Article from TheStrad,February 2000,reprintedwith permission

Noothletewouldgo intooctionwithout
o properworm-upsession,
Neither
- butcommonsense
shouldmusicions
osfostfingers,
isos importont
Polriciq McCqrty odviseson efficient
ond violists
for violinists
routines

Gottlng
warmor
Worming up corefully before
praclice and performance is as
altogether in their action?
Experience may show that the
parts of the bow, control of speed
and contact point, string cross-
important to a string player as it is fingers of one hand need to be ings, bowing patterns, distribution,
1o any athlete. whether the player kept continually active in order to articulations, attacks, releases,
wishes to maintain, refresh or retain their flexibility; while the dynamic range and tone colour.
develop technical skills, efficient fingers of the other may not be Research of string pedagogy
use of the first parl of the praclice used for weeks at a time and yet, would indicate that there exists an
session optimises the days musi- after some slight finger-gymnastic exercise for virtually every
cal results, helps to avoid physical work and a small investment of conceivable mechanical motioh of
injury and encourages the brain to rime, regain all their agility and be the hands and fingers and efficient
be in control of the fingers. while ready to perform their functions time management encourages
the basic issues remain much the perfectly.'For both these players choosing material which
same for all of us, the specific there is a wealth of material from addresses several issues at once.
materials played can be tailored to which to design an effective The wealth of exercises can be
each individuals level and reper- warm-up routine. divided into four broad categories:
toire demands and may evolve The components of the warm- l. finger independence and
with development of increased up should address each hand5 stretching
strength and facility. After some 60 positions and specific tasks. The 2. shifting
years of teaching and playing the left hands success depends upon 3. double-stops
violin, puzzlement over the differ- a relaxed and balanced grasp of 4. bowing
ences between individuals led the instrument, elasticity for within each category are materi-
'How are stretching, finger independence als of various levels of difficulty.
Leopold Auer to write,
we to explain the fact lhat two and accuracy, shifling, velocity while scales and arpeggios of one
6
.e
o hands, belonging to two ditTerent and vibrato. The right hands work to four octaves play a major Part in
6
C
.s human beings, which appear to begins with reinforced awareness the warm-up routine and can be
E be identical in size, with fingers of a balanced bow hold and arm imaginatively used in each of the
o
d which seem to be equally long location, and continues with [our categories, other exercises
b
c
and strong, neverlheless differ issues of smooth changes in all which concentrate on specific
 Hold whole notes silently

EXAITIPLE lq: Corl

Flesch,Urstudlea
exerciseI C

EHiIPLE Ib: Dounls

Dolly Dozen, exercise
lAo (obove), 1Bo
(mlddle) ond I Bg
Ibelow)

I
o
o
o
C
f.

5
o
s-'
b
o
6
d

EXAMPLEIc: R
o
/^\ Bow-lilting exercise
l

3
c
-'
o
o
3
p.
o
Step2
o
I

physical movements are invaluable etc EXAMPLE2q: smooth

- | - v n bow chonge exercise J

for saving time. My favourite exer- J

!
cises are those designed so a a a a a a a : c

cleverly that optimum hand posi- ot ot

tions and physical movements mork mork 5
-
happen naturally, such as Samuel E
o
J

trlorb Exercise of the Independent o

o
Fingers (example +br. Sevdik op. r EXAMPLE2b: Wreede, E.

part 4 (example 7c) and virtually all Yioloerobics, exercises c

26 (obove) ond 35 o
of the Doun.is DoilA Dozen. c

while the violas size and 2

response characteristics make (c

aspects of both its left- ancl righr- F

o
hand technique differ from the o
^d.
violins, it is in the vast amount of C
o
o
published instructional material for o

the violin that the most therapeutic

.g
o
E
warm-up exercises may be discov- ensure that stretching exercises Technique) and violists pdl Lukdcs l
6'
ered. Many of these have not yet are but gentle and gradual (t O Exercises in Change oI 0.
been published in viola versions, increases beyond the players Position\, Louis Kievman q
5
but are easily adapted by trans- present capability. (Practicing the viola (Violin), o
=
posing down the interval of a fifth. In addilion ro volumes Ment olla-Pha sicalla) and Katrina
J
Some of the hand expansion and by eminent leachers of the Wreede (Violaerobicsl, the last two o

