Before you begin practicing this pretty solo, you must learn to name and play the scale of E major viz: -E-F#-G#-A-B-C#-D#-E, both ascending and descending. You must play this scale without music and play it 10 or a dozen times over every day before practicing this piece. Pay particular attention to the 4 notes which must be raised by sharps according to the signature.

It is written in common time, therefore you must count 4 to the measure, one for each quarter note, 2 for each half note etc.

Andante means somewhat slow and sedate, dolce means softly, sweetly.

Use a whole bow for the 1st 2 quarter notes which are slurred, also a whole bow for 2 which are dotted and slurred (semi-staccato) sopping in the middle for an instant and then resuming again in the same direction (2 up-strokes).

In the 1st measure of the 2nd staff you have a staccato quarter note which you must play as if it were an 8th note followed by an 8th rest, and this note must be played with a WHOLE BOW STROKE in order to have a full bow stroke for the 3 quarter notes which follow under one slur.

The last A in the 2nd measure and the 1st staccato note D, in the 3rd measure may be played with 2 short strokes near the point of the bow. Of course you understand that two 8th notes must be played to one count.

The 1st variation is written in the same time and same key. Begin this variation with an up-bow at the middle. The dotted quarter and 8th notes are played with down-bow (whole stroke) and get two counts, the four 8ths with an up-bow (whole stroke) and get 2 counts.

The 1st staccato note in the 3rd measure takes a half bow. The groups of 3 8th notes which follow get the same as the groups of 2 which follow. The 3rd 8th note in the 3rd measure has before it, a small cross. This is a double sharp which raises this note a half tone higher than F#. Double sharp F is the same in sound as G natural, yet must be played with the 1st finger.

In the 3rd measure of the 5th staff, last half of measure, there are short slurs binding two 8th notes and above them is a slur binding 4 notes. The 4 notes are played with one stroke. The short slurs are pressure marks, meaning that you give an extra pressure on the 1st and 3rd notes, a sort of accent.

In the 2nd variation we begin with an up-bow at the point, going to middle, and the 1st triplet with down-bow takes you back to the point, when you play all the rest of the measure with on up-stroke (whole bow). The 2 notes (G#) being tied must sound like one note.

On account of various kinds of slurring, care and judgment must be used in regard to division of the bow, else you will be caught at wrong end of bow with not enough bow left to execute the passage.

Dolce ed expressive means - softly, sweetly and with expression.

Piano accompaniment to this solo is published in a collection of other pieces, some of which are also in this course. This collection may be had with extra violin part for 50 cents.

N. B. WHen writing always mention instrument. Confine your questions to ONE LESSON ONLY. Give name of lesson, number of staff, number of measure, and be brief. Give full name and address.

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© 2003 R. Fingerson
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