The Amadeus Book of the Violin: Construction, History and Music

by Walter Kolneder

Overview

Available for the first time in English, this book has been considered the best single encyclopedia of the violin for 20 years. All aspects of the violin are covered: construction, history, and literature; violin playing and teaching; and violin virtuosos through the ages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493083374
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	09/12/2023
Series:	Amadeus
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	600
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Walter Kolneder (1910-1994) was a distinguished Austrian string player, conductor, musicologist and pedagogue. In addition to the present work, he wrote ten books on musical subjects from Vivaldi to Webern. Reinhard G. Pauly, translator and editor of the Amadeus Book of the Violin, is professor emeritus at Lewis and Clark College, where he was director of the School of Music.

Editorial Reviews

Since 1972, this encyclopedic volume on the construction, history, and lore of the violin has been an important resource. Pauly (music, emeritus, Lewis and Clark Coll.) has now translated and edited the most recent (1993) edition, bringing it further up to date by referencing material as recent as 1996. Kolneder, the late Austrian conductor and musicologist, divided his massive tome into three parts. The first, which deals with the physical instrument itself, contains detailed information on such diverse topics as bow-making, varnish, worm and crack damage, and string acoustics. This part, by necessity somewhat dry and pedantic, is followed by a remarkably inclusive history of the violin most impressive in its detailed examination of the various regional and national schools of violin-making throughout the world. The third part, titled "Performance, Pedagogy, and Composition," may be the most ambitious in scope; the section on virtuosi alone is worth the price. Pauly's updating is welcome, though one might have wished for more than just a brief mention of such outstanding ensembles as the Kronos and Arditti quartets. Essential.--Larry A. Lipkis, Moravian Coll., Bethlehem, PA

Library Journal

A translation of the fifth edition (1993) of a German work (Das Buch der Violine), which was first published in 1972. This edition has been revised especially for English speakers, and the title has been expanded to reflect the fact that it goes beyond the original and includes new and updated material. Coverage includes details of all aspects of the violin, including construction, evolution, master violin makers, virtuoso performers, famous composers, performance techniques, and pedagogical philosophy. Not intended as a violin-making manual or as a musical teaching text, but rather as an encyclopedic overview of the violin. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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