A Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing (Oxford Early Music) [Paperback]

Leopold Mozart (Author), Editha Knocker (Translator), Alfred Einstein (Contributor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 019318513X | ISBN-13: 978-0193185135 | Publication Date: October 10, 1985 | Edition: 2

Known principally as the father of Wolfgang Amadeus, Leopold Mozart was a distinguished musician in his own right. An excellent violinist and composer, his greatest contribution to music was his Treatise on Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing. Published at Ausburg in 1756 it was the major work of its time on the violin and it contains much that is of considerable interest and value to musicians today: notes on performance, practice, a glossary of technical terms and specific chapters on the playing of written and improvised embellishments, the trill, and special rhythmic figures. Copious exercises illustrate each point made in the text. A Preface--revised for this edition--offers an illuminating biographical study of Leopold both as a man and as a musician.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation)

About the Author

Leopold Mozart (1719-1787) was a composer, music teacher and violinist., but he is best known today for being the father and teacher of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Product Details

• Paperback: 274 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (October 10, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 019318513X
• ISBN-13: 978-0193185135
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #542,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From the teacher of Histories Master., December 1, 1999

By 

"brovel" - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing (Oxford Early Music) (Paperback)

This book should be considered the best next thing to a tutor if one can't have one. It discribes things that most other books on violin don't teach. Like, describing the otions to make a vibrato, wheres other books sometimes don't even metion vibrato! Who better to be your teacher than the man who taught Wolfgang Mozart to play the violin when he was four? I highly recoment this.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, February 14, 2006

By 

Richard D. Simon Jr. (Walla Walla) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing (Oxford Early Music) (Paperback)

This is simply a fantastic book! It is like having a music lesson from Leopold Mozart. Although I do not play the violin, reading and rereading this book has done more to improve my classical playing (woodwinds) than any other single activity (except of course practicing). It also gives an absolutely breathtaking view of Mozart's father's personality and musical tastes. This is a "must" read for all musicians. I rather suspect it is the oldest music instruction book still in print!