New-York tribune., 1921-06-05
By Katharine Wright

teacher of the violin, has set forth the
principles of his teaching in Violin
Playing as l Teach 1t, recently pub
lished by Frederick A. Stokes & Co.
Since the political upheaval in Russia
Professor Auer has made his home in
this city. His book might easily have
been dry, pedagogical discussion, but
it escapes this charge, for although
questions of technic are treated in de-
tail there is an photographed chap
ter and a generally reminiscent flavor
about the volume which makes interest
ing reading for both layman and stu
dent
Although Professor Auer admits that
the principles underlying the art of
developed by three great violin masters
of the nineteenth century, Ballot, De
Beriot and Spohr, and others of the
present day, he claims that compare
lively small results have been obtained
by these learned treatises because too
little stress has hitherto been laid on
the Importance of mental work, on the
activity of the brain, which must con-
troll that of the fingers.
If all teachers were as honest as
Professor Auer the general public, as
we'll as the critical clan, would be
spared many an irritating moment in
the concert halls. In his opinion, not
only are the majority of violin stu
dents wholly uneducated, violinistically
speaking, but at the outset those who
hsve decided to devote themselves to
ascertain whether nature has ade-
quately supplied them with the neces-
sary tools for what they nave in mind.
The physical equipment consists of a
keen sense of hearing and hands with
fingers capable of the requisite elias
ticity and power. Granted the posses
sion of the physical equipment, there
should also be sense of rhythm and
what the French call I'esprit de son
METER" the faculty of grasping tech
nical fine points and an easy compre-
hension of all shades Of musical mean
ing. Yet, while many students are
wholly disqualified by physical defects
and lack Of musical aptitude, they
persist in following their misguided
ambition. In many cases when Profess
sor Auer's advice has been sought such
st, HOY ieio Il
sought another teacher who would
favor their inclination.
In the chapter "How I Studied the
Violin" Professor Auer relates that he
irst began to play the violin when six
years old. His teacher was first
violin of the small orchestra which on
Sundays and festival days provided
music for the Catholic church in the
Hungarian town where he was born.
Later he entered the Conservatory of
Music at Budapest. After two years he
went to Vienna to study with Profes-
sor Jacques Don't, where he also at
tended the orchestra class conducted
by Joseph Hellmesberger. There, too,
ne was afforded the opportunity Of
hearing the famous violinists of the
day, FielXtemps, Bazzini and Laub.
In 1862 he went to Joachim, in Hano-
yer, which he describes as the mile
stone of his student life. Joachim's
pupils were subjected to the most If
regular schedule. When ready to give
lesson his servant was sent to sum-
mon one student or another. His
method of teaching was equally tenn
peramental. He seldom discussed tech
nical details, but kept violin and bow
in hand during the lesson, and after IL
Illustrating point would remark with
an encouraging smile, "That is how
you must play it," On the other hand
his knowledge of string quartet litera-
ture was Incompatible, and with three
artists from the orchestra of the Royal
Opera he often played the choicess
compositions of the classic repertory at
his home for an intimate circle OF
friends. 1t was at his home that Auer
met many celebrities, among others
Ferdinand David; Johannes Brahms,
Clara Schumann and Niels Gade. Af-
ter two years in Hanover Auer left to
appear in concert in Leipsic and other
German cities, as we'll as in London,
Holland and Scandinavian countries.
In 1858 he went to replace Henry Vie
niawski at the Imperial Conservatory in
Petrograd.
In his chapter on "How to Practice"
the student is advised to cultivate the
essential habit of close self-observa-
tion and self-criticism. He is also ad-
vised never to practice more than
thirty or forty minutes in succession
and to rest and relax for at least ten
CIR fifteen minutes before beginning
work again. If this plan were carried
out the student, in order to practice
from four to five hours a day, must
have six or seven hours at his dis
posal.
According to Auer, all violinists who
abuse the effects of violin playing. who
are obsessed with the idea that the
spicing of the tone they produce with
vibrato, portamento and other similar
devices is more important than the
tone itself, belong in the second of the
fhrae cf ;pto x,h;oh ~,