Search

Playing music is a complex task that relies on the combination of musicians' technical and expressive skills. While the literature has investigated the effects of musical expressivity on the listeners, the way how technical difficulty and emotional expressivity affect musicians during playing has surprisingly received no attention. In an attempt to fill this gap in the literature, we collected behavioral and physiological data from twelve violinists playing 29 pieces that included both technical exercises and excerpts from classical repertoire for violin. After playing each stimulus, participants rated it for emotional expressivity and technical difficulty. During the entire session, cardiac parameters and electrodermal activity were collected, together with the kinematic parameters of the bowing gesture. A set of Linear Mixed-Effect (LME) models suggested that emotional expressivity attributed to music affected the fluidity of bowing (i.e., smoothness), with the excerpts rated as more expressive being performed in a less smooth way. In contrast, LME models revealed no effects of expressivity and technical difficulty on any of the physiological parameters of violinists. Our results offer novel insights into the psychophysiological dynamics that link motor parameters with musical expressivity. These findings could influence educational practices in music and deepen our understanding of aesthetic emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finding the global minimum in complex networks while avoiding local minima is challenging in many types of networks. In human networks and communities, adapting and finding new stable states amid changing conditions due to conflicts, climate changes, or disasters, is crucial. We studied the dynamics of complex networks of violin players and observed that such human networks have different methods to avoid local minima than other non-human networks. Humans can change the coupling strength between them or change their tempo. This leads to different dynamics than other networks and makes human networks more robust and better resilient against perturbations. We observed high-order vortex states, oscillation death, and amplitude death, due to the unique dynamics of the network. This research may have implications in politics, economics, pandemic control, decision-making, and predicting the dynamics of networks with artificial intelligence. Human networks can demonstrate more rich dynamics and different mechanisms of self-organization compared to other types of networks. Considering an example of violin player ensemble, the authors show that by self-tuning tempo, amplitude, and coupling strength between players, their network achieves stability and synchronization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Yegah Musicology Journal / Yegah Müzikoloji Dergisi is the property of International Yegah Music Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, in line with the opinions of the instructors conducting violin lessons in conservatories in Turkey, it was aimed to examine the diversity of methods, etudes and caprices used in violin teaching, the ways and reasons for their application in the lesson. In this descriptive study, survey model and qualitative research methods were utilized. The study group of the research consists of 29 instructors who teach violin lessons in conservatories of 12 universities. Data were collected by using the interview technique with the instructors participating in the study and a structured interview form was used in these interviews. The data obtained were analyzed and interpreted using percentage frequency and content analysis methods. The participant opinions related to the themes and sub-themes determined in the research were interpreted by grouping them into codes that meet the appropriate concepts, and the participant opinions corresponding to the codes were presented in the form in which they were obtained. In the study, it was concluded that the methods most frequently used by the instructors in violin lessons were those of Rode, Dont and Kreutzer, Ömer Can Violin Education methods were frequently used among the methods written by Turkish composers and violinists, and the instructors selected certain etudes from the methods for technical acquisition and student needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to evaluate the odds ratio of occurrence of pain, postural changes, and disabilities of violinists. Thirty-eight violinists were assessed. Photographs from anterior, posterior, and lateral views were taken and analyzed using Software of Postural Analysis. Pain was assessed by the Visual Analogue Pain Scale and the musculoskeletal disability of the arm, shoulder, and hand questionnaire (DASH). A logistic regression model was employed and all variables related to posture, age, gender, hours of practice, and duration of practice were considered. The results regarding the VAS and DASH were analyzed using multivariate techniques. The most important variables for the discrimination between the groups regarding the VAS scores were head and shoulder and thoracic kyphosis. For the DASH index, the key variables were the lateral spinal deviation and the head tilt. The odds ratio of occurrence pain was associated with the duration of the practice and the following postural variables: shoulder asymmetries, head postures, and lumbar lordosis. Scapular postures and thoracic kyphosis were associated with hours of practice, and the scapular postures with the duration of practice. This article provides new evidence of occurrence of pain, postural changes and disabilities in violinists. The odds ratio of occurrence pain was associated with the duration of the professional practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ethos (0860-8024) is the property of John Paul II Institute, Faculty of Philosophy, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

