UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI - Semantic Scholar...Cello technique for both hands has been closely connected to the position of the cello’s playing, which is largely sectioned into three

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

Date: May 4, 2006

I, IL-HEE HWANG , hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of:

Doctor of Musical Arts

in:

College-Conservatory of Music It is entitled: A Synthesis of the Advanced Etudes by Dotzauer, Grützmacher, and Popper

This work and its defense approved by: Chair: Lee Fiser Catharine Carroll Won-Bim Yim

A Synthesis of the Advanced Etudes by

Dotzauer, Grützmacher, and Popper

DMA Document

College Conservatory of Music

by

IL-HEE HWANG

May 3rd, 2006

B.M., New England Conservatory of Music, 1997 M.M., New England Conservatory of Music, 2000

Committee chair: Lee Fiser

ABSTRACT

To master cello technique issues most effectively, three main etudes for advanced level by

Dotzauer, Grützmacher, and Popper have been selected. Each etude-book contains many

exercises that take lots of time to study, and many varieties of exercises are often required

for true mastery of cello techniques. Students can master the etude-books individually, or

simultaneously. In the latter, students can concentrate on a certain topic more thoroughly

by practicing the same issue repeatedly with different authors’ ideas. Although each author

wrote pieces for the same topic, they all did it differently. Students can use the differences

effectively for developing their cello techniques. To support this method, a synthesis of the

three etudes has been created, in which the pieces of the etude-books are observed and re-

organized in a convincing order by topic. It is then demonstrated how the synthesis of the

etudes helps students improve their problematic issues.

To my teacher Lee Fiser, my husband Byung Uk Lee, my Dad and Mom, and all cello students. Special thanks to Angela Peterson, and Soo Mi Lee.

1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

1) Authors' biographical sketch

2) History of cello technique

THE MAIN SUBJECT

A. OBSERVATIONS OF ETUDES BY DOTZAUER, GRÜTZAMACHER, AND

POPPER 1) Classification of the left and right hand techniques in the Dotzauer 2) Classification of the left and right hand technique in the Grützmacher 3) Classification of the left and right hand technique in the Popper

B. A SYNTHESIS OF THE ETUDE BOOKS

C. DISCUSSION OF HOW STUDENTS AND TEACHERS CAN USE THE

SYNTHESIS OF THE ETUDES EFFECTIVELY 1) The left-hand technique (11 topics)

2) The right-hand technique (12 topics)

CONCLUSION

BIBLIGRAPHY

2

INTRODUCTION

According to Dr. Ozan Tunca,1 113 Studies for Cello Solo, Book III by Justas

Johann Friedrich Dotzauer,2 The Technology of Cello Playing, Op. 38, Volume II by

Friedrich Wilhelm Grützmacher,3 and High School of Cello Playing, Op.73 by David

Popper4 are recommended as advanced level etude-books to cello teachers and students.

To master a certain issue effectively, I would pick three main etudes for advanced level by

Dotzauer, Grützmacher, and Popper. Each etude-book contains many exercises: 23 pieces

in Dotzauer’s, 12 pieces in Grützmacher’s and 40 pieces in Popper’s. These exercises take

a lot of time to study, and many varieties of exercises are often required for true mastery of

cello techniques. Students can master the etude-books individually, or simultaneously. In

the latter case, students can concentrate more thoroughly on a certain topic by practicing

the same issue repeatedly with different authors’ ideas. To support this method, I will

synthesize the three etudes by Dotzauer, Grützmacher, and Popper, in which the pieces of

the etude-books will be re-organized by topics, and then demonstrate how the synthesis of

the etudes helps students. Though one such synthesis of advanced etude books already

exists: 170 Foundation Studies for Violoncello, volume III by Alwin Schroder is arranged

from twelve authors of cello etude books as Buchler, Cossmann, Dotzauer, Duport,

Franchomme, Grützmacher, Kummer, Lee, Merk, Piaati, Schroder, and Servais. However,

1 Ozan Tunca, “The Popular Etudes in America” American String Teacher (August 2004), 21. 2 Justas Johann Friedrich Dotzauer, 113 Studies for Cello Solo, edited by Johann Klingenberg,

(New York: International Music Company). 3 Friedrich Wilhelm Grützmacher, The Technology of Cello Playing, Volume II., edited by (New

York: International Music Company). 4 David Popper, High School of Cello Playing, Op. 73, (New York: G. Schirmer Inc).

3

this huge compilation is difficult for students to get used to the twelve authors’ practice

philosophy consistently. Therefore, I have arranged only the three main advanced etude

books by Dotzauer, Grützmacher and Popper.

BACKGROUND

1) Authors’ bibliographical sketch

The Dresden School in the 19th century had outstanding cellists such as

Dotzauer, Grützmacher, Popper, and Friedrich August Kummer.5 All the above cellists

have produced prominent etudes that are still used today. “Dresden, the capital of the

Duchy of Saxony from 180, was one of the German music centers of the 19th century.”6

The acknowledged founder of the Dresden Cello School was J.J.F. Dotzauer, who was a

pupil of Jean-Louis Duport who established a fingering system for the left hand

techniques.7 The masters and pupils from the school have taken efforts to produce their

pedagogical works. Especially, the etudes by Dotzauer, Grützmacher, and Popper provided

such good materials for cello students that the etudes’ influence continued through the

work of the cellists they taught, and are still felt today.

Dotzauer (1750-1813)) was born in Haselrich, Germany. He was positioned in the

Dresden Orchestra and was solo cellist from 1821-1850. His contemporaries praised him

5 Klaus Marx. “Technique and Performers,” Chapter 6 in Violin Family, (New York: W.W.Norton

& Company, 1984), 170. 6 Lev Ginsburg. History of the Violoncello. (Neptune City, NJ: T.F.H. Publication, 1983),170. 7 Margaret Campbell, Nineteenth-century Virtuosi: The Cambridge Companion to the Cello, edited

by Robin Stowell, (London: Cambridge University Press, 1999), 67.

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for his combination of solidity and grace, expressiveness and technique. He was also well

skilled in composition, and attempted it in various forms including opera, overtures,

symphonies, a mass, and several chamber pieces, but all these compositions have long been

forgotten. Dotzauer’s 113 Studies for Cello Solo selected and edited by a pupil of Friedrich

Grützmacher, Johann Klingenberg, however, are still widely used.8 Volumes I (Nos.1-34)

and II (Nos. 35-62) are intended for intermediate level, volume III (Nos.63-85) and IV

(Nos.86-113) for advanced level.

Grützmacher (1832-1903) was born in Dessau. He was nominated as the principal

cellist of the Gewandhaus violoncello section when he was only 17 years old and became a

professor at the Dresden conservatory in 1877. During his time, European and Russian

audiences praised Grützmacher’s playing: “The outstanding features of the playing of the

German violoncellist were his musicality, impeccable purity of tone, and perfect bow

technique, although he was frequently rebuked for certain stiffness in his performance.”9

He wrote several instrumental works such as a concert overture, a quartet, and a trio that

were popular in his time. His Twenty-four Etudes for Cello, Op.38 have retained greater

significance, though, thanks to the varieties of techniques that were written with the

excellent knowledge of the nature of cello’s expressive and technical resources.10 They

consist of two volumes; the first one is regarded as an intermediate level without thumb

position, the second one is an advanced level with virtuosic technique.

