Charles Dancla (1817-1907) is considered to be the last great representative of the French Violin School. He was a composer, solo violinist at the Paris Opera and professor at the Paris Conservatoire and wrote numerous educational works for violin, including his well-known three-volume work Little School of Melody'. He knew, in a unique way, how to implement the principle 'no music without technique, no technique without music' in his teaching material. This is the case in his easy melodic studies Op. 84 which are available here in an arrangement for viola for the first time. These studies are perfectly suited for young beginners after the second year, but also for adult players, false beginners or those switching instruments. Most of them can be effectively used as little performance pieces, providing an excellent foundation for every advanced etude or concert piece.
Each study is preceded by new or revised exercises which either deal with specific problems relating to the playing technique, like change of string, spiccato, martele, chromaticism, change of position, octaves, or double stops, or present the tonal material of the respective study in a condensed, playful form. Those who prefer Dancla's somewhat easier original preliminary exercises will find them in the appendix.

ISBN 9781619118836.

Wedding Music for String Quartet includes 14 favorites for weddings, recitals, parties and receptions. New adaptations of these arrangements allow each musician to share melodic, harmonic and accompanying elements. These quartets are well suited for intermediate to advanced musicians and include bowings, fingerings, articulations and dynamics. Includes four separate pull-out parts for violin 1, violin 2, cello and viola.

Paul Dessau described his Third String Quartet, begun at Laguna Beach near Los Angeles in 1943, as predominantly lyrical. The song-like, melodious main theme of this one-movement work emerges from a series of notes grounded in tonality. A contrapuntally separated little semiquaver figure acquires increasing importance and points the way ahead to the greater rhythmical turbulence of the middle section. Syncopated imitative devices add intensity to the music until all this activity is calmed down again in the extended Coda.
By working names into his music as quotations Dessau pays musical homage to two of his aesthetic forefathers - Bach and Schoenberg - during a creative period spent in exile.

Carson Turner&rsquo.s latest instalment to The Schott String Quartet Series is a wonderful collection of traditional Irish folk tunes. These intermediate-level arrangements make perfect performance material.

The Schott String Quartet Series
With the first books in the series focusing on baroque, classical and romantic styles, The Schott String Quartet Series has expanded to cover music ranging from traditional pieces through to Eastern-influenced works. Aside from 'Indian Summer', which features original compositions, each book contains original arrangements of well known themes, which have often never been arranged for string quartet before. .
An important characteristic of these arrangements is that they allow all four instruments to demand the attention throughout the music. The pieces are suitable for amateur musicians or school students and are ideal for public performance.

ISBN 9781513455884. 8.75x11.75 inches.

Early Music Gems contains 49 tunes dating from 1300-1791, including Medieval, Renaissance, and ancient melodies as well as a best of John Playford's The Dancing Master. These delightful melodies are perfect for contradance, English country dance and concert settings. Suggested bowings, chords, tempos, and variations are included. An audio recording of each of the tunes includes the fiddle melody with guitar accompaniment. Includes access to online audio.

ISBN 9781513459936. 8.75 x 11.75 inches.

Appalachian fiddle music, based on the musical traditions of the people who settled in the mountainous regions of the southeastern United States, is widely-known and played throughout North America and parts of Europe because of its complex rhythms, its catchy melodies, and its often-ancient-sounding stylistic qualities. The authors explore the lives and music of 43 of the classic Appalachian fiddlers who were active during the first half of the 20th century. Some of them were recorded commercially in the 1920s, such as Gid Tanner, Fiddlin John Carson, and Charlie Bowman. Some were recorded by folklorists from the Library of Congress, such as William Stepp, Emmett Lundy, and Marion Reece. Others were recorded informally by family members and visitors, such as John Salyer, Emma Lee Dickerson, and Manco Sneed. All of them played throughout most of their lives and influenced the growth and stylistic elements of fiddle music in their regions. Each fiddler has been given a chapter with a biography, several tune transcriptions, and tune histories. To show the richness of the music, the authors make a special effort to show the musical elements in detail, but also acknowledge that nothing can take the place of listening. Many of the classic recordings used in this book can be found on the web, allowing you to hear and read the music together.

Simon Le Duc (1742-1777) is one of the most important French orchestral composers of his time and was held in high esteem by his contemporaries. Leopold Mozart too showed respect for him in his travel notes. His opus VI, &apos.Six petits Duos pour deux violons de la plus grande facilite&apos., was first published in 1771 by the publishing house of his brother Pierre. Many characteristic themes from the duos could have been written by Haydn, while the well-balanced formal structure of the movements is reminiscent of Johann Christian Bach. The music stands out due to the new contrasting, melodic, homophonic style of the classical idiom undergoing development. All in all, the way in which it compiles duos of imaginative art and its design for the violin in particular makes this collection ideal for lessons, auditions and amateur music-making.

In a conversation with the violinist Peter Herresthal, we touched on the "invitation" in the score of Ligeti's Violin concerto to provide a cadenza for the work. Peter suggested that I answer this invitation and I was happy to accept. I followed all the composer's directions exactly: the cadenza may use material from all five movements, and should be of "hectic" character throughout. I also aimed to write a cadenza of which the closing orchestral coda would be an inevitable result. (Thomas Ades)

The cadenza can also be composed by the soloist and can last up to 1-2 minutes. It should be hectic throughout (continuation of the appassionata agitato molto), but can incorporate melodic material ad lib. from all five movements. Towards the end, the tempo should be prestissimo with alternating arco and left hand pizz. in mad virtuosity. The cadenza has no real end and is suddenly interrupted by the orchestra at R (as agreed between soloist and conductor). This interruption occurs suddenly as if unprepared. The soloist should at this point be playing in high positions (on the top string) at maximum velocity. The solo violin abruptly falls silent on the entry of the high woodblock. Gyorgy Ligeti