extension exercises common to past - Hans Sitt, Carl trlesch, also available for violin. Some of C
d'
advanced violin technique (tenths, Otakar Sevdik and D.C. Dounis - the best warm-ups are anecdotal, c

parallel fingerecl octaves in lower unique and innovative modern handecl down orally for genera-
co
o
positions) could be injurious to contributions have been made by tions through the grapevine from o
l

violists, and care must be taken to Ruggiefo Ricci (Lelr-Hond Violin player to player, perhaps with e
 D(AMPLE3or Lukdcr 70
Exercisesin Chonge ol
Pos/l/on,exercise I
p sulG

EXAMPLE3b: Rlccl,teft-
Hand Violln Technlque,
exercise80b

temperature and playing in slow EXAIiIPIE3c: Dounls,

Arllsf s Technlque op. 12,
tempo without tension. A teacher's
from p,26 (obove) ond 3l
opinion concerning the appropriate
level of clifficulty and some profes-
sional guidance through a gradual
progression of increasingly difficulr
rhaterial would be helpful to the non-
professional player.
Scarcity of practice time is not a
problem unique to life in the pres-
ent day. Compilations of concise
and varied exercises useful as
warm-up malerials for lhe less EX iTPLE3d: Dounis
Doily Dozen, exercise 6o
advanced player include Hans
3-2-r-2-3
Sitts Procticol Viola Method, Simon
4-3-2-t-2-3 4-3-2-t_2_3
Fischer's Basics and Louis
Kievman's Practicing the Viola
(violin), Ment1lla-Phasicallg, as
embellishment along the way. My Just as in any athletic endeavour, well as Marie-Thdrdse Chailleys
favourites among these are Josef the materials used to warm up can Exercices Diuertissants et Pieces
Gingold's legendary'One Minute be bolh a means of preventing as Brdues, unique for their meticulous
BoW from frog ro tip (and rip ro well as a possible cause of clarity in teaching bow distribulion
frogt. and a left-handexercise tendonitis and other injuries.tn the along with basic technique. trranz
attributecl to Brodus Earle, using words of Flesch, the Sevdik Schmidtner's Tdg liche Studien,
fingers in sequence of 2-4-t-3 in studies, as a whole, may most Watson Forbes' Book oI Daila
x at q = 144, tor l5 seconds. appropriately be compared to a Exercises and Chailleys Exercices
medicine which, according to the Rationnels are designed to help
Step4 size of its doses, kills or cures... All the more advanced and profes-
- 1- - - - in all, I regard lthem] as the most sional violist maintain technique.
important and time-saving means for Flesch published the firs|emer-
obtaining a modern violin technique, gency' warm-up, Urstudien, EXAMPIE40: Whlstler.
Fssentio/Fxefclses ond
providing that they are used in the 'for violinists who
have but one Ffudes,p,4l ond I I
right way.' The Korgueff Doub,le-Srop half hour daily at their disposal
4 Exercisesand many by Dounis also
l _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
for mechanical studies, that is
(A) o n^ V4--_ pose this dilemma. Common sen,se to say teachers, orchestral musi-

ffi ffi::::,:*'jil::111'.." cians as well as amaleurs of

ability and also concertizing

Hold squore notes silently,ond keep oll fingers down os long os possible
erc i-Il) .-------:\- .----=-\
EXAMPIE4b: Flor,Ihe
Posflons - Exerclseof
Independent Fingers
---

