Exclusivity beyond all else I would say

No 2. from the Kreutzer studies I guess?? That's a really good warm up study as well. Gets the fingers loosened and the right arm in trim.

Done any Sevcik yet? The repetition bit can get tedious, but they are brilliant for technique and intonation.



Yes, I did see it. I thought the Reich quartet was good, but I've tended to prefer Philip Glass for minimalistic compositions - have you ever listened to his Koyanisquatsi (Life Out Of Balance). I was actually surprised how 'Glass like' the quartet was in its structure.

I thought putting the Chaconne as the last work a very fitting tribute, especially as it was one of the audition pieces for the Auschwitz orchestra. Seeing Maxim playing wearing a pair of mittens, reminded me of how he said he had to wear gloves while practicing in a cold basement as a child.

Sevcik is not so hard.....but boring!  4,000 or so bowing exercises.  Best to pick and mix with what you need, but are in fact very productuve and really get the bow arm moving.

More interesting are the 40 variations opus 3, at least there's a few tunes in there.

And while we're on the subject of Vengerov, did anyone see/ hear him in London on Wed.  Awesome Beethoven.  Interesting tempo in the first movement but I thought it really worked.  This was Maxim at his absolute best with his good friends the LSO and Slava Rostropovich.