During the spring/summer season 2021 of Etudes 101, Gwendolyn embarks on first of three 12-week cycles through Rodolphe Kreutzer's Etudes. Visiting each etude in chronological order, Gwendolyn invites one of The Exhale faculty's violinists (or violists) to join for a lively exploration of one etude a week. Reference to the order of the etudes (these differ amongst the myriad editions in circulation) is made by way of the first edition. Publisher info: Paris: Cherubini, Mehul, Kreutzer, Rode, Isouard, Boieldieu, n.d.(1805). This can be found, for example, on IMSLP.
7th April: No 1
This week's invited guest Peter Sheppard Skærved writes: ‘I am always fascinated to see where a composer ‘sets out’, where they, and we can begin together. Kreutzer begins with the voice – his first caprice explores the singing line and its features – reminding us that Kreutzer and his circle revered the work of Giuseppe Tartini, whose motto was ‘to play well, you must sing well’. So, let’s explore the violin-as-voice together, instrument in hand!’
Concomitant to Gwendolyn’s Scales Flow, this weekly 30-minute get-together highlights some of the violin repertoire’s best-known Exercises, Etudes and Caprices. Each week’s focus is on a new example of the staple repertoire. Gwendolyn explores ways to achieve better results from daily practice by revisiting the foundations of playing. Gwendolyn offers preliminary exercises, explanations and achievable goals, injecting meaning and impact to what is oftentimes considered the most dull and dreary moment of any practice.
These sessions are interactive. There will always be time for you to ask questions. These are all-levels sessions, suitable for intermediate and advanced players.