EXAIT'PLE 4c: Dounis

Dallv Dozen, exercise 1c
O(4tr$PLE5: DounlsDoly
Dozen, exercise I I

EXAIYIPLE 50: Sevdik

op,l port 4 no,6

EXAMPIE6b: Ricci,
Left-HondViolin
Technique, exercise 90

BboT 4
EMI'PLE 6C:
Gloser/y'ioloJozz Chord
Studlesfor Vloiln p.36

SOURCES
OF MATERIALS movement, each with prescribed
Auef LeopoldViolinPloyingAs I Teochlt, fteutzet 42 Studies,ed. Blumenou, amounl of practice time ranging
DoverPublicolions
Inc.,I 980 (origin0ledition G . S c h i r m eI n
r c . ,1 9 5 0 Irom | /2 to 4 minutes (example
FrederickA. StokesCo.,NY I 92 I ) Lukdcs,Pdf | 0 Exercisesin Chlnge of Posilion I a). In total, 15 l/2 minutes are
Ch0iffey,M0rie-Th6tdseExercises Diveiissonls for Violo,EdilioMusicoBudopesl,I 960 allocated to left-hand exercises
et PidcesBrdves,Leduc,I 974; M0z0s,F. EtudesSpeciolesop,36; Etudes and 15 to bowing work.
20 EIudesExpressivesen DoublesCordespour Brillontesop.3q Ricci,Ruggiero,Left-Hond Perhaps the most ingenious
ollo, Leduc,l98O; 40 ExercicesRotionnelspoul ViolinTechnique,c. SchirmerInc.,I988 and time-saving compilation,
o#o,Leduc,I 966 Rouelli12 Copricesop,3 ond op.5 certainly lhe most treasured piece
Doncl0,Ch0rfesSchoolof Velocityop.-14 SchmidtnetFrcnz ToglicheSludienfAl of pedagogy in my library, is The
Dounis,D.C. TheArtisl'sTechnique
of Violin Brotsche,Sikorski,
I 957
Dounis Violin Plaaers' Dailu
Ployingop.12,CorlFischet1921; TheDounis Schr0dieck,HenrySchoolof Violin(Violo) Dozen, designed to ger rhe player
'into form in the
Violin Ployers' Doily Dozen op.20, Horms Technique,
vol.l ll
shortest possible
(W0rnerBros), 1925; SpecificTechnicot time'. Dounis gently advises 15
Sevcfk,OtokorSchootof Technicop.I p0rls
timeless, common sense'rules',
Exercisesfor Violoop.25, C0rlFischer,1953 I 4, Bosworth
& Co., I 952;
such as'in practising finger-
Fischer,SimonBosics,300 Exercises& (Presser),1946;
Shiftingop.8,Elkon-Vogel
exercises walch your bow: in
PtocticeRoutinesfor the Violin,PetersEdilion PrcporotoryStudiesin Double-Stopping
practising bow-exercises observe
Edition,I gg7
Limited/Hinrichsen 0p.9, Bosworih,l990
a good position of the left hand.
Flesch,C0rl TheAt of ViolinPloying,Cotl Sitl, H0ns Double-Stop
Etudesop.32,
Try to forget the existence of the
FischelNY,1939; ScaleSystem,C0rl Fischet Kunzelmonn,1982; ProcticolVioloMelhod,
thumb; never press il against lhe
1942; Ursludien,Corl Fischer,l94l CorlFischer,1924: TechnicolStudiesop.g2
neck of the violin. Do not strike
FfoLS0muelThePositions,
HenriElk0nl\,4usic book3 (Double-Stopping),
oito Forberg
'1975 the fingers with too much force;
Publisher, (CorlFischer),I 905
cultivate a very sudclen and elas-
Fo]bes,WolsonA Bookof DoilyExercisesfor Trotl,JosephineMelodiousDouble-Slops
for tic springlike finger action. Retain
VioloPloyerc,0UP,
1949 Violinbooksl-2 (firstposition),G, Schirmer always a balanced hold of the
Gf0ser,MotilYiofo,JosephJozz ChordStudies l n c . ,I 9 3 1 bowi try to feel every stroke with
for Violin,BerklffiPressPublicotions,I 984 WhistlerEssen/lolExercisesond Etudesfor your fingertips. Cultivate at all
Kievmon, Louis Ptocticing lhe Vioto (Violin), Violo, lntermedioleCoursefor FtrsiPosilion, times a feeling of absolute
Mentolly-Physicolly,
KellonPublicotions,I 969 Rubonk,1954 comfort while practising.'
Korgueff,SerceDouble-Stop
Fxerclses,Boslon WIeede,Kolrin0 ViolIerobics,(0lso for violin), After silent exercises (example
Conservolory
of Music,1926 VlozvillelVusic(M[/B Music,Sl Louis),1993 I b) similar to Urstudien, there
follows an exercise with the bow
which I like to play very slowly,
soloists, when travelling.'Students likely candidates! [,rrstudienbegins making the first note of every four
who aspire to become profes- with silent left-handexercises for a drone, as well as rapidly for
sional musicians should note that [inger independence. strelching. facility (example 4c). Nexr there
Flesch dicl not ntention them a-s shifting, lateral and transverse are vertical and sliding
finger exercises, thirds, and then (example 3b), Dounis op. l2 (exam- challenge this material could be
shifting (example 3d). Among the ple 3c), op.25 or D]ilg Dozen supplemented with Seviik (example
bowing exercises is one'to (example 3d). 6a), Ricci (example 6b) or
develop a powerful, large tone' 4. Strength/stretching:whistler GlaserNiola Jazz Chord Studies for
(example 5). To play all twelve exercise (example 4a), Flor exer- Violin (example 6c).
exercises carefull)'may take an cise (example 1bl, Dounis Daila 7. Double-stops: Trott Melodious
hour or more, but Dounis makes Dozen exercise I (example 4c) Dcruble-Stopsbooks l-2 (example
good his promise to help the through fourth position with verY 7a), Sitt TechnicalStudies op.g2
player regain'that feeling of ease, slow bow and drone. book 3, or Double-Stops Etudes
fluency and surety which the 5. Toneistring crossings: Doun.is op.32; Chailley vingt Etudes
violinist experiences at the end of D1ilA Dozen exercise I I (example Exprc-ssiuesen Doubles Cordes,
his daily practice.' 5 ) . o r s i n l i l a rm a d e - u p e x e r . i s e Schradieck vol.2, Korgueff Double-
Below is my recommended wirh different double-stops, played Stop Exerc.ises(example zb), Sevdik
plan for an eight-step warm-up. very slowly with vibrato, and with op. I part 4 (example 7c)
Choose one item of appropriate dynamic plan of crescendo from or op.g; Dounis op.12 (example
difficulty from the list of possible pp rc ff on the down-bow and the 7d), Ricci (example 7e). Experience
materials for each step, wilh the reverse on the up bow. wilh a variety of intervals ancl key
exception of the double-stops (7), 6. Three-octavescales and arpeg- signatures is important.
from which several differenl gios with stralegic bowing patterns 8. Stralegic etude to address
exercises could be played il and key signatures from repertoire, specific problem, such as Mazas,
time allows. Vibrato work, different distributions, Kreutzer,Rovelli etc; materials
A strategic etude (a) is optional, dynamic plan. prescribed articula- of step 2 played rapidly, or
and it could be replaced with tion or rh).1hmetc. For ear training passagework from repertoire. E
rapid passagework from the da)rs
repertoire. some steps may lle Step 7

