Fiorillo Violin Caprices 36, Lesson Analysis

Author: Liang Su
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: The 36 violin caprices by Fiorillo, like Kreutzer's etudes and Rode's 24 caprices, are classic works in the violin repertoire. They are essential study materials for every violinist. In older editions, "to facilitate amateur players," only very few fingerings were suggested, with no expressive markings at all. Therefore, it is clear that any markings found in newer editions are suggestions made by different publishers. The purpose of this new edition is to enhance musicality through means such as dynamics, phrasing, fingerings, and bowing. Students must not view the study of these etudes as tedious and unavoidable assignments, but rather should recognize their "musicality" and believe that skillful performance can make violin phrases more vibrant. The 36 violin caprices form a whole, with different cadences at the end of each caprice and tonal transitions between them, ensuring seamless connection. In other words, they can be played consecutively from the first to the thirty-sixth, and the overall tempo and character of the pieces will not feel monotonous or dull. This caprice has the following three features:
1. Strong musicality, especially in training slow-speed, slow-bowing, singing-style melodies, which constitutes a significant proportion.
2. This caprice is an excellent for practicing high positions and training finger extension.
3. The bowing techniques in this caprice include long bows, short bows, spiccato bows, legato bows, detached bows, and mixed bowing techniques, most of which are designed to train wrist and arm movements.