In June 2018, during my studies at Bern University of Arts, I made a fascinating and worthwhile research on “The Violin School” by Louis Spohr. Today, on the 160th year from his death, I share with you my PowerPoint presentation as an invitation to read the original treatise and eventually explore Spohr suggestions on the violin. It worths the time, especially for the old-school guys as myself! (In the Part 1 he suggests not starting playing the violin as a hobby whenever the person can devote less than 4h a day for practice. I let you discover his opinion on making a professional career out of it).
I am currently reading his entertaining and informative Autobiography, published posthumously in 1860, which I will review very soon!
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The Violinschule (The Violin School) by Louis Spohr, published in 1832, is a treatise on violin playing which codified many of the latest advances in the violin technique. At that time Spohr was regarded not only as The Greatest German Violinist but also as one of the most influential living composer. With the extensive section on bowing, containing 57 different examples, discussion about style, articulations, shiftings, intervals, bow management, double stops, chords, arpeggios (…) it became a reference work of instruction.
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Louis Spohr (5.4.1784 - 22.10.1859) was a talented and charismatic violinist, composer and conductor. During his long adventurous and influential life he invented the violin chinrest (ca. 1820), he was one of the first to use a baton and also inventing rehearsal letters to save time by asking the orchestra or singers to start playing "from letter X”.