8 Wilhelm Joseph von Walsielewski, The Violoncello and Its History, (New York: Da Capo Press,

1968), 120. 9 Ginsburg, 66. 10 Ibid., 67.

5

Popper (1846-1913) was born in Prague. He showed musical talent from the age of

three and could play both piano and violin; at twelve he was given lessons from Julius

Goltermann (1825-76) at the Prague Conservatory, provided that he took up the cello, and

then moved to the class of Kummer (1797-1879) at the Dresden Conservatory. As a

twenty-five-year-old, he was employed as the youngest principal cellist ever appointed to

the Imperial Opera Orchestra. A reviewer from that period wrote: “David Popper…has

already become famous. The young man’s outstanding talent is combined with his perfect

performing style both technically and artistically”.11 The cello compositions of salon

pieces made him world famous as a composer.12 He also published his four volumes of ten

studies (1901-1905), which have been re-edited as High School of Cello Playing, Op. 73,

and Studies for Preparatory for the High School of Cello Playing and 15 Easy Studies.13

From examining the biography of each author of the etudes, they shared similar

careers and outputs: they were all remarkable cellists of their times and took efforts to write

pedagogical works. For their instructional materials, they all organized the techniques from

easy to difficult.

2) History of cello technique

Cello technique developed out of the instrument being a member of the violin family

in the middle of the 17th century. The technique was not altogether different from that of

11 Ginsburg, 91. 12 Campbell, 69. 13 Edmund S. J. Van Der Straeten, History of the Violoncello, the Viola Da Gamba, Their

Precursors and Collateral Instruments, (London: Lowe & Brydone, 1971), 252.

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the viola da gamba, which was similar in size and played in an upright position, in the 17th

and 18th centuries. Due to the increasing popularity of the cello from the end of the 18th

century, its technique gradually improved and became more idiomatic. It resulted partially

from new devices such as the Tourte-design bow (1786) and adjustable end pin (1846). The

former led to virtuoso bow techniques, the latter to stability for both hands that produced

greater sonority. By the second half of the nineteenth century, modern cello technique was

firmly established by virtuoso teachers such as Dotzauer, Grützmacher, and Popper.14

Cello technique for both hands has been closely connected to the position of the

cello’s playing, which is largely sectioned into three postures. First, in the 17th century, the

cello was placed low between the performer’s leg on the floor or on a stool, so that the left

hand’s position was limited to the neck position. Therefore, left hand cello technique

included change of position, expanding and contracting, and double-stops, in which the

thumb placed in the neck for supporting the rest of fingers. Next, the cello player began to

place the instrument between his knees and support it with his calves in the 18th century,

which meant that, with the cello raised, the left hand could approach the strings from the

side of the cello, and the left-hand could reach the whole area of the strings. Thanks to the

position of the cello being raised, the contact point of the string and bow was also raised,

so the player could use the entire length of the bow. This placement of the cello allowed a

practice of movable thumb in the upper registers. Finally, the use of an adjustable endpin in

the 19th century refined the position-change, double stopping, and harmonics techniques,

14 Valerie Walden, “Technique, Style, and Performing Practice to 1900,” The Cambridge Companion to the Cello, edited by Robin Stowell, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999), 178-9.

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and virtuoso spiccato and staccato bowing.

Elizabeth Cowling states in her book Cello that the first cello etude has often been

mentioned as being published by Michel Corrette, his Methode, Theorique et Pratique,

Pour Apprendre en peu de Tems [sic] le Violoncello dans sa Perfection (1741).15 She

claims,

This work of 46 pages is not a comprehensive method at all, but it does contain more verbal description than the methods referred to below [such as Elementary Theory and Rudiments of Playing the Violin and Violoncello’ by Sebald Trimer (1739)] which may be earlier. Corrette was not a cellist but an organist. He apparently perceived a lack of instruction books for various instruments and wrote one each for most of the instruments of his time.

After Corrette, only a few authors published cello methods before the turn of the 19th

century such as Elementary Theory and Rudiments of playing the Violin and Violoncello by

Sebald Trimer , and Lexione by Antonio Caldara16. Cello instructions rapidly increased

after the 19th century. The efforts for the cello method as started from the etudes by

Dotzauer, Grützmacher, and Popper belong to the second half of the19th century, and they

established the modern technique of cello playing. The 19th century thus has important

meaning in terms of cello technique, and the three authors are positioned in the core of the

development.

15 Elizabeth Cowling, The Cello, (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1983), 73. 16 Cowling, 73.

8

THE MAIN SUBJECT

A. OBSERVATIONS OF THE ADVANCED ETUDES BY DOTZAUER,

GRÜTZMACHER, AND POPPER

Before commenting on the observation of the three selected etudes, I have

examined for listing cello-mechanics from several books including One Hundred Years of

Violoncello by Walden17, and Cello Technique from one note to the next by Bunting18. For

the left-hand technique, I examine 11 items: 1) double stops, 2) extension, 3) arpeggio

fingerings, 4) position establishment (neck positions and over neck positions), 5) scale

fingerings, 6) left hand agility, 7) trill and grace notes, 8) shifting, 9) fingering pattern, 10)

octaves, and 11) harmonics. For the right-hand technique, I examine 14 subjects for the

right hand technique: 1) detaché (a term applied to separate bow stroke), 2)

martelé(hammered and accented detaché stroke), 3) string crossing, 4) staccato, 5)

combination of bow-strokes (slur with detaché, and slur with martelé, and so on), 6)

sautillé (jumping motion off the string), 7) batteries (patterns of notes that are alternated

between neighboring strings), 8) brisure (similar to batteries, but bow between non –

adjacent string), 9) ondeggiando (a slurred bowing that extends the oscillating between

strings), 10) pizzicato, 11) portato (a gentle separation in one stroke), 12) string chords 13)

pique, and 14) slurs (multiple notes are grouped in the same direction bow); all the

17 Valerie Walden, One Hundred Years of Violoncello: A History of Technique and Performance

Practice, 1740-1840 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998). 18 Christoper Bunting, Cello Technique from One Note to the Next, (Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press, 1987).

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definitions for the right-hand come from Walden’s One Hundred Years of Violoncello.

There are three kinds of method books: those for the left-hand such as An Organized

Method of String Playing by Janos Starker19, those for the right hand such as 20 Practices

for Right Hand by Rodolphe Kreutzer,20 and others for both hands such as these etudes by

Dotzauer, Grützmacher and Popper. Each etude has subjects on specific skills. The etude-

books for the advanced level by Dotzauer, Grützmacher, and Popper combine practices for

both hands I classify the subjects of the techniques in all numbers of the etudes by

Dotzauer, Grützmacher, and Popper.

1) Classification of the left and right hand techniques in the Dotzauer

The etude book by Dotzauer contains 23 etudes (Nos.63-85). Each number of

the etude is in one tempo and features simple rhythmical patterns. For example, in no.63,

which is intended for the techniques of detaché and double stops, the techniques are

contained only in quarter notes and eighth notes with a tempo of Adagio.

For observing the techniques in each etude, a table format is used in which all

the techniques from the etude book are reported.

