Tuesday, March 23, 2010


Kreutzer 2 bars 19 -21



lesson 40

the Kreutzer continues..

Today we pushed on getting a little further with reviewing bars 19 – 21 in Rudolphe’s Number 2
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My hand is still locked about the neck of the violin which we have dubbed ‘the death grip’ !
You can fly a flag off the top of my thumb!

My fourth finger will not stretch because of ‘death grip’ and thumb placement or lack thereof!

I keep guessing at position changes rather than employing glissando to find the note.

Insomma.. - e` un disastro!

They say.. things often get worse before they get better – let us hope and pray. Honestly i know it's early days and on the positive side i am doing ok for someone who has only just started violin.
It was noticed i said ‘Jesus’ a lot today.. hope He didn’t mind my calling out so many times.. Maestro said that perhaps i am best calling out for the devil - funny!

Then relayed an interesting story..
I love it when he reveals titbits about History of Violin, breaking the tension of lesson, for there is much between the three of us at the moment, Maestro, Rudolphe and me!
He told of Tartini, and the Devil’s Trill Sonata. This, his most famous sonata was composed after he dreamt of the devil appearing at the foot of his bed playing the violin.

He also told me that Tartini lived in the time of Antonio Stradivari and that he was the first owner of a violin made by the now famous Italian luthier in 1715.*
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* I would like to make a correction here after Anon was so kind to leave a comment on this post Re Tartini stating he wasn't the first owner of a Stradivarius - he was the first owner of the 1715 "Lipinski Stradivarius" as per Wikipedia.. many thanks to you! :)
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photo taken from Wikipedia

Giuseppe Tartini (8 April 1692 – 26 February 1770) composer and violinist, was a half Italian and half Venetian (born in Piran, a town on the peninsula of Istria, in the Republic of Venice - now in Slovenia)



‘ah Venice!’

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donna con il violino blu


donna con il violino blu © 2010 patricia vannucci


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi PG,

It is interesting you put a link of Perlman playing the Devils Trill as he is playing on the ORIGINAL soil - the one your Violin is modelled on.

Also Re Tartini, he wasn't the first owner of a stradivarius - he was the first owner of the 1715 "lipinski Stradivarius" - information on this Violin From Wikipedia below:

"The Lipinski Stradivarius is an antique violin constructed in 1715 by the Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona, during Stradivari's "golden period" between 1700 and 1720. There are fewer than 700 extant Stradivarius instruments in the world today; thus, it is considered one of the most valuable instruments in the world.

The earlier history of The Lipinski is unclear; Italian violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini is the first known owner. Tartini, who in 1713 experienced a dream in which he allowed the devil play his violin, heard a beautiful sonata which he was unable to compare with anything he had ever heard. Tartini, two years later, tried to reproduce the sound in his Devil's Trill Sonata.

Tartini presented the violin to his pupil, Signor Salvini. After hearing the Polish violinist Karol Lipiński perform, Salvini asked to see his violin, which he then smashed to pieces. Salvini handed the shocked Lipinski the Stradivarius he received from Tartini.

In 1962, the Lipinski Stradivarius was sold to Rosalind Elsner Anschuetz of New York City, for US$19,000. Anschuetz gave the violin to her daughter-in-law, Estonian violinist Evi Liivak, and upon her death in 1996, Liivak's husband, Richard Anschuetz, took possession of the instrument. After Anschuetz moved to the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area, the violin was stored in a local bank vault. Upon Anschuetz' death in February 2008, ownership of the violin passed to an anonymous family member who loaned the The Lipinski to Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Frank Almond."

I wonder if there is a recording of Frank almond the current owner playing the devils trill on its original instrument.......that would be fascinating to see........

violinista blu said...

Thank you so much Anon.. firstly for visiting, secondly taking the time to read through my blog and to give of your time in obtaining this information from Wikipedia and posting it here.
This will serve as a reminder to me, so i endeavour to dedicate more time to researching information further and thus avoiding error, but more so for the fascinating history re violin!

In your visit here i see you have picked up on my violin (well one of them) being modelled on the Soil.. and yes.. i am aware that Itzhak Perlman currently owns and plays this beautiful violin.