RECOGNITION MEMORY IS BETTER FOR VOCAL melodies than instrumental melodies. Here we examine whether this vocal advantage extends to recall. Thirtyone violinists learned four melodies (28 notes, 16 s), two produced by voice and two by violin. Their task was to listen to each melody and then immediately sing (for vocal stimuli) or play back on violin (for violin stimuli) the melody. Recall of the melody was tested in ten consecutive trials. After a brief delay (*10 min), participants were asked to perform the four melodies from memory. Each performance was scored based on the accuracy of two measures: (1) intervals and (2) contour. The results revealed an advantage for vocal over violin melodies in immediate recall of the melodic contour and, after the delay, a reverse pattern with an advantage for violin over vocal melodies. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the voice facilitates learning of melodies and further show that the vocal advantage in recall is short-lived and based on contour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental training has been used successfully by professional musicians and athletes, yet rarely applied in pedagogical processes. As research in neuroscience can now explain how it connects to the processes of learning, its application and adaptation in pedagogy can now be explored. The aim of this mixed methods study was to investigate concepts of repetition and practice with mental training, and discuss adaptations for young violinists, to include attention, awareness, and creative musicality. Three exercises were developed with nine students (average age 8). The first involved creation of imagery, followed by physical practice; the second alternated mental imagery with physical practice; the third involved concurrent use of physical practice and mental imagery. Results of the first exercise indicate heightened awareness of technical skill; self-discovery of bow control, speed and distribution, tone production improvements and an ability to sustain longer notes post-mental training (Z = 2.666, p = 0.008 and Z = -2.670, p = 0.008). Observations from the second and third exercises include student experimentation with concepts of musical interpretation, an eagerness to repeat repertoire (≥ 5 times) and increased self-awareness of technical and musical accomplishments. The research suggests that mental training can be adapted for younger learners, that it encourages collaboration in the pedagogical process, and develops student self-awareness of the cognitive and physical processes of violin playing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For centuries, gut strings, especially the highest and thinnest string, E, plagued violinists. They broke frequently, went out of tune easily, and whistled unpredictably. Starting in the 1870s, an alternative offered a solution--the steel E string. But steel strings were variously condemned as "an abomination," "dangerous," and "evil," and most violinists continued to use gut. Then a remarkable change occurred. Within a mere three years--1918 to 1921--there was a large-scale shift in the reception and use of steel strings in Europe and the United States. As The Etude magazine reported in 1921, "practically all the famous concert violinists, and literally all the symphony orchestra violinists [are] using the wire E string." The driving force behind this change was World War I. The conflict shut down the export of gut strings from Germany, the world's largest producer, and vast quantities of sheep intestines--necessary for gut strings--were desperately needed for sutures. By war's end, the steel string came be seen as an acceptable, even desirable alternative. The shift to steel affected the violin's construction, sound, and performance practice, marking one of the most significant changes in the history of the instrument. Broader forces are also implicated in the story of the little violin string--global trade, nationalism, surgery, meatpacking, and modernity. This article presents the first detailed account of the causes and effects of the widespread adoption of the steel violin E string, a seemingly small change whose consequences continue to resound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of the violin's intricate tuning system is rich with various pitch standards, the influence of musicians, and diversity of violin craftsmanship. The violin offers a wide array of tuning techniques, and even the smallest intonation adjustment can wildly impact the violin's pitch and playability. Violinists possess an enormous capability to facilitate effective tuning in a solo and ensemble setting. The design of the instrument's body, dating as far back as the early Renaissance and extending to the modern violin, impacts timbre, resonance, and string tension. Every detail of the violin, even those that may seem inconsequential, affects its performance outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article brings together my personal reflections on performing J. S. Bach's Chaconne from the Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor BWV 1004 in the work of choreographer Bobbi Jene Smith, with critical discussions of the Chaconne's nineteenth- and twentieth-century pedagogical and reception history. While my performance of Bach's movement has over the last decade favored a modern, historically informed style, witnessing the emotional and narrative potentials of this choreographed Chaconne prompted me to revisit nineteenth- and twentieth-century editions, recordings, and commentary on the work. I make connections between the physicality of the dancers (Or Schraiber, Yaya Logothetis, and Mouna Soualem), Smith's choreographic establishment of personal psychology and interpersonal relationships, and Romantic-violinistic ideals of tone as a marker of subjective interiority. In contexts of both dance and violin practice, I point to the ways in which the idealistic potentials of Bach's music--so lauded in