaccompanied duets and studies offers intermediate violinists an imaginative and exciting way to improve their technique. Each piece focusses on a particular skill and together the studies provide a concentrated course in developing vibrato, double-stopping and shifting. Double-stopping pieces can be played both as a duet (for tuning purposes) and as a solo version with double stopping. In addition, practice and performance tips help to outline the musical goals and guide students on to the next stage.
Titles: Intrada (duet) * Intrada (solo) * Asleep in the Hammock (duet) * Weaving Song (duet) * On the Spot (duet) * A Passing Passacaglia (duet); Quite a Character (duet) * Quite a Character (solo) * Sarabande and Double (duet) * Clouds of Blossom are Mirrored in the Lake (solo) * Forget-Me-Not Rag (duet) * Far Distant..(duet) * Far Distant..(solo) * Catch (duet)

One evening, journalist Eric Siblin attended a recital of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Cello Suites" and began an epic quest that would unravel three centuries of intrigue, politics, and passion. Winner of the Mavis Gallant Prize for Nonfiction and the McAuslan First Book Prize, "The Cello Suites" weaves together three dramatic narratives: the disappearance of Bach's manuscript in the eighteenth century; Pablo Casals's discovery and popularization of the music in Spain in the late-nineteenth century; and Siblin's infatuation with the suites in the present day. The search led Siblin to Barcelona, where Casals, just thirteen and in possession of his first cello, roamed the backstreets with his father in search of sheet music and found Bach's lost suites tucked in a dark corner of a store. Casals played them every day for twelve years before finally performing them in public. Siblin pursues the mysteries that continue to haunt this music more than 250 years after its composer's death: Why did Bach compose the suites for the cello, then considered a lowly instrument? What happened to the original manuscript? A seamless blend of biography and music history, "The Cello Suites" is a true-life journey of discovery, fueled by the power of these musical masterpieces.

More String Time Joggers is an exciting collection from the authors of the award-winning Fiddle Time series. It provides enjoyable and inventive ensemble material for all string groups, in flexible scoring (for violin, viola, cello, and double bass with piano or CD accompaniment) from two parts to large string ensemble. There are pupil books with lively illustrations for violin, viola, cello, and double bass.

Featuring tailored arrangements and original pieces by the authors of the award-winning Fiddle Time series, Solo Time for Viola provides sophisticated repertoire from the Baroque to the modern age and introduces styles and techniques for the developing performer.

Violinworks, in two volumes, is a comprehensive violin method for older beginners and improvers. Book 1 takes students carefully from the very first steps to around ABRSM Grade 1 standard, and book 2 continues up to around ABRSM Grade 3 standard. The approach suits self-taught violinists as well as those who have teachers, and emphasizes the importance of good habits from day one, of using your ear, and of always aiming for the best sound. Each volume contains a wide selection of repertoire, plus detailed descriptions and photos to demonstrate correct playing positions. The accompanying CD includes performance tracks, with piano, string quartet, or band backings, plus aural exercises and downloadable PDFs of piano accompaniments. There are supporting video clips and additional resources on a dedicated free-access website, making Violinworks a complete resource for anyone learning or returning to the violin.