Baroque Violin and Viola Discovery Day

Experience how the tools and equipment of the Baroque era shaped its music and try your hand at the fascinating repertoire of the time.

Designed for those who have enjoyed playing Baroque repertoire on modern instruments and now want to try more historically accurate performance of the music, this one day Discovery Day will begin with a session on Baroque bowing basics, including looking at Geminiani's 18th Century study book "The Art of Playing on the Violin". You will then work on key Baroque repertoire, including ground basses, canons and chamber music. 

This course will finish at 5pm.

By the end of the course you, you will have:

• looked at a historical example of a violin study book
• explored the different musical shapes inherent to the baroque tools
• applied the baroque rules of hierarchy to repertoire
• spent the day with like-minded musicians trying something new!

Repertoire to include:
- Exercises from Geminiani's The Art of Playing on the Violin
- Telemann's 4 Violin Concerti for 4 Violins (1st concerto, with viola parts arranged as required)
- Gabrielli's Canon for 2 Cellos (arr. for 2 violins, or 2 violas as required)
- Playford's Duke of Norfolk (from The Dancing Master arr. for viola as required)

You will work at A=440 hz and learn through a mixture of whole group and smaller, break-out group sessions. We will finish the day with a small culmination (just for ourselves) to consolidate and celebrate our work.

Should you wish you bring a piece of your own choice solo repertoire to explore with the group, there will also be time for this.
 

This course is for those who have enjoyed playing Baroque music on their modern instruments but are wanting to discover the hidden layer that reveals itself when we position the music in its historical home. Participants should be comfortable playing the repertoire outlined above so that we can focus on the nuances of the Baroque shapes. 

Your tutors can help in advance if you are unsure what adaptations might be possible. Email courses@benslowmusic.org with your questions.

In order to get the most from the day, it is recommended you have looked at the repertoire outlined above before the course.

If you have a baroque bow and/or an instrument with gut strings please play on this for the course. We can look at set-up such as shoulder rests, chin rests etc. Feel free to get in touch in advance with specific questions to explore in the sessions.