19 Janos Starker, An Organized Method of String Playing: Violoncello Exercises for the Left Hand.

(New York: Peer International Corporation, 1961). 20 Joseph Reinagle, Thirty Progressive Lessons for the Violoncello, (New York: International Ltd.,

1982).

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TABLE A-1

Left-hand technique Right-hand technique

63 double stop detaché

64 left-hand agility, extension string crossing

65 position establishment staccato, string crossing

66 arpeggio fingering combination of slur and martelé

67 extension in half step, grace note

slur, string crossing

68 position establishment, extension

not particular

69 left-hand agility not particular

70 double stopping, scale fingering

slur-staccato

71 left-hand agility slur, string chords

72 left-hand agility (in double stop)

not particular

73 left-hand agility, arpeggio fingering

not particular

74 grace note, arpeggio fingering combination of slur and martelé, string crossing


string crossing

76 position establishment, shifting not particular

77 scale fingering not particular

78 trill, shifting slur-staccato, combination of slur and martelé

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79 left-hand agility string crossing, ondeggiando

80 position establishment, extension (half steps)

not particular

81 arpeggio fingering string crossing

82 fingering pattern, position establishment (thumb position)

martelé, staccato

83 position establishment, string chords

84 arpeggio fingering brisure

85 scale fingering oneggiando, staccato, brisure

From the list of subjects of cello-mechanics mentioned on pages 6 and 7, this etude

book by Dotzauer does not cover ‘octaves’ and ‘harmonics’ for the left-hand, and pique ,

batteries , pizzicato , and portato for the right-hand, which reflects the fashion of cello

playing in the first half of the 19th century when the author played the cello and wrote this

etude-book. At this time, cellists had not yet used the mechanics of harmonics, pizzicato,

and portato. Dotzauer thus strived to cover all cello techniques in his etude-book from his

time that still have relevance today.

2) Classification of the left hand and right hand technique in the Grützmacher

The advanced etude-book by Grützmacher, volume II contains 12 etude pieces

(Nos.13 - 24). Unlike Dotzauer’s etudes, most etudes by Grützmacher have more than one

tempo marking and variable rhythmic figures. For example, etude No. 18 from the

12

Grützmacher indicates four different tempo markings: Allegro Agitato, Poco Adagio,

Allegro come prima, and Allegro, and have variable rhythmic combinations of 8th, 16th, and

32nd notes. One etude is relatively long; etude No. 24 is placed on 6 pages with a cadenza.

The author proposes this etude-book to be a concert repertoire with complex rhythmic

figures, variable dynamic markings, and variable tempo markings like those in a concerto

or sonata.

TABLE A-2

Left-hand techniuqe Right-hand technique

13 scale fingering detaché, slur

14 position establishment, scale fingering, arpeggio fingering

string crossing, ondeggiando

15 position establishment, trill, grace note, shifting, grace note, arpeggio fingering

staccato in triplet, martelé

16 position establishment, shifting not particlular

17 extension, arpeggio fingering, harmonics, octaves

batteries (slured), string crossing

18 octaves, left-hand agility staccato, martelé, combination of slur and martelé

19 fingering pattern, extension string crossing

20 double stop slur, sautillé

21 double stop, fingering pattern staccato, combination of slur and staccato

13

22 double stop, fingering pattern combination of slur and staccato. batteries (slured)

23 double stop string crossing

24 double stop, fingering pattern, trill,

pizzicato, staccato,

This etude-book covers all the left-hand mechanics from the previous list on pages

6 and 7, but does not include pique, brisure, and portato for the right-hand technique. The

etude book by Grützmacher expanded to include more cello techniques from the list than

that of Dotzauer.

3) The classification of the mechanics of the etude by Popper

Like the etude book by Dotzauer, each etude has mostly simple rhythm- patterns

and is in one tempo. This etude-book contains 40 studies, which are clearly intended for a

certain subject. Some etudes even have titles of the subjects for the studies: No.14 is

“Study in Staccato”, No.19 study for “Lohengrin”, No.14 “Study in Harmonics”. Each

etude is mostly placed on two pages. This etude book is especially challenging for accurate

intonation because it is more chromatic than Dotzauer’s and Grützmacher’s;

there are many chromatic ascending and descending sequences in Popper’s etudes that

render variable extension techniques inevitable.

Ex) Popper’s etude No. 20. (mm.1-3)

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TABLE A-3

Left-hand technique Right-hand technique

1 position establishment martelé

2 extension not particular


4 position establishment not particular

5 left-hand agility (stretching of finger)

pique

6 position establishment detaché

7 extension not particular

8 position establishment (with thumb)

not particular

9 double stops not particular

10 extension, shifting not particular

11 extension (half step) not particular


13 double trills, octaves batteries (slured)

14 scale fingering slurred staccato

15 position establishment combination of slur and martelé

16 shifting combination of bow stroke

17 double stop not particular


15

19 extension, shifting string crossing

20 octaves ondeggiando, batteries (slured)

21 thumb position not particular

22 shifting, harmonics not particular

23 shifting, extension. octaves not particular


not particlular

25 not particular pique


27 fingering pattern sautillé

28 left-hand agility combination of slur and martele


30 arpeggio fingering combination of slur and detaché

31 extension, shifting not particular

32 position slurred staccato

33 fingering pattern not particular


35 extensioin, shifting not particular

36 not particular combination of the bow

37 grace notes not particular

38 fingering pattern ( thumb & 3rd)

sautillé

16

39 octaves not particular

40 harmonics combination of slur and martelé

In this etude-book, the author deals with all 11 subjects for the left hand, and 9

subjects for right hand from the list. Although this etude book covers many issues of cello

playing, it does not explore a wide range of bowing techniques.

B. A SYNTHESIS OF THE ETUDE BOOKS

As the three tables (A-1, A-2, and A-3) for the observations of all techniques from

the three-etude books by Dotzauer, Gützmacher, and Popper show, each etude contains a

limited subject of cello mechanic in order to train students on a certain topic.

The three etude-books can by synthesized by the subjects of cello technique: it can be

divided by left-hand and right-hand technique. The three-etude books combined cover all

11 items for the left hand’s technique: double stops, extension, arpeggio fingerings,

position establishment, scale fingerings, left-hand agility, trill and grace notes, shifting,

fingering pattern, octaves, and harmonics, and 12 items for the right hand’s techniques:

detaché, martelé, staccato, string crossing, combination of slur and detaché, combination of

strokes, pizzicato, ondeggiando, brisure, sautilé, batteries, string chords, and pique. Two

subjects, slur and portato bow, have been omitted from the previous list (pg. 6 & 7): all

three etudes books include many slur bow strokes without any specialty as a topic of study,

and no author deals with portato bow.

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There are two tables below, one each for the left-hand and right-hand technique.

The tables show the synthesis of the etudes by Dotzauer, Grützmacher, and Popper. Each

subject (11 items for left hand and 12 for right hand) shows the three authors’ etudes in one

row in the tables: therefore, a synthesis of the etudes in subjects is revealed in the two

tables, B-1 and B-2.

