ITZHAK PERLMAN Teaches Violin MASTERCLASS A NOTE FROM MR. PERLMAN Consider this workbook like an encyclopedia of instrumental information, meant to be used as a reference. One cannot learn how to play the violin from a book. You need a teacher who can show you one-on-one how the left and right hands work. Describing and trying to solve problems involving playing the instrument also requires a teacher. I hope this book will provide you with information, demonstrating my ideas about the various aspects of violin playing, technical as well as musical. If anything is unclear, discuss it with your teacher. Good luck, and happy “slow” practicing. —ITZHAK PERLMAN 2 MASTERCLASS INTRODUCTION BIOGRAPHY A violinist of the highest caliber. A devoted teacher. A humanitarian. Itzhak Perlman has graced the world with his astonishing abilities, breathtaking musicality, steadfast devotion to the art, and signature wit since the 1960s. After more than a half-century of performing as a superstar violin soloist with nearly every top orchestra, every top conductor, and in every top concert hall in the world, Mr. Perlman continues to expand his horizons, conducting major orchestras and teaching at the Juilliard School in New York. Born in 1945 in Tel Aviv to Polish immigrants, Mr. Galamian and Dorothy Delay, two of the greatest 3 Perlman became intensely interested in the violin violin pedagogues of the 20th century. MASTERCLASS from the age of three. He first started his studies at age five at the Shulamit Conservatory and the A rapid ascent followed. In 1963, Mr. Perlman Academy of Music in Tel Aviv, where he worked made his Carnegie Hall debut with the National with the Russian teacher Rivka Goldgart. When he Orchestra Association. Mr. Perlman’s career was ten, he gave his first recital in Tel Aviv. was launched in 1964, when he won first prize in the Leventritt Competition. This gave him the Mr. Perlman’s first big break came at the age of opportunity to solo with five leading American 13, when he was invited to New York to play on orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, CBS’s The Ed Sullivan Show. Following his television and led to professional management and a major appearance, he then stayed in New York and recording contract. entered the Juilliard School to study with Ivan ITZHAK PERLMAN INTRODUCTION Mr. Perlman’s catalog of recordings have also Mr. Perlman has played for world leaders across shaped the landscape of classical music; to date the political spectrum, and he performed for the he’s won 16 Grammy awards as well as the orga- 2009 Inauguration of President Barack Obama. nization’s 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award for He received a Medal of Liberty from President excellence in the recording arts. Mr. Perlman has Reagan, a National Medal of Arts from President been the subject of numerous documentaries and Clinton, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom from television specials, including In the Fiddler’s House, President Obama. Perlman in Shanghai, Itzhak Perlman Live in Russia, and, most recently, the Grammy-nominated In 2003, the John F. Kennedy Center for the documentary Itzhak. Performing Arts granted Mr. Perlman a Kennedy Center Honor, celebrating his distinguished When it comes to conducting, Mr. Perlman has led achievements and contributions to the cultural orchestras across the world, conducting the New and educational life of the United States. He has York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago received honorary degrees from Harvard, Yale, Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Brandeis, Roosevelt, Yeshiva and Hebrew univer- Angeles Philharmonic, Concertgebouw Orchestra, sities, and in 2005, he was awarded an honorary Berlin Philharmonic and Israel Philharmonic. doctorate and a centennial medal at Juilliard’s 100th commencement ceremony. Through music, Mr. Perlman has helped shape our cultural landscape in myriad ways for more Working from the same studio where his own 4 than half a century. Not only has he collaborated teacher Dorothy DeLay once taught, Mr. Perlman MASTERCLASS with fellow musical celebrities like composer has been teaching at the Juilliard School since John Williams (the pair crafted the haunting score 2003. His students have gone on to secure pres- in Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award-winning tigious grants and win competitions and awards. 