Violin Playing As I Teach It

by Ernest Thompson Seton

Originally published in 1921, this book was written in an attempt to, 'give the serious teacher and student the practical benefit of the knowledge acquired during a lifetime's playing the violin, including mechanical means and technical procedure as well as the ideas and ideals of art'. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Hesperides Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. Contents Include: How I Studied the Violin How to Hold the Violin How to Practise Tone Production Hints on Bowing Left hand Technique Double Stops The Trill Ornaments Harmonics Nuance, The Soul of Interpretation Style The Nerves and Violin Playing The Violin Repertory of Yesterday and To-Day Practical Repertory Hints

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Education

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1921

About the author

Ernest Thompson Seton was a Scots-Canadian (and naturalized U.S. citizen) who became a noted author, wildlife artist, founder of the Woodcraft Indians, and one of the founding pioneers of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Seton also heavily influenced Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting. His notable books related to Scouting include The Birch Bark Roll and The Boy Scout Handbook. He is responsible for the strong influence of American Indian culture in the BSA.

He was born Ernest Evan Thompson in South Shields, County Durham (now part of South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear), England of Scottish parents and his family emigrated to Canada in 1866. As a youth, he retreated to the woods to draw and study animals as a way of avoiding his abusive father. He won a scholarship in art to the Royal Academy in London, England.

He later rejected his father and changed his name to Ernest Thompson Seton. He believed that Seton had been an important name in his paternal line. He developed a fascination with wolves while working as a naturalist for Manitoba. He became successful as a writer, artist and naturalist, and moved to New York City to further his career. Seton later lived at Wyndygoul, an estate that he built in Cos Cob, a section of Greenwich, Connecticut. After experiencing vandalism by the local youth, Seton invited them to his estate for a weekend where he told stories of the American Indians and of nature.

He formed the Woodcraft Indians in 1902 and invited the local youth to join. The stories became a series of articles written for the Ladies Home Journal and were eventually collected in the The Birch Bark Roll of the Woodcraft Indians in 1906.

He was married twice. The first marriage was to Grace Gallatin in 1896. Their only daughter, Ann, was born in 1904 and died in 1990. Ann, who later changed her first name, became a best-selling author of historical and biographical novels as Anya Seton. According to her introduction to the novel Green Darkness, both of her parents were practicing Theosophists. Ernest and Grace divorced in 1935, and Ernest soon married Julia M. Buttree. Julia would write works by herself and with Ernest. They did not have any children, but did adopt an infant daughter, Beulah (Dee) Seton (later Dee Seton Barber), in 1938. Dee Seton Barber died in 2006.

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

A curious work. It does not remotely live up to the blurb at this site as far as imparting much technical violin wisdom. It has a lot more to do with some of Auer's opinions, memories, and taste. I have the impression that this book was written by the exiled post-1917 Auer from economic necessity and to exploit his name for profit. It is a slight volume interesting on its own terms. For the benefit of those who are not familiar with its author. Leopold Auer was a prominent violinist of the nineteenth century who got a the job of running the music school at St. Petersburg along with distinguished colleagues such as Nicolas Rubenstein (brother of the famous pianist Anton Rubenstein). This task was very demanding and left him with little time for performance (which is Auer's explanation for his neglect of the the Tchaikowksy concerto originally dedicated to him, but that is not discussed in this book). While in this post he was the recipient one of the greatest bounties ever bestowed upon a violin pedagogue, a monopoly on the talent pool of the Russian Jewish Pale of Settlement of western Russia. The residents of the pale could not freely move outside the pale. One exception was to be a student at the school in St. Petersburg. From this captivity emerged a stream of fabulous artists such as Elman, Seidel, Milstein and Heifetz. The exploits of these giants made his reputation as a teacher around the world, surpassing that of any other "school" of the time. To his credit, he did no harm to these prodigies, as for example a lesser pedagogue such as Joachim would have. But on the other hand his operation was sufficiently hands-off that it cannot be said that he made them either. Heifetz in particular arrived all but ready-made. (In other accounts Heifetz gives Auer credit for polishing him up socially and in proper public presentation, violinistically there was not much left to add.) All the same he did expedite the passage of these artists, with their individuality intact, to the world stage (and recordings) and for that we can be grateful. In the book, there are many reflections about the discovery and development of his more famous students. For example, Elman was having some problems with the Tchaikowsky concerto, so the author tells him to get it or he will have to do something else, and viola, Elman pulls it off. One can do this with with great talent Auer notes. And his bemused observation that Seidel and Heifetz seem to have no nerves at all, in constrast to the author who apparently has a more abundant (that is, normal) supply of stage fright.