TABLE B-1

Left-hand technique

Dotzauer Grützmacher Popper

Double stops 63,70 20,21,22,23 9,17, 29,34

Extension 64, 68.75,80 17,19 11,19,24

Arpeggio fingering

74,81 14,15,17 30,

Position establishment

75,76,80 14,15,16 4,8,15,24

Scale fingering

77,85 13,14, 14

Left-hand agility

64,69,71,79 18 26,28

Trill & grace notes

74,78 15 37

Shifting 78 15,16 23

Fingering pattern

82 19,21,22,24 27,33,38

18

Octaves none 17 20,39

Harmonics none none 40

TABLE B-2

Right-hand technique

Dotzauer Grutzmacher Popper

Detache 69 13 6

Martele 82 15 1

String crossing 64,65, 79 14,17,19,23 19

Staccato 65,70,78,82,85 15,18,21,24 14,32

Combination of strokes

66,74,78 18,21,22 15,16,28,3036,40

Sautille none 20 27,38

Batteries none 17,22 13

Briuse 84 none none

Ondeggiando 79,85 14 20,35,39

Pizzicato none 24 none

Portato none none none

String chords 83 21 none

Pique none none 5,25

19

This synthesis of the etudes for the left-hand techniques shows that Dotzauer is

the most concerned with extension and left-hand agility, Grützmacher with double stops

and establishment of fingering pattern, and Popper with extension and position

establishment. Although one author or authors fail to address a few techniques, the

remaining author or authors cover the subject (ex: octave & harmonic). This means that

students completely cover all the left-hand techniques by studying this synthesis.

Table B-2 proves that Dotzauer’s right-hand techniques are most concerned with

string crossing, Grützmacher and Popper with staccato. All three authors have made out

many etudes for general topics such as staccato and combination of strokes. On the other

hand, one author covers certain technique such as pizzicato by Grützmacher. Although

Dotzauer, Grützmacher, and Popper deal with many cello techniques, they do not cover

some cello techniques for the right hand from the previous list for cello mechanics

(pp7&8): 5 subjects (sautillé, batteries, pizzicato, portato, and pique) do not appear in

Dotzauer’s, 3 subjects (bruise, portato, and pique) in Grützmacher’s, and 4 subjects (bruise,

pizzicato, portato, and string chords) in Popper’s. However, similar to the left-hand

technique synthesis, even when one author or authors fail to address a few techniques, the

remaining author or authors cover the subject (ex: string chords and pique). The synthesis

of the etudes covers all the right-hand cello techniques from the list (pp.6 & 7) except

portato bow.

Students can hence master most cello techniques for the left hand and right hand

by studying the synthesis of the etudes. To use the synthesis (tables B-1 and B-2)

20

effectively for students, each topic for cello technique from the synthesis should be re-

organized. In the next part, re-organization in a convincing order is discussed.

C. DISCUSSION OF HOW STUDENTS AND TEACHERS CAN USE THE

SYNTHESIS OF THE ETUDES BY DOTZAUER, GRÜTZMACHER, AND

POPPER EFFECTIVELY

Although each author wrote pieces for the same skills, they all did it differently.

The differences are largely based on two points: first, each etude contains different

technical levels even though all the etude-books are designated as being for an advanced

technical level, second, the author or authors either combine with other techniques or focus

on only one certain topic. As each etude includes different points of view on the level and

combination of techniques, convincing orders can be formed, and students can use the

differences effectively for developing their cello techniques. From now on, I discuss the

best way that students can practice subjects by crossing over between the three-etude books.

I will discuss all 23 topics (11 for the left-hand and 12 for the right-hand technique) from

the synthesis of the etudes.

1. THE LEFT-HAND TECHNIQUE (11 topics)

What is the final goal of all the left-hand techniques? Why do students study the

left-hand techniques? Maurice Eisenberg insists that the left hand should be “a living

21

hand” which is vocalized strongly, flexibly, and smoothly:

The primary function of the left hand in string playing is to produce notes with the utmost purity of intonation, to link together the various registers as smoothly as possible, to enunciate the syllables in each musical phrase, and to supply intensity, vitality and color through the vibrato. The fingers have their percussive qualities and can individualize every note and series of notes.21

Therefore, all left-hand technique practices from the synthesis of the etudes have the same

goal of “a living hand”. Students should be conscious that all technique trainings from the

etudes for the left-hand (double stop, extension, arpeggio fingering, and so on) exist for the

purpose of becoming “a living hand”. When students master a certain technique they

should then learn how to coordinate it with other techniques, because most cello repertoire

is composed of compound techniques.

1) Double stops for the left-hand technique

Dotzauer, Grützmacher, and Popper cover the subject of double stops in their etude-books

in relatively large portions. Dotzauer addresses the subject in etude numbers 63 and 70,

Grützmacher in 20, 21, 22, and 23, and Popper in 9, 17, 29, and 34. Dotzauer’s no. 63

mostly occurs in a neck position (lower position) with simple rhythms of quarter notes.

Though the double stops have some extensions, their technical level is not so difficult

because many open strings are used, which are easily tuned. Dotzauer’s etude no.70 does

not focus on only double stop technique, but also combines it with other techniques of

staccato and scale fingering.

21 Maurice Eisenberg. Cello Playing of Today. (London: The Strad., 1957), 11.

22

There are 4 etudes (nos.20, 21, 22, and 23) by Grützmacher for double stops. Since

this author uses double stops’ practice in difficult high registered positions with thumb,

students need to be patient for the double stops’ intonations. Though Grützmacher’s etude

no.20 does not completely focus on double stops, the first six double stops in the first line

of this etude are precious for this subject because they introduce advanced double stops

with thumb: double stops consistently moving down with thumb and 2nd finger from the

7th to the neck position. The double stops’ intervals are a minor 3rd and major 3rd.

Therefore, students should be aware of the distance of each double stop in two ways: 1)

major 3rds require wider distances than minor 3rds between thumb and 2nd finger, 2) neck

position requires a wider distance between fingers (thumb and 2nd finger) than those in

over-neck position.

Ex) Grützmacher’s no.20 (mm.1-7)

No. 21 by Grützmacher is completely focused on the double stop technique, as it

is 4 (28,29,30, and 31) pages long, in which most double stops are placed in soprano clef.

The double stops in no.22 are combined with other techniques of octaves and the batteries

stroke. The fingering pattern of the thumb and 2nd finger in no.23 can be used for this

subject, which gives students the opportunity to listen better to the intonation of the

double stops with the simple fingering (without extension and shifting).

23

Compared to Dotzauer and Grützmacher’s etudes for double stops, Popper’s etudes

(nos.9, 17, 29 and 34) are the most focused on double stops. Popper’s etude no.9

uses double stops with a fingering-pattern series of thumb and 2nd and thumb and 3rd. The

intervals of these double stops are variable: major and minor 3rd, major and minor 6th,

diminish 5th, and so on. Popper also uses variable positions for these double stops. Popper’s

etude no. 17 displays many major and minor 6th double stops. These double stops mostly

occur in the neck position, so they are not as hard as the high over-neck positions in

Grützmacher’s etudes for the subject. Popper’s no. 29 provides practice for agility of left-

hand fingering in double-stops by alternating between two fingerings every two triplets.

Ex) Popper’s no 29 (mm.17-19)

Popper’s etude no. 34 displays double stops with a shifting technique: some shift from the

neck to the over-neck position, others do it within the neck position.