nineteenth- and twentieth-century accounts--are in fact carefully cultivated effects generated by corporeal means. By connecting these pedagogical ideals to my own experiences as a violin student and professional performer, I draw attention to the enduring relevance of these material and pedagogical histories. And, in drawing together Smith's choreography with contexts of the Chaconne's generic prehistory, composition, and performances, I advocate for imaginative and interdisciplinary interpretations of Bach's Chaconne, which nonetheless maintain critical perspectives on the work's spiritualization and canonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the parallel between Judith Jarvis Thomson's argument for abortion rights based on bodily autonomy and the contentious issue of vaccine refusal. Drawing on Thomson's famous thought experiment involving a violinist, I present analogous scenarios involving medical decisions. I argue that if Thomson's reasoning holds, individuals also possess the right to refuse vaccines, even if it entails serious risk to others. The paper underscores the importance of recognizing that medical decisions, including vaccine refusal, should be evaluated within the framework of bodily autonomy and individual rights, challenging the prevailing opinion on this complex issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental training has been employed successfully by experienced musicians, but rarely explored with younger learners. Considering its benefits, however, including the use and development of predictive, feedforward processes, identified in neuroscience as being central to playing a musical instrument, this mixed qualitative-quantitative study investigates how mental training can be adapted for assisting young violinists in developing awareness of these inner processes creatively and in a manner that is consistent with the cognitive processes of learning. Nine students (average age 8) participated in five routines that included: (1) Alternation of sound perception and movement with physical playing, (2) A melodic composition game combined with motor and auditory imagery, (3) Movement with deliberate pre-hearing, (4) Sound perception, followed by sound reproduction and (5) A conceptual-verbal exercise, illustrating mental imagery formation and its externalisation. Results after routine one indicated improvements in intonational range (t = 2.59, p = 0.032) and timing (Z = 3.162, p = 0.002). After the second routine students hummed pitches before playing them, suggesting development of pre-hearing. Observations from the other routines included improvements in posture, attention, and awareness of imagery formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the study is to carry out a complex analysis of the violin solos from the creation of Richard Strauss. This analysis will be focused on the interpretative-violinistic vision of the concertmaster. Simultaneously with the direction of the specifically violinistic analysis of his creation, the research will follow and integrate general aspects of form, harmony, melody, structure, orchestration, figuration, as well as the relationship/role of concertmaster with the conductor and the rest of the orchestral ensemble. All this aims to elucidate the ways in which the violinist approaches, from the position of concertmaster, the technical and interpretative difficulties of Richard Strauss's works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Electronic Turkish Studies is the property of Electronic Turkish Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: Assessing violinists' motor and musical performance adaptations to dynamic assistive support (DAS) provided by a passive device, using a force-field adaptation paradigm. Background: Up to 93% of instrumentalists are affected by musculoskeletal injuries and particularly violinists. The repetitive nature of their work may lead to muscle fatigue, an injury risk factor. DAS has been used in occupational settings to minimize muscle activations and limit fatigue accumulation. DAS may however affect motor and musical performance. Method: Fifteen expert violinists were equipped with reflective markers and surface and intramuscular electromyography (EMG) sensors. Movements, muscle activations, and sound were recorded while participants completed three experimental conditions for which they continuously played a 13-s musical excerpt: Control (no DAS), Adaptation (DAS), and Washout (no DAS). DAS was applied at the left elbow (violin-holding side). Conditions were repeated 1 week later. Participants later listened to their own audio recordings playing with and without DAS and blindly assessed their performances. Linear mixed models were used to compare DAS and no-DAS conditions' kinematic, EMG, and musical performance data. Results: DAS perturbed user kinematics but reduced mean activations of left medial deltoid and superior trapezius. Joint kinematic and muscle activation patterns between DAS and no DAS conditions however remained similar. Musical performance was unchanged with DAS. Conclusion: Though DAS modified violinists' upper-limb configurations, resulting kinematics were not detrimental to musical performance. Reduced muscle activations with DAS could contribute to lessening muscle fatigue. Application: Although its effect on muscle fatigue should be further investigated, DAS might be useful in preventing violinists' injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Musicians, specifically violinists, may experience pain or loss of function as a result of poor playing hygiene, environmental factors, and insufficient guidance from teachers, parents, conductors, and physicians. The causal occurrence of these pathologies and the efficacy of general treatment, along with referral to other specialists for adjunct therapies and rehabilitation, were examined in this literature review. A systematic PubMed search was conducted in May 2022 to gain