I'm thinking of buying a book of Sevcik cello studies from Musicroom and I was wondering what people thought of them. I can only get these books online so I can't look at them to see what they're like unfortunately. I know they do these books for violin and viola too, so even if no cellists out there use them, I'd be interested in opinions from violinists/violists too! I can cope with boring, but are these books any good? Also, do they actually describe in words how to improve your technique, or is it just lots of studies that each focus on a different thing?

Thankyou!

Rosie x

I play violin and Sevcik is great for bowing. Getting you to use the whole bow and have a fluid arm. Also if there is a tricky passage in a piece you can ususllay find a Sevcik exercise that will help with it. Right arm is far more important than left hand for good tone etc.

See if you can get the 40 variations opus 3 as these are more musical to play and a good quick study if you are short of time.

This is probably the book I'll get first as it looks the most general. Do you know if the School of Bowing Technique ones are any good? Thanks!

There are loads (4000 bowing exercises )....I've got op 2 part 1 which seems to meet all my current needs quite nicely.

4000? Well that'll keep me busy I suppose! The cello books don't have opus numbers but I think I'll just go for book one to start with...

On the back of my violin copy it says

"CELLO"

Op 1 Thumb Placing exercises
Op 2 School of bowing technique (parts 1 to 6)
OP 3 40 Variations
Op 8 Changes of position and preparatory scale studies

Does that help?

You will need parts 1 - 6 to get all the 4000 I guess (should of course you really want them all!).

Nice quote from Szigeti was that "When one encounters a passage like the one which Beethoven marked "beklemmt" in the Cavatina of opus 130 with its ineffably poignant expression, one realises that not even the Four Thousand Bowing Exercises of the estimable and industrious Sevcik have prepared one for those parlando up-bows"

So I guess there is still more to learn even after that lot

Thanks! I think I'll start off with the 40 variations and the part 1 bowing technique. I'm not sure I really need the complete 4000 right now though... I just feel like I need some studies or something a bit more technique focused to do, because at the moment all I really do is pieces (well I do have a scale book, but it sees little use! ) I always find that after an hour's practice or so my bowing is nice and relaxed and flowing, but in the beginning half hour there's a lot to be desired, so hopefully this'll help me to warm up and get more out of practicing.

Yes....I use it as a warm up.

Are the 40 variations for cello and 40 variations for violin different (apart from the instrument, obviously)? I've worked through them on the violin and found them very useful particularly for different bowing styles.

I think they are the same and arranged for cello

Friend of mine just gave me a copy of the Sevcik for Viola along with a few other bits and pieces from when he tried out the viola a long time ago

So now, between us could we play the 40 variations for string quartet

I have no idea off the top of my head which bit of the Sevcik it is....

Now wouldn't that be a sell out performance

Next Forum concert????

Hmmmm maybe not

How about we do Satie's Vexations? I'll do a 20 minute slot

What only 20 mins. I can't even play the piano, you can't expect me to do the other 27 hours 40 mins?

I think maybe 20 min relays???

Well I was hoping other people would volunteer to chip in; 20 minute relays sound good though

Hmmmm Passing the baton??

I might be able to manage the theme with one finger, if someone else volunteers the variations in between.

BTW is it a tone row?

Just wondering if you can get it on CD.....boxed set of 25???

Pro-plus provided

Max out your iPod!

Nahhh....just put it on repeat. Have to have it plugged into the mains though, batteries would run out!

Sevchik scares me!!! lol. (im a violinist by the way!)

It's good in MODERATION. His position changing studies are great!!! and his warm ups are good. I personally dont like his bowing studies, Kreuzter and Mazas are better! i highly recomend his position changing studies, the rest are not as important (only my opinion...)

I was looking for bowing studies really as this is mainly what I need to work on, but if you think the position changing book is good I might consider getting this too. Can you get Kreutzer and Mazas for cello?

Well I wouldn't use Sevcik to the exclusion of everything else. Use Kreutzer etc too, and mix and match.