Ex) Popper’s no. 34 (mm.1-4)

Although the subject for double stops is placed in the left-hand technique, students

should be aware of the bow’s importance. Milly. B Stanfield states “the importance of

24

double stopping”: “ In general the difficulty lies in distributing the weight evenly on both

strings”.22

In order to master the subject of double stops effectively with the synthesis of the

etude-books, students can study all 10 etudes with this proper order: [1] Dotzauer’s no.63

and no.70 for double stopping in 3rd chords in the neck position, [2] Popper’s no.17 for 6th

in the neck position, [3] Popper’s no.9 for combination of 3rd and 6th, [4] Grützmacher’s no.

20 for introduction of 3rd in thumb positions, [5] Grützmacher’s no.21 for 3rd in over neck

position, [6] Grützmacher’s no.23 for using fingering pattern with intonation issue, [7]

Popper’s no.9 for fingering agility, [8] Popper’s no.34 for double stops’ shifting, [9]

Grützmacher’s no.22 for combining with other techniques.

2) Extension

According to Valerie Walden, extended fingering was used later in the 18th century.23 There

are backward and forward extensions: players need to stretch their fingers for both

extensions from authentic positions. Stanfield addresses in his book The Intermediate

Cellist how students canlearn this topic:

When practicing extensions the hand and arm must remain basically relaxed so that the arm-weight and the intensity of the player can still pass freely on to the string through the fingers. At first this will need a conscious effort, but eventually it should become an almost automatic reaction, resembling that of a rubber band released after having been held taut. The flexibility thus

22 Milly.B Stanfield. “The Importance of Double Stopping,” in The Intermediate Cellist, (London:

Oxford University Press, 1973), 45. 23 Walden, 121.

25

engendered will enable the whole hand to lend its weight to the finger vibrating the note after an extension. 24

Extension technique is dealt with at least in part in almost all the etudes. Several

selected etudes contain good practice materials for this topic. Dotzauer’s etude no. 64 is

good because every measure has extensions in E major with simple and consistent 16th

notes in neck position. Dotzauer’s etude no. 68 is in B-flat minor, and also provides plenty

of extensions. This whole etude is written in consistent 16th notes too, so students can

concentrate only on the left-hand fingering and do not need to worry about any rhythmic

and bowing complications. Dotzauer’s etude no. 75 includes various positions with

arpeggio figures. It is in F-sharp minor with many accidentals, which gives many

extensions, but their intonations are changeable. Dotzauer’s etude no.80 is in all semitone

intervals in various positions, so it has many backward extensions.

Grützmacher’s etudes nos.17 and 19 are good for extension- practice in terms of

many accidentals in the etudes. Extensions in both etudes are displayed in various positions,

especially in over-neck position with thumb, and there are variable rhythmic figures.

As mentioned before, Popper’s etude book is largely chromatic, so his etudes

produce plenty of extension opportunities. Popper’s three etudes no.11, no.19, and no.24

are totally focused on this subject in similar ways as they are in consistent rhythmic

patterns and positions.

The recommended order of etudes for extension technique is: [1] Dotzauer’s nos.

64 and no. 68 for extension in neck position, [2] Dotzauer’s no.80 for semitone-extension,

24 Stanfield, 23.

26

[3] Dotzauer’s no.75 for extension in arpeggios, [4] any order of Popper’s etudes nos.11,

19, and 24, [5] any order of Grützmacher’s no.17 and 19.

3) Arpeggio Fingering

Dotzauer has the arpeggio fingering in his etudes nos.64, 74, and 81, Grützmacher

in 14, 15, and 17, and Popper in 30. Dotzauer’s no.64 is completely in 16th notes, and

each finger keeps repeating. This repetition is good for letting the muscle memorize the

arpeggios’ fingerings.

Ex) Dotzauer’s no.64 (m.1)

Arpeggios in Dotzuaer’s 74 are also in 16th notes in second inversion, and the etude is

combined with the study for grace notes. This etude mostly stays in the neck position.


Arpeggio fingerings in Dotzauer’s no. 81 occur in triplet figures. They have many extended

notes, and they go up to the 7th position. Dotzauer’s etude no. 84 is also in consistent 16th

notes.

27

Grützmacher’s no.14 is not totally concerned with arpeggio fingering; it is

combined with scale fingering. The second section of no.15 by Grützmacher contains the

arpeggio fingering practice, but they combine with the practice for grace notes as does

Dotzauer’s 74, and it does not go to more than 6th position.

Popper covers the subject only in his etude no. 30. This etude offers arpeggio

fingerings with many extension opportunities in G-flat major.

Arpeggio fingering can be mastered with this proper order from the synthesis of

etudes: [1] Dotzauer’s nos.64 and 74 in neck position, [2] Dotzauer’s no.81 for higher

position, [3] Popper’s no.30 with many extension, [4] Grützmacher’s no.14 with scale

fingerings, and [6] Grützmacher’s no. 15 with grace notes

4) Position Establishment

Position establishment can be largely divided into neck position (up to 4th

position) with or without thumb, and over-neck position with thumb. For the practice in

neck position without thumb, Dotzauer’s no.75 is good: the etude starts from the 3rd

position on the IV (C) string, then moves to 1st position on the III (G) string in neck

position. As students are changing position during the 16th notes, they can study the

position establishment with variable shiftings. The practice for the position establishment

in no.76 is in longer phrases and speedier rhythms. Dotzauer’s no. 80 introduces positions

with thumb in neck position and over-neck position. The position change in this etude is

proceeding in the consistent 4 notes in 8th notes: they are all patterned so all spots of the

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changing position are consistent.

Ex) Dotzauer’s no.80 (mm.1-3)

The etudes by Grützmacher are good for position establishment in the high

registers (after 7th position) with thumb. Students can use no.14 for position establishment

in over neck position, which starts from the 7th position with scale-like passages. The

etude mostly travels around in the 7th and 11th positions. Grützmacher’s nos.15 and 16

have a combination with neck position without thumb and higher position with thumb.

Although Popper’s no.4 has a combination of neck and higher positions, his neck

position with thumb is not the same as Dotzauer’s and Grutzmacher’s. No. 8 occurs mostly

in the higher position with thumb, but it is more systematic than the other two authors’

because Popper’s position-practices stay in two or four measures, then move consistently

up through 7, 8 and 9th positions. No.24 is a combination of the neck and higher positions

in scale and arpeggio passages, so students can practice the position establishment in the

two fingering forms.

To study position establishment with the synthesis of the etude-books, students

canpractice with this convincing order of: [1] Dotzauer’s no. 75 for neck position in a short

phrase and simple rhythm, [2] Dotzuaer’s no.76 for neck position with longer musical

phrases, [3] Popper’s no.14 for neck position’s variants with thumb, [4] Dotzauer’s no.80

for introduction of over neck position, [5] Popper’s no. 8 for systematic study of over-neck

29

position, [6] Grützmacher’s no. 14 for over-neck position with scale-like passages, [7]

Popper’s no.24 for combination of neck and over neck position, [8] Grützmacher’s no. 15

and 16 for combination of neck and over neck position with other techniques.