1993 film, Schindler’s List), but his appearances on During the summer, young musicians also flock Sesame Street have been cited by many of today’s to the Perlman Music Program (PMP) on Shelter young violinists as their earliest exposure to Island in New York. For Mr. Perlman, teaching is the instrument. a crucial part of his artistic life. “When you teach others,” he says, “you teach yourself.” Welcome to Itzhak Perlman’s MasterClass. “Sesame Street excerpts provided courtesy of Sesame Workshop, New York, New York”. ITZHAK PERLMAN INTRODUCTION THE ESSENTIAL ITZHAK LISTENING GUIDE THE PERLMAN SOUND MOZART (2003) Here’s an MARITA AND HER IN THE FIDDLER’S HOUSE (2015) This set of three album that showcases Mr. HEART’S DESIRE: (1995) Mr. Perlman says CDs was released for Mr. Perlman’s talents as both A MUSICAL FAIRY TALE klezmer music always Perlman’s 70th birthday. soloist and conductor: he (1998) Mr. Perlman served came naturally to him. This One disc is dedicated performs Mozart’s Violin as the violin soloist in this album is a celebration of to highlights from Concerto No. 3, and he con- project, composed and con- classic klezmer and was the major violin concertos ducts Mozart’s Symphony ducted by Bruce Adolphe, basis for a PBS special by (Mendelssohn, Brahms, No. 41, Jupiter, with the meant to introduce the same name. Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Berlin Philharmonic. children to the orchestra. Korngold, Sibelius, He performs with the PERLMAN Vivaldi); another includes ARGERICH AND Chamber Music Society of REDISCOVERED (1965, virtuoso solo and chamber PERLMAN (1999) Mr. Lincoln Center. published 2004) This repertoire (Paganini’s Perlman partners with full-length LP, a recital Caprice No. 24, Bach’s piano virtuoso Martha CINEMA SERENADE recorded in 1965 with Partita No. 3, Massenet’s Argerich in a live per- (1997) This collection pianist David Garvey, Méditation from the opera formance of two beloved of themes from iconic was meant to be one of Thaïs, Rimsky-Korsakov’s violin sonatas: Beethoven’s films was made with John Perlman’s first recordings. Flight of the Bumblebee, Kreutzer Sonata (No. 9, Op. Williams, who conducts It includes several Paganini 5 Sarasate’s Zapateado), and 47), and the Sonata in A the Pittsburgh Symphony Caprices (1, 16 and 24); MASTERCLASS another includes klezmer major for Violin and Piano Orchestra. It includes Handel: Sonata in E-Major, and jazz selections. Mr. by César Franck. Williams’ own score from Op. 1 No. 15; Hindemith: Perlman plays with some Schindler’s List as well as Sonata for Violin & Piano of the biggest classical stars CONCERTOS FROM MY Quincy Jones’s theme from in E-flat major, Op. 11 No. 1; of the 20th century, from CHILDHOOD (1999) Mr. The Color Purple, Ennio Leclair: Sonata, Op. 9 No. 3 Placido Domingo to David Perlman’s recording of Morricone’s theme from in D; and more. Barenboim. some of the most popular Cinema Paradiso, and more. works in the violin student THE PERLMAN EDITION repertoire is invaluable for A LA CARTE (1995) A (2004) This enormous students and teachers. It compilation of shorter collection (originally a 15 includes Rieding’s Violin pieces with orchestra, this CD box set) features major Concerto in B-minor, Op. album includes classics violin concertos by Ludwig 35; Seitz’s Student Concerto like Méditation from the van Beethoven, Max Bruch, No. 3, Op. 13; Accolay’s opera Thaïs by Massenet, Jean Sibelius, Christian Violin Concerto No. 1 in Vocalise by Rachmaninoff, Sinding, Erich Wolfgang A-minor; de Bériot’s Scène Zigeunerweisen by Sarasate, Korngold, Pyotr Ilyich de Ballet, Op. 100; and and Schön Rosmarin by Tchaikovsky, and more. Viotti’s Violin Concerto No. Kreisler. 22 in A-minor. ITZHAK PERLMAN | CHAPTER 01 THE VIOLIN The violin is both an object of great beauty and symmetry as well as an ingenious work of mechanical design. Familiarize yourself with the parts of the violin and bow and get a better understanding of how each works: THE BASICS SCROLL TIP PEGS PEG BOX HAIR NUT NECK STICK FINGER BOARD 6 STRINGS MASTERCLASS RIBS TOP PURFLING BLOCK (inside each of the corners) F HOLES BRIDGE SOUNDPOST BOW GRIP (inside violin— FINE located under TUNER the E string just behind the TAILPIECE bridge) EYELET FROG CHIN REST END SCREW SADDLE TAILPIECE GUT ITZHAK PERLMAN INTRODUCTION Parts of the violin: STRINGS: A violin has four strings tuned in inter- SCROLL: The decorative top of the violin. It’s vals of fifths. From lowest to highest (left to right) most often carved in the shape of a scroll but is they are G, D, A, and E. The strings are made from sometimes carved in another shape, such as a a variety of materials, including steel, synthetic person’s head. materials and/or animal gut. They are strung over the fingerboard, from the pegs to the tailpiece. PEGS: Four wooden pegs around which the strings are wound. They are used to tune the PURFLING: A thin strip of three ply wood inlaid instrument’s strings. Tightening a string raises its in a channel around the edge of the violin to pitch; loosening a string lowers its pitch. protect the instrument from damage. It may look like an outline drawn around the edge of the violin, PEG BOX: The enclosure in which the strings are but its purpose is actually more protective than wound onto the pegs. decorative. NUT: A small piece of wood between the pegbox CORNER BLOCKS: Wooden blocks inside and fingerboard.