How does a simple piece of wood become the king of instruments?

The violin does something remarkable, magical, and evocative. It is capable of bringing to life the mathematical marvels of Bach, the moan of a Gypsy melody, the wounded dignity of Beethoven's Concerto in D Major. No other instrument is steeped in such a rich brew of myth and lore--and yet the making of a violin starts with a simple block of wood. The Violin Maker takes the reader on a journey as that block of wood, in the hands of a master craftsman, becomes an instrument to rival one made by the greatest...

An analysis of the physics and physiology involved in playing the cello. For performers, teachers, and mature students.

..". valuable... impressive..." --The Times Literary Supplement

"For anyone interested in Milan's music, this is an excellent source of information." --Renaissance Quarterly

Luis Milan (1536-1561) was a lutenist, singer, composer, and poet. His collection of lute tablatures, El Maestro, is the first book of instrumental music known to have been printed in Spain. Luis Gasser discusses Milan's attention to modality, his use of meter, and the ornamentation in his songs and fantasias.

In his book on left-hand violin technique, Maestro Ruggiero Ricci addresses common problems in shifting by advocating the study of the glissando technique. He asserts that re-incorporating this technique will not only aid violinists in developing a better-trained ear, but also provide them with "shortcuts" to playing some of Paganini's most difficult passages.

Ricci introduces and compares old and new systems of playing to provide a context for the glissando system. He outlines a series of glissando scales that provides the student with a blueprint for developing additional...

..". a valuable book. It is an important link between the unknown of the Renaissance and the present." --The Triangle of Mu Phi Epsilon

"Straightforward practicality is the most outstanding characteristic of this book." --Continuo

..". a fine and very welcome book that is likely to remain the high standard of lute continuo instruction for some time to come." --Sixteenth Century Journal

In this extraordinarily broad survey, Nigel North discusses the history of the lute, the archlute, and the theorbo and gives practical advice on technique, the choice of instrument for...

Drawing on twenty years of teaching experience, author Mark Rush systematically builds the fundamentals of violin playing from the ground up. The book focuses on proper setup from how to stand, to holding the violin, to the best way to move the bow. These are fundamental components necessary for success and the earlier these good habits are established the better.

Drawing on twenty years of teaching experience, author Mark Rush systematically builds the fundamentals of violin playing from the ground up. The book focuses on proper setup from how to stand, to holding the violin, to the best way to move the bow. These are fundamental components necessary for success and the earlier these good habits are established the better.

Leading appraisers of fine musical instruments agree that in the art of making violins, no one has ever gone beyond the achievement of Antonio Stradivari. The incomparable visual beauty of his instruments and the infinite variety and magnificence of tone of which they are capable have by this time passed into the realm of legend. Collectors have paid many thousands of dollars for one of Stradivari's violins. It is strange, but true, that only one book really delves into the life and art of this famous Italian craftsman. That is the book published in 1902 by the three Hill brothers of the...

This famous book has the rare distinction of having been written by one family of distinguished violin-makers and experts -- the Hill family of London -- about another -- the legendary Guarneri family of Mantua, Cremona, and Venice. The Hills were unrivaled connoisseurs with a family tradition of violin-making, restoration, and scholarship. Several of their books form the basis of our knowledge of old stringed instruments. This generously illustrated volume offers both a history of the Guarneri family and a commentary on their craftsmanship.
The Hills describe and analyze the life and...