Romantic Violin Performing Practices
David Milsom
BOYDELL PRESS £65
David Milsom examines the key concepts to be assimilated, as well as the various obstacles to be overcome, in ‘rehabilitating’ stylish performances of the violin repertoire from
c1840 to
c1920. Comprising twelve chapters arranged in five themed parts, his handbook initially re-assesses the perceived gulf that exists between scholarship and the performance of ‘romantic’ music and encourages the establishment of some positive footing for improved collaboration. Part 2 relates expressive aspects of nineteenth-century violin performance to ‘vocality’ – singing technique and style and speech or declamation. Arguably a candidate for earlier inclusion, the third part introduces the most relevant research resources and offers ‘experiential perspectives’ on matters of organology, pedagogy and the effectiveness and limitations of studying historical treatises and annotated scores. Despite their various technological and other limitations, early recordings are favoured over words for making qualitative assessments of expressive devices such as vibrato, portamento, rubato and tempo flexibility, courtesy of recent computer software developments.