insight into the current state of the published literature. Inclusion criteria were cross-sectional or comparative studies that address relevant pathologies among violinists by specialty. The search resulted in 25 cross-sectional, 5 comparative studies, and 1 case review including a total of 6010 musicians, among them at least 920 violinists. Orthopedists, neurologists, dentists/orthodontists, dermatologists, and audiologists are most commonly consulted to treat violinists' complaints. Other internists and various paramedical specialists can equally be affected and should be sensitive to the complaints of musicians. In conclusion, the field of performing arts medicine is extremely wide and requires multidisciplinary specialist attention. The studies chosen highlight that violinists may suffer great discomfort at the hands of their instrument and merit adequate guidance from physicians in order to be able to continue playing in a safe, ergonomic way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many methods and etudes written in different schools since the 16th century to be used in violin education. Among these etudes, the most preferred one, which has an important place in the literature, is the work titled 24 Etudes written by the French violinist Pierre Gavinies, which is a bedside book for every performer to improve their technique according to their level. In our research, it was aimed to evaluate the right and left hand techniques of Gavinies' 24 etudes in detail, to determine which etude is intended to develop which technical skill and to provide solutions for the technical problems of the performers. The technical teachings contained in the etude were examined on the basis of qualitative research design and qualitative data were evaluated with the "content analysis" model to reveal the right hand and left hand violin techniques contained in the etude. According to this study, 24 etudes included techniques such as legato, staccato, extension (finger stretching), octave, interval studies, trills and ornaments, arpeggio, chord, double note, quintuple interval, flajole, wide position changes, high position use, various ligature patterns, string skips, staccato in the ligament. For the right hand technique, staccato, various ligature patterns and legato were mostly used. For the left hand technique, extension, position changes and trills and ornaments were used predominantly. The fact that the etudes contain various technical elements that are challenging for the right hand will enable the performer to develop a good right arm in terms of being able to adapt to every situation and difficulty. In his etudes, Gavinies used fingerings for the left hand that challenge the performer and require attention. The study of these etudes, especially the use of the sixth and seventh positions on all four strings and the passages written with finger stretches, offer the performer an important experience for a flexible and agile left hand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the research is in finding facts and conducting a panoramic review of the concert performances of the most famous Western violinists in China in the first third of the 20th century to observe the evolutionary dynamics of the influence of international contacts on the process of formation of professional Chinese violin art. Research methodology. The realisation of the purpose required the use of the following set of methods: retrospective search in the analysis of sources; source studies - in the analytical use of archival materials and their citation; chronological to recreate the panorama of concert events; musicology in the analysis of the concert performance of Western violinists; an axiological approach was also used to identify valuable perspectives of international musical cooperation. Scientific novelty lies in carrying out the first study of the most representative examples of concert activity of Western violinists in the first third of the 20th century, which laid a powerful foundation for the formation of national violin art and its integration into the stream of professional Chinese musical creativity as an organic component of national culture. Conclusions. The panorama of the most vivid concert performances of Western violinists in China in the first third of the 20th century has been found and reproduced in chronological order. The importance of their concert activity in the process of formation of professional Chinese violin art is proven. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The violin has undergone many physical changes since the 1700s. With these changes, violinists and teachers developed new positioning techniques and bow techniques. These developed techniques have facilitated the performance of works with high difficulty levels. From the 16th century, European performers, who came by European performers for ceremonies and entertainment, introduced the violin to Turkish culture. As a province, Viola D'amore, one of the Viol varieties, was used in Turkish music and was called Sine violin. Although the violin used in our music in its most recent form was added to Turkish music later than our classical instruments, it has an important place in Turkish music. It can be thought that it has an important place in our music due to the bow and other violin techniques developed for centuries. A violin method has not been written on the technical development of Turkish music violin performance. However, Western music violin methods were used. In order to further develop the bow techniques used in Turkish music violin performance, violin performances should be examined. However, there are not many sources where we can visually examine the right and left hand techniques of our old violinists. In this study, the bow usage analysis of Cevdet Çağla's performance in the video video of the Hicaz Hümâyûn taksim in the TRT archive will be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]