Sevcik, Otakar - Op 17 - H Wieniawski, Concerto in D Minor - Violin and Piano - Analytical Studies and Exercises - edited by Endre Granat - Lauren Keiser

In 1881, Otakar Sevcik, the 29 year-old newly appointed professor of the Kiev Conservatory, forever changed the way violin technique would be studied with the publication of his Op. 1, Violin Left-Hand Technique. Instead of long-winded, meandering studies, Sevcik developed a more concise method that deconstructed technical difficulties into their smallest components, progressing from simple to complex. This method opened a door to overcoming technical problems in the shortest possible time with the least expenditure of energy, assuring rapid progress and technical proficiency. These initial works established Sevcik as one of the foremost pedagogues of his time.Nearly fifty years after the appearance of his Op. 1, Sevcik's pioneering spirit took him in the new direction of writing repertoire-specific exercises. His method of teaching included the writing of short exercises called "purpose exercises" that addressed a specific technical skill. Sevcik analyzed a concerto, or a virtuoso showpiece, and isolated the inherent technical problems in order to focus on one issue at a time. Gradually, the student would put the puzzle pieces together and be able to successfully perform a difficult work in its entirety.Each edition includes a solo violin part, a piano accompaniment and the Analytical Studies written for the particular piece. In the Analytical Studies, each measure is addressed separately, and Sevcik goes to extreme measures to separate the different left and right hand difficulties suggesting a solution for each possible problem. Although Sevcik only completed a handful of repertory-specific works, his method of preparation can be used for any piece.These Analytical Studies and Exercises have been out of print for over seventy-five years. This new printing of these repertoire-specific Sevcik exercises is now available for an entirely new generation of violinists. Accompanying each volume is a modern edition of each selected work by our editors, Endre Granat and Stephen Shipps.