5) Scale fingering

Claude Kenneson states in his book A Cellist’s Guide to the New Approach that,

“the playing of scales is an ideal way to perform consecutive movement of small intervals,

and in doing so, to habituate the use of the various configurations.”25 Scale fingering

practice is valuable in the synthesis of etudes. Dotzauer’s no.77 not only deals with scale

fingering, but also combines it with variable fingering patterns. No. 85 is the same formula

as no. 77 with scale fingering and variable patterns, but the scale passages in this etude are

longer. The scale fingering of no. 13 by Grützmacher contains many accidentals, so it is

good practice for re-action on the change of the scale fingering in various keys. No. 14 has

a combination of scale and arpeggio fingerings in the higher positions. Popper’s no.14 is

concerned with fingering in the descending scale with staccato bow.

Students can master the scale fingering with the following order: [1] Dotzauer’s

no.77 and no. 85 without modulation, [2] Grützmacher’s no.14 with modulation, [3]

Grützmacher’s no.13 for combination of scale and arpeggio fingerings, [4] Popper’s no. 14

with staccato.

25 Claude Kenneson, A Cellist’s Guide to the New Approach, (New York: Exposition Press, 1974), 67.

30

6) Left-Hand Agility

Agility of fingers somewhat relates to all the techniques of the left hand, but the

practice of agility of fingers in this paper is for speedy and flexible fingers. This topic is

deeply related to fingering patterns, which makes fingering repetition for its agility. In

Dotzauer’s no.64, every finger pattern repeats two times, and they mostly include the 4th

finger: this etude trains students to have a strong 4th finger. No.69 has the most fingering

patterns of 1-3-4-3, 1-2-4-2, and 1-4-2-1. They repeat three times or are combined among

the patterns. No. 71 concentrates on the finger motions of 4-2, 3-1, 4-3, and 3-2, and they

repeat three times in 16th notes. The beginning of no.79 also has practice for two-finger

motions, but it is more advanced because it includes position change with shifting.

Grützmacher’s no.18 is for left-hand agility of fingers in octaves. In Popper’s no.26, there

are many repeating motions of two fingering patterns, both in the same position and

changing position. They are six-finger units, such as 2-4-2-1-2-1 and 1-3-2-1-1-2. No. 28 is

in the more variable fingerings altogether.

Ex) Popper’s no.28 (m.1-2)

Students can train for left-hand agility through this synthesis with the order of: [1]

Dotzauer’s no. 64 and Popper’s no. 26 for one pattern, [2] Dotzauer’s no.69 and 71 for two

31

patterns, [3] Popper’s no.28 for two patterns with 6 fingerings, [4] Dotzauer’s no.79 for

shifting, [4] Grützmacher’s no.18 for octaves.

7) Trill & Grace Notes

Although the meanings of the trill and grace note are different, they have the same

technical idea: both techniques require left-hand agility between two fingers, but grace

notes are shorter. In Dotzauer’s no.74, every 2nd and 4th beat has grace notes. The

fingerings are 2-4-2, 1-2-1, 2-3-2, and 3-4-3: the first two fingerings are easier than the

others because the last two fingerings are for semitones and need extended fingerings. No.

78 of Dotzauer’s is for trill, and it combines with the practice for staccato stroke. Although

Grützmacher’s no.15 is not completely concerned with the technique, it is good for both

techniques with their combination. Popper’s no. 37 is titled “Study in Mordents”. As the

author indicates, the etude is entirely for grace notes: every two 16th notes have grace notes.

In order to master the trill and grace notes, students can study [1] Dotzauer’s

no.74 for the grace notes, [2] Popper’s no.37 for grace notes with more concentration, [3]

Dotzauer’s 78 for trill, and [4] Grützmacher’s 15 to have a combination of both techniques.

8) Shifting

In this topic, shifting involves leaps that are greater than an octave.

Students can practice shifting with Dotzauer’s no.78, Grützmacher’s 15 and 16, and

Popper’s 16, 22, and 23. First, Dotzauer’s 78 has octave-leaps in half notes, in which the

32

shifting motion can be prepared during the long half note.

Ex) Dotzauer’s no.78 (mm.1&9)

Grützmacher’s nos.15 and 16 have many shiftings in a synonyms of several

technique-practices of string crossing, extension, and so on. Popper’s etude-book does not

truly contain the practice for shifting.

Students can study the synthesis of the etudes in the order of: [1] Dotzauer’s

no.78 with a glissando-motion in a very slow tempo, then they skip the sliding after the

muscle memorizes the length, [2] the two etudes by Grützmacher to combine with other

musical events.

9) Fingering Pattern

Fingering pattern means that the same series of fingerings in similar interval

relationships appear in consequent passages. Dotzauer deals with the topic in no. 82,

Grützmacher in 19, 21, and 22, and Popper in 27, 33, and 38. In Dotzauer’s no. 82, the

patterns show five different clusters of the fingerings 2-2-1-3, 1-3-2-1, 1-4-2-1, 1-3-2-1,

and 2-1-3-2 from the 3rd position to 9th position. Grützmacher’s no.19 has several patterns

such as 1-4-3 and 1-3-2, which have a semitone or whole tone relationship between 4-3 and

3-2. The patterns in etude no. 21 are composed of double stops, which are mostly in 3rd and

33

5th fingers. The patterns of no.22 are also in double stops, and they are compounded in an

ascending scale.

Ex) Grützmacher’s no. 21 (m.2)


In Popper’s no. 27, the many fingering patterns have 1-2-3-4 with ascending and

descending notes.

Ex) Popper’s no.27 (m.1)

The whole of Popper’s no. 33 is contained in descending notes; this etude has several

patterns such as 3-0-2-0, and 3-1-2-0. No. 38 mostly has the pattern of 3rd and thumb,

which is the smallest unit from the synthesis of the etudes.

Ex) Popper’s no.38 (mm.1-3)

34

Students can therefore learn [1] Popper’s no. 38 for getting a sense of fingering

pattern with the two simplest fingers, [2] any order from Dotzauer’s no.82, Grützamcher’s

no.19, Popper’s no.27, and no. 33, [3] Popper’s no. 38 for pattern on double stops.

10) Octaves

Octaves are distinguished from the double stops in that octaves require sensitively

tuning in unison, and fingers should be more stretched than in double stops. Dotzauer does

not deal with this topic, Grützmacher does in no.17, and Popper does in nos. 20 and 39. In

the second section of no.17 by Grützmacher, the octaves are broken with the fingering

thumb and 3rd, and they are placed mostly in lower position. In no. 20 by Popper, broken

octaves are combined with chords. Popper’s no. 39 has the same figures as no. 20, but it is

mostly in half steps and in a long slur.

Ex) Popper’s no. 39 (m.3 & m.9)

To study the octaves effectively, students should practice [1] Grützmacher’s no.17

for broken octaves in the neck position, [2] Popper’s 20 to transfer from broken octaves to

octaves, and [3] Popper’s no.39 gives a concentration on the practice with a long passage.