When on the hunt for ‘The Devil’s Trill’ i was excited to find this footage of Perlman playing this on Mixpod, as not all YouTube clips are available through this – so for me it was a must to include it here at this time.

You conclude with an interesting remark/question..
‘I wonder if there is a recording of Frank Almond the current owner playing the Devil's Trill on its original instrument.......that would be fascinating to see........

Hmmmm….
Once again thank you Anon for your time.
PS Could you leave your name next time.. :)
pg

Anonymous said...

If you like that info then you will love this....

After Tartini (the pre-cursor to Pagannini) had the Violin it found its way to Lipinski, who by some reports was considered by Pagannini to be his greatest threat on the Virtuoso Violinist scene (isn't it sad how history has forgotten Lipinski's works and we only every think about Pagannini?)In any case Lipinski had a far more dramatic effect on this Violin than even Tartini as the Violin does not bear Tartini's name, but Lipinski's!

The Lipinski Strad goes through time and eventually lands in the hands of Dr. José Martínez Cañas - the teacher of Yehudi Menuhin - the owner of the 'original soil' before Perlman.

I find it fascinating to see where these violins of staradivarius meet up or how close they get to each other after having left the masters workshop......

and for a name.....as we are talking Violins here, I should use a Violin name....."Ole Bull" - and there is yet another fascinating tale in that name.....

all the best
Ole Bull

violinista blu said...

Hi there Anon.. aka Ole Bull hey?!.. (insert Devilish Grin on a Theme of Tartini)

I am loving/enjoying your valuable contribution, bringing your wealth of knowledge thus enriching my humble blog, in particular this post – is most appreciated, thank you kindly.

Yes i do find it all very fascinating..

The travels these incredible voices have been on after they leave the master’s hands is an extraordinary one indeed.

Also the nickname/monikers they bear, and with it also the spirit they carry within as they pass from one Virtuoso to the another equally intriguing.
For i believe, as does my Maestro.. these instruments all carry within them the essence/heart of all those who have played on them, each taking it in turn to breathe their own breath into them.

To relate it back to my experience, having now in my possession one of my Maestro’s ex concert violins.. i felt very intimidated by it at first, and felt i could not pick it up to play/practice upon it.. for i could sense him within it.. even now.. it still does not feel to be totally mine - ( a weird sensation) and only time will tell if this remains to be so.

Anyway.. getting back to your valuable contribution here and the name/moniker you have given yourself..Ole Bull...hmmmm

You once again conclude with an interesting remark.. ’there is yet another fascinating tale in that name…..’

You send me in a tail spin..
Could it be that you prepare for your next fascinating instalment?
One which speaks of a famous face off involving the name you have given yourself and the great Paganini?!


Please.. do tell…
:)

Anonymous said...

you know the name - and the story. I need say no more - except keep up the practice, enjoy your Violin - treasure it for it will be a voice of friendship through all times good and bad.

If you do not object, i will check in to see how you are going, and occasionally add a little Violin Trivia to your studies.

Wishing you all the best....

Ole Bull ;)

violinista blu said...

Hi there Ole Bull..

Well.. i did make some enquiries during my violin lesson yesterday and Maestro (who is very knowledgeable himself) kindly filled me in on this history re: the face off between Ole Bull and Paganini whereby a simple piece of music was offered to them by a composer challenging them to see who would come up with the most intricate/showy performance utilizing this. It was then left to a public vote to decide a winner. Paganini was voted as ‘the best’ by them.. so the story goes.

I should pass on the compliment he - Maestro gave You - ‘Ole Bull’, as i filled him in on the comments you kindly have left here over the last few days..

“whoever this is… sure knows his violins!”

As far as practice goes.. i have days where i can go for hours – and it seems like only a moment has passed.. and days where i struggle to pick up the instrument. Regardless of this i do enjoy it immensely and my only regret is that i should have started years ago!

So your kind advice will be remembered.. ‘treasure it for it will be a voice of friendship through all times good and bad.

I welcome your return visit and do not object whatsoever.. in fact i insist!
Please do not hesitate to leave comments, bring on the violin trivia and anything else you think would be of interest to share – it will please me greatly.

a presto
donna con il violino blu