Szigeti on the Violin

In a performing career that spanned more than six decades, Hungarian- born violinist Joseph Szigeti established extraordinary new levels of achieve- ment for the modern violin virtuoso. His flawless technique is well docu- mented in the many recordings he made (as William Primrose said, “That man’s got more fingers and more strings than the rest of us!”). Szigeti was also a scholar of music, a champion of many important 20th-century works for the violin, an astute observer and critic of the contemporary music world, and above all, an extraordinary musical interpreter with a pas- sionate concern for the accurate, authentic presentation of great music.

These traits are also basic to Szigeti on the Violin, his genial, insightful tour of the modern world of music and musicianship. Written primarily for the practicing violinist (and the book is certainly required reading for any amateur or professional), its wealth of non-technical material will make Szigeti on the Violin fascinating to any music lover, regardless of expertise.

Szigeti’s topics, though extraordinarily diverse, are designed to exhibit the hard-won lessons of an elder statesman. He discusses the drawbacks of many present-day teaching methods, and the impact of international com- petitions and the record industry on the careers of young instrumentalists. He evaluates the present state of musical scholarship, and laments the many textual errors that plague performances of such important works as the Beethoven Concerto and “Spring” Sonata, and the Brahms Concerto. He speaks of the historical changes in musical interpretation reflected in the styles of Joachim, Sarasate, Auer, Ysaye. Above all, he fills his text with in- numerable suggestions for the practicing violinist: guidelines for bowing, vibrato, tone coloration, tempo, etc. Over 350 musical examples, spanning the entire history of classical music, augment the text. Those who read Szigeti on the Violin will gain a more subtle and knowledgeable opinion about the vast violin repertoire and the skills needed to perform it.

For this new Dover edition, famous musicologist and musician Spike Hughes, a long-time friend of Szigeti, has added a Preface which acts as a charming anecdotal biography of the great violinist.

Unabridged (1979) republication of the original (1969) edition. New Preface by Spike Hughes. Introduction. Index. 385 musical examples. Portrait of Szigeti. xxii + 234pp. 5 3/8 x 8¼. Paperbound.

ISBN 0—486—23763—X