35

11) Harmonics

Only Popper addresses the subject of harmonics in no.40, which is titled “Study in

Harmonics.” According to Christopher Bunting:

A string vibrating has one anti-node and two nodes, thus: If we lightly touch the string at the half-way point we introduce a third node, thus forcing the string to adopt partial vibration, the string is now oscillating in two halves, with two antinodes. The frequency is twice the fundamental or, as we musicians say, an octave above it. 26

There are two kinds of harmonics: natural harmonic and artificial harmonic. Popper’s

no.40 includes natural harmonics. The harmonics are used by position with thumb, so

students should keep the thumb on the strings until the rest of the notes are played with

harmonics.


THE RIGHT-HAND TECHNIQUE (12 topics)

In this research, the right-hand technique mostly indicates a bow stroke. Bowing

technique belongs to all members of the violin family. The bowing of the violin family first

stemmed from the need of the bow to go back and forth within various rhythmic patterns.

“As the instrumental playing mechanism increased in sophistication, bow strokes

developed as a means to virtuosity”.27

26 Bunting, 78. 27 Walden. 147.

36

1) Detaché

Detaché means to use separate bow strokes. In this bow practice, students should

concentrate on straightening the bow. Dotzauer’s no.69, Grutzmacher’s no.13, and

Popper’s no. 6 are good etudes for the technique. There are no truly practical etudes for

detaché bow, but students can use any etude without a slurred bow. Dotzauer’s no. 69

keeps repeating the fingering pattern in a consistent rhythmic pattern of 16th notes.

Therefore, students can focus only on the detache bowing with moderate tempo.

Grützmacher’s no.13 can be used with the same transformation as Dotzauer’s

no.69. This etude is in a higher register with thumb. Popper’s no. 6 is also good for this

stroke; however, this does not have a fingering pattern, so students need to keep watching

the left’s hand’s intonation too.

Students start with [1] Dotzauer’s no.69 with keeping a bow speed steady, and

check that their bow is straight in a mirror. [2] Next they can practice Popper’s no.6 with

various left-hand fingerings in order to combine left hand and right hand. [3] As a last

practice, Grützmacher’s no.13 can give the sense of the detache bow stroke in the higher

registers. Students should not forget to practice the etudes some with a metronome because

their bowing speed should be consistent.

2) Martelé

The martelé bow is one of the variations of the detache bow. The bow stroke starts

the attack with an accent at a high bow speed. Dotzauer’s no.82 has staccato marking; it

37

can be used with either staccato bow or with martele bow in a moderate tempo. The second

section (allegretto scherzando) of Grützmacher’s no.15 is good martelé practice in neck

and over-neck positions with many string crossings. Popper’s no.1 is similar to

Grützmacher’s, with its rhythmic figures but has more string crossing.

To master this bow stroke, students start with [1] Dotzauer’s no.82 for

concentrating concerning on the stroke, [2] Grüzmacher’s no.15 for combining with some

string crossing, and [3] Popper’s no.1 for combining with many string crossings.

3) String Crossing

To a point, string crossing includes some of the rest of the bow strokes, such as

batteries, briuse, and ondeggiando, which have regularity in the crossing. The meaning of

the string crossing in this paper indicates irregular crossing. For this technical bow, there

are many etude numbers in all of the three etude-books. Dotzauer’s no.64 has slurred16th

notes that require string crossing at a fast tempo. Therefore, the string crossing should

happen smoothly and speedily. No.65 uses a separate and staccato bow. Although the speed

of the string crossing is slower than no.64, both need to be practiced in a slow circling

motion. The beginning part of no.79 has some similarity with no.64 in the slurred bow, but

no.79 has string crossing on one more string, III (G),

No.14 and no.17 by Grützmacher has many arpeggio figures in slur, and so they

require many string crossings. No.19 is in 16th notes with slurs that have frequent string

crossing: some have string crossings in one slur.

38


Popper’s no. 19 is good for string crossing in various positions.

Ex) Popper’s no. 19 (m.25 & m.32)

Students can practice string crossing by [1] Dotzauer’s no.65 with separate bow in

slow tempo, [2] Popper’s no.19, [3] Popper’s no.64 with slur in moderate tempo, [4]

Dotzauer’s no. 79, [5] Grützmacher’s nos.14, 27, and 19 for more advanced slur string

crossing, and [6] Grützmacher’s no. 23 for double stops string crossing.

4)Staccato

Dotzauer’s practice for staccato bowing in 16th notes is contained in a melody, and

the passage for the stroke keeps exchanging with the detaché stroke of longer values.

Ex) Dotzauer’s no.70 (m.1-2)

39

The left-hand technique in Grützamcher’s practice for this stroke is very difficult

because of the high registered thumb position and much use of double stops and shifting. It

is very demanding for both hands, and the strokes are contained in a long passage. Students

need to be patient for this long journey.

Ex) Grützmacher’s no.21 (Tempo1, m.1 & m.5)

Popper’s practice for the technique is concerned with the staccato bowing along

with a moderate left-hand skill. Although the left-hand is in the high registered thumb

position, it is easier than that of Grützmacher’s because Popper’s left hand stays in the

same position, without any shifting, throughout the passage for staccato stroke.

Ex) Popper’s no.14 (m.1-2)

In order to master the staccato bowing effectively with the etudes, students should

study them in a particular order. [1] Dotzauer’s practice gives the sense of bowing with a

melody as a preparation for the technique practice; students might not feel so stressed from

the melodious mood. [2] Popper’s practice gives the most focus on the bow technique with

40

a moderate left-hand skill and long passages of the stroke; it offers students the actual

practice of the bow technique with only concentrating on the right-hand bow. [3]

Grützmacher’s practice is then studied for the bow technique with a controlled left hand,

which brings coordination of both hands. Practice in this particular order will bring

improvement of the staccato bow technique to students systematically.

5) Combination of Strokes

This technique usually combines slur with detaché, slur with martelé, and slur with

staccato. The bow provides a contrast of patterns, and it can be used regularly or

irregularly: this bow requires that players have an automatic re-action to transfer stroke.

Dotzauer’s no. 66 is for combination of slur and staccato, which requires concentration on

the bow mechanism through the etude. In every measure, the bow practice is in two triplets

in which the staccato stroke starts, then a slur for three notes, and staccato for two notes.

The combination of strokes is placed in three lines in Dotzauer’s no.74: slur with three

notes and one staccato. Dotzauer’s no. 78 has practice for combination of staccato and slur.

In Grützmacher’s nos.18 and 21, staccato and slur bow practice is combined with

double stops. No.22 by Grützmacher contains various bow stroke practices with double

stops.

Popper deals with this topic in 6 etudes. No.15 combines slur and slur staccato

with left-hand position changes. No.16 includes combinations for three bow strokes: slur,

martele, and staccato. No.28 has a small portion for the stroke practices of staccato and slur,

41

otherwise, there are many slurs in arpeggio figures. No.30 is for a combination of slur and

martele bow, which is used throughout the etudes. No.36 has a combination of slur and

staccato: students need to learn how to transfer this stroke speedily from other strokes.

No.40 is highly advanced, because the harmonics technique combines with the slur and

staccato bow. Therefore, students should definitely do it last.