I found among his recollections some strange tastes. For example, he regards the Bach violin concerti (a minor and E major) as inferior works with the exception of the d minor double concerto. On the other hand he extolls the virtues of Bazzini's Ronde de Lutins, a small, charming and extremely technical display piece but no landmark of composition.

It is very enjoyable as a collection of opinions and recollections but is not any kind of comprehensive treatise on his methods as suggested by the title. Auer also wrote a more substantial autobiography, My Long Life In Music, but it is not so easy to obtain at the moment.

[Brenden Bachaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leopold Auer shares his thoughts and experience in the very last years of his life. The first chapter is an overview of his own course of study, which is of immense importance to music history. As a student of Jakob Dont as well as studying with H. Wieniawski for a short time, this is one of the few valuable accounts left to us from this time which might give insight into those great masters' own etudes and repertoire which we still study today. During Auer's life many changes came to the world of violin playing, including new string making technology, the beginning of audio recordings, transitions in travel that allowed the ability to have an international career to become a realistic option for so many. Auer's own student Konstantin Mostras succeeded him at the Conservatoire, becoming the primary teacher for many great violinists and pedagogues including Ivan Galamian who, alongside Ysaye (another of Wieniawski's students), would bring the height of violin teaching to the United States. The place in history is so important. Further, Auer's opinions on repertoire of that time come before the shift toward Historically Informed Performance Practice, which is one of the fastest growing areas of violin study today. The subsequent chapters discuss the left and right hands, practice, and teaching. The most valuable thing I was able to take away personally was from the discussion regarding "how often should the teacher actually play during the lesson."

There are many reviews of this book on Goodreads that seem to be completely ignorant of the reason a person would read an old book. I feel sorry for them, because they were not able to learn from this what it has to teach.

[Ceena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historically an important book. Some valuable insights into violin playing from a major teacher of the early 20th century. Some useful tips for the player and some in my opinion outdated ones too for example about the finger pressure on the high registers. Auer makes an unfortunate judgnzon the quality of the Tchaikovsky's violin concerto, which was dedicated to him
It's a pitty. A translation of this book in Farsi is available and ready for publication.

[Haze H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is absolutely amazing. The first half leveled me up as a player and a teacher, but the second half is so unfathomably boring it took me a week to power through it. I highly recommend it to any violin players, but if you want to skim a few of the later chapters you won’t really miss anything.

[The Russian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oui!

[Garrett Zecker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book that covers a great deal of technique and philosophy of an instrument, and even recommends many other texts and teachers and has some autobiographical elements of the author as well. One thing that I really liked about this is that it serves somewhat of an instructional role, but then also serves a role as a narrative in exploring the techniques, how you should be thinking, what to consider in posture and breathing, and more. I think the book is a little impractical in terms of its age, but at the same rate I think that it has survived so long because of how different it is than most technique and teaching books. It is a very slim book, and all I ahve to say is that it is coming up on my time to sit down and practice and reread some of the exercises rather than writing about the book itself!

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great little resource of violin pedagogy because Auer forgoes any purely technical instruction in favor of broader, almost poetic descriptions and observations taken directly from his experience. He wisely observes that much of the mechanical and technical facets of playing the violin need to be patiently worked out by the student in their own fashion.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful insight into playing and teaching the violin from the Master who studied with Dont and Joachim and produced students like Heifetz, Elman, Seidel, and Zimbalist.

[DeeAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that his book was okay. It was non fiction by a really good violin teacher, but he was no good at actually playing. The book was on how and what to practice.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, amusing, and good insights into the history of violin playing and teaching including evolution of the repertoire. Too bad I have fallen off the practice wagon!

[Pedram Forootan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of things to learn from Heifetz and Elman's Tutor...

[Dima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as scientific as the amazing and all-inclusive Art of Playing of the Violin by Carl Flesch but it’s still a great read, every violinist should get familiar with this book by Leopold Auer