But for sorting your bowing (in particular) I think you will find something in Sevcik to do it. Depends what your particular technical issue at the time is I suppose.

Can you actually get Kreutzer for cello though? I've never seen it so I'm not sure if you can.

I don't know. If not Kreutzer I bet there was some cellist who did something similar.

AmandaL will know I guess when she next logs on. She plays violin, viola and cello.

(B'DING) ....as if by magic I appear

I know for sure you can anything in the way of studies that's been written for violin, arranged for viola.

Yes, some of them are arranged for cello too, but off the top of my head I'm not certain what's still available. Some stuff goes out of print quite suddenly and without warning. Don't think Kreutzer has ever been arranged for cello, but Popper's 15 Easy Studies are excellent - and they aren't quite as easy as you imagine they'll be. I bought a lot of mine second-hand after rumaging through the shelves and boxes at Travis & Emery. They're quite a good place to start if you're looking for something unusual. Chappell's are also very helpful and can normally tell you (while you wait) what's in print, in stock or at least readily available.

Sevcik opus 1 is very good for sorting out the shape of the left hand. The studies are primarily aimed at even intonation and encourage you to keep the hand in the same position in order to achieve this. If for whatever reason I haven't played for a couple of weeks (and that's a long time for a pro), a combination of Sevcik and Kreutzer No. 2, 10 and 12, are good for getting back "into" things.

Thanks, Amanda.

So how easy are the Popper studies? I'd heard of Popper's High School of Cello Playing, but I didn't know he'd done anything easier...

Isn't the Sevcik op. 1 the thumb position book? I haven't done thumb position yet. Do you know what the other Sevcik books are like?

They can all be played in 1st position.

There are two editions: IMC, and Barenreiter have just released a new edition that also includes the set of 'Popper Melodic Studies of Moderate Difficulty'. The "moderate difficulty" studies, I think, ARE difficult.



Without searching for it right now, I believe so. Transcribing anything for violin direct to cello will usually result in that happening unfortunately. However, don't forget that there are something like 4 or 6 books to the Opus 1 set altogether. Opus 1 book 1 should have some easier stuff.

I'd give the Popper 15 Easy Studies a go first. Some of them are quite melodic, but there are a few that tend to be typical studies and are designed to make your left hand work in a certain way.

Satie Vexations? Sounds painful...

Anyway...

I need to try out those Sevcik studies. I just need people to stop posting interesting/amusing stuff on here then I will go do something useful...

Not likely to happen! Btw, am kicking myself a bit for not buying the Sevcik now when I saw it on Tuesday. But then I was running out of money already and they were costly! Maybe on my next payday. Am working on the first exercise of the Wohlfahrt, complete 60 studies, op 45. So what does this do for me I wonder?

Hi violin-ann,
No need to be so hard on yourself or to kick yourself, please! *hug, hug* I peeped at Violinutter's music and saw Wohlfahrt and Mazas pieces. But I also saw Sevcik's at her teacher's place. V is behind you, I seem to recall. So I am guessing that Sevcik's is for the future. In short, you haven't wasted your money in that you (and V, later on) MAY have to do the WHOLE lot, maybe... both Wohlfahrt's studies AND Sevcik's. Sorry... a lot of HARD work.

That's ok! I will still be heading over to S'pore for that in future. Just that prices always increase, never decrease. Well hopefully I'll get it just before the next price increase.

Sevcik finger excercises has been very helpful in helping me acquire an even vibrato technique.

Which ones are those??

Just the 1st page of opus 1 part 1. When i started learning vibrato, my fingers were very stiff, and my vibrato were jerky and uneven. It was after playing just that first page of sevcik exercises for a few months with gradual increment in tempo, that i begin to feel my fingers loosen up, and my vibrato getting very even. Now, i'm happy to say that i have a very nice vibrato.

ahhh.. now I must REALLY get the sevcik. I got the Wohlfahrt only and I hope it does something similiar!