Ex) Dotzauer’s nos. 66, 74, and 78

66, (staccato and slur, m.1) 74(slur and staccato, m.21))

78 ( slur and slur staccato, m.11)

Grützmacher’s nos. 18, 21, and 22

18 (slur and staccato, m.33) 21 (slur and slur staccato, Tempo I, m.1)

22 (slur and slur staccato, m.3)

42

Ex) Popper’s nos. 15, 16, 28, 30, 36, and 40

15, (slur and slur staccato, m.1) 16 (slur and martele, m.9 )

28 (staccato and slur, m.26) 30 (slur and martele, m.1)

36(slur and staccato, mm.12-13) 40 (slur and staccato, m.1)

Students can master the combination of strokes without any special order in one

kind of combination of strokes: [1] slur and staccato: Dotzauer’s no.70, and Popper’s

nos.30 and 36, [2] staccato and slur: Popper’s no.28, [3] slur and slur staccato: Dotzauer’s

no.78, Grützmacher’s nos.21 and 22, and Popper’s nos.15 and 16, [4] slur and martele:

Popper’s nos.16 and 30.

6) Sautillé

This bow stroke is also called spiccato. Grützmacher takes the topic in etude no.20,

and Popper does in nos.27 and 38. Grützmacher includes this bow practice in a small

43

portion, in which he indicates “spice”. The stroke practice is in 16th notes on a descending

whole tone scale. Popper features double stops with the sautillé bow in the last two lines of

his etude no.27. He directly comments in his etude that the bow is to be played throughout

with “spring bow” (spice bow); the practice is contained in two pages with consistent 16th

notes for a whole etude. Though etude no.38 by Popper does not mention what bow stroke

should be used, the tempo marking “presto” indicates that the sautillé bowing practice

should be used; staccato bow on the strings is naturally transferred to the spice bow off the

string in fast tempo. This etude also has two more bow strokes: ondeggiando bow and

syncopated slurred bow.

In order to master this bowing effectively with a synthesis of the etudes, students

canstudy [1] Popper’s etude 27 to totally focus on the stroke, [2] Grützmacher’s no.20 to

check the bow in descending scale passage, and [3] study Popper’s etude no.38 to combine

variable bow techniques.

7) Batteries

The batteries bow is applied to the patterns in which notes are alternated between

neighboring strings. According to Tilliere’s instruction, “if a note pattern commences with

notes placed on an upper string and moves to those on a lower string,

the pattern begins with a down bow. The opposite occurs if the pattern goes from a lower

string to an upper string.”28

28 Walden, 158.

44

For this bow stroke, Grützmacher uses the practice in his etude nos.17 and 22, and

Popper in 13. In Grützmacher’s no.17, the stroke is included in the second section of the

etude (Cantabile) that is played on I (A) and II (D) strings.

Ex) Grützmacher’s no. 17 (Cantabile, mm.34-35)

Etude no.22 by Grützmacher has the stroke in more portions than no.17: the

second section of Tranquilio e grazioso alternates batteries bow and string crossing with

slurs that also occur on the A and D string. The passages for the stroke travel around in a

wide range among positions, from the neck position to high registers.

Ex) Grützmacher’s no.22 (Tranquillo e grazioso, mm.13-14)

Popper’s etude no.13 includes this bow stroke in only two passages, but it has the

longest passages among the three etudes.


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To master this bow stroke, students can study [1] The second section of

Grützmacher’s no.17 in the simple positions and short passage, [2] then the longest passage

in Popper’s etude no. 13 and Grützmacher’s no. 22 with more various positions.

8) Briuse

This bow stroke is similar to batteries, but it occurs between non-adjacent strings.

Only Dotzauer handles this stroke’s practice in his etude no.84; the middle section of the

etude shows two passages for briuse bow stroke. The first one alternates between G (III)

and A (I) strings, and the second one between C (IV) and A (I) strings. Students can

practice the stroke with an up-bow in slow motion with a circling until they get used to the

change of degree between arm and strings

9) Ondeggiando

Ondeggiando bow stroke is also called ricochet bow stroke. This is a slurred

bowing that is rebounded (oscillated) at least once from the surface. It is used mostly in

arpeggio-figures that bow from a lower to an upper string, and vice versa. Dotzauer covers

the stroke in his etudes nos.79 and 85, Grützmacher in no.14, and Popper in no.20.

Dotzauer’s no.79 has the stroke in large portion: the stroke occupies most of the etude

except the introduction and coda-like sections. There are extra dotted notes between the

arpeggios in ondeggiando stroke and the notes are placed on first string (A).

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No.85 by Dotzauer has simple arpeggio figures among three and four notes.


Grützmacher has the stroke in his etude no.14. He uses three notes for this stroke

in the high positions (more than 6th position), so the left hand fingering is hard with this

stroke.

Ex) Grützmacher’s no.14 (m.83)

Popper has the stroke in his etude no.20. This etude includes four instances of

ondeggiando stroke: the first one occurs on D (II) and G (III) strings in high thumb position,

and the 2nd and 3rd notes share the string G (III). The second is in two notes in neck

position. The third one is in three notes in the neck position. The last one is a varied type:

the strokes are oscillating, but it goes down in two notes and goes up in three notes. The

author clearly intends for students to study all kinds of ondeggiando bow stroke.

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Ex) Popper’s no.20

1) mm.19-24 2) m.24

3) m.37 4) m.37

In order to master the ondeggiando bow stroke, students can study [1] Dotzauer’s

no.79 first: this etude allows students to meet the stroke with extra notes between the stroke,

which acts like a pause to prepare the stroke. [2] Dotzauer’s no.85 can give the sense of the

regularity of the stroke without any pause between the strokes. [3] As a third step, students

can practice other kinds of the ondeggiando bow strokes with Popper’s etude no.20, then

[4] Grützmacher’s no.14 practice with left-hand’s issue.

10) Pizzicato

Pizzicato is the method of plucking the strings with the fingers. Only Dotzauer and

Grützmacher cover the issue. Dotzauer’s no.73 just introduces pizzicato on open IV (C)

string, and Grützmacher uses the chord pizzicato practice for 15 measures. The former uses

the index finger to pluck one string, the latter thumb from low to higher string.

Students can practice [1] Dotzauer’s simple and easy pizzicato, then

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Grützmacher’s chord pizzicato with thumb.

11) String Chords

String chords are clusters of notes that are related to arpeggios. The string chords

are usually played with the lower note first, and the succeeding notes softer and shorter in

duration.29 Dotzauer has the topic in his etude no.83, and Grützmacher in his etudes nos.21

and 24. Dotzauer’s etude is combined with double stops and multiple chords.

Grützmacher’s nos.21 and 24 also have the same combination.

In order to master this technique with a synthesis of the etudes, students can study

with any order.

12) Pique

Pique bow stroke is used for dotted-rhythm patterns. This stroke is usually played

with separate bow strokes. Popper covers the pique bow stroke in his etudes nos.5 and 25.

Etude no.5 is not only in simple dotted rhythm, but also in eighth notes between pique

strokes. Therefore, each set of the pique bow motion is alternating with down-bow and up-

bow.


29 Walden, 179.

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The whole etude of Dotzauer’s no.25 is completely concerned with pique bow stroke. The

pique bow in this etude starts with an up-bow.


To master this stroke, students [1] begin with etude no.5 because students can

focus on a pulling motion with both bow directions (down and up-bow). [2] Etude no.25

gives the main practice for the pique