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.
A little dictionary of the musical and technical terms in this volume shall make their meaning accessible to young players in particular.

Song List: Red-Tailed Boa (A minor) Green Iguana (C major) Saw-Scaled Viper (E minor) Red Factor Canary (G major) Funereal Dusky-Wing Butterfly (B minor) American Crocodile (D major) Gorgon Copper Butterfly (F-sharp minor) Steller's Sea Eagle (A major) Lembert's Green Hairstreak (C-sharp minor) Lord Darby's Scaly-Tailed Squirrel (E major) Giant Pangolin (G-sharp minor) Freshwater Crocodile (B major) Blowfish (D-sharp minor) Cuban Crocodile (F-sharp major) Rainbow Sardine (B-flat minor) Musky Rat-Kangaroo (D-flat major) Great White Shark (F minor) Blue Scaled Quail (A-flat major) Brahminy Blind Snake (C minor) Tokay Gecko (E-flat major) Neon Damselfish (G minor) Pel's Flying Squirrel (B-flat major) Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly (D minor) Cameroon Scaly Tail Squirrel (F major) Sanford's Sea Eagle (A-flat major) False Coral Snake (D minor) Black-Bellied Pangolin (G minor) Round Sardinella (B-flat major) Northern Bobwhite (A major

ISBN 9781619116931. 8.75 x 11.75 inches.

This progressive scale system coordinates basic concepts from elementary to advanced scales in preparation for the Scale System by Carl Flesch. In some aspects it goes beyond the scope of the Flesch system. One-octave scales are introduced in patterns with emphasis on half steps and finger retention. The two-octave scale patterns are non-shifting. Three-octave scales are offered with traditional and modern fingerings. The double stop scales vary in fingerings in order to teach the basic concepts of double-stops. Harmonics are included beyond the scope of the Flesch system, in a basic form including natural harmonics.

German - English.

Garth Knox is one of the most prominent violists of his generation, and as former long-time member of the Arditti Quartet he has developed and maintained a fondness of contemporary music. In the mean time, he gives concerts and teaches courses all over the world.

With 'Viola Spaces' he wants to make contemporary playing techniques accessible to advanced players. The pieces, or 'playing spaces', are true concert studies, each of them dealing with specific techniques such as harmonics, pizzicato (with 9 fingers!) or tremolos which are explained in great detail.

Another volume with modern playing techniques for two violas and a volume with variations on a piece by the French viola da gamba master Marin Marais for four violas are planned.