more beneficial to some individtt-

als than others, and advanced
players could shorten the warm-
up to steps 3-4-6 7, Played with
slow bow speed and constant
a l l e n l i o nl o l o n e q u a l i l )
l. Silent finger exercises sucn
EXAMPIE7b: Korgueff,
as Urstudien (example I a) (violists Double-Stop Fxercises
might avoid Urstudien exercise
I B); Doulris Daila Dozen exercise
I (example I b). After a few
moments spent with the bow-
tilting exercise (example I c), these 3 ' l
could be done simullaneousl)'
with lhe Gingold anecdotal One
Minute Bow. -
2. Long tones played with G
smoolh bow change exercise
(example 2a) before a mirror to
check bow's contact point, then
various left-hand finger exercises EXAMPIE7c: Seveik
op.l port 4
played slowly for intonalion accu-
racy, especially combinations
such as o-1, o 2 etc, all with
vibrato once inlonalion is securc.
Choose from materials such as Sitt OnGandD
2 2
Pr1ctical Viola Method, Dancla la)1 2 2 r
/ '-2 l
1 b ) j i L ' r ' r L ? L z u ) 3L 3
EXAMPIE7d: Dounis,
School of velocitu op.74, Wreede op. I 2 p,58
violaerobics (example 2b),
Schradieck vol. t , Sevdik op. t
parrs l r.
3. Shifting:one octave
Flesch Scale SUStemscales. t 4 i
I
3
L
4
I
r
)
l i i
arpeggios, broken thirds; SeVCik
op.8. Lukdcs I O Exer( isds in H:":'::;;i"'
Change oJ Position (example 3a),
Ricci LeJt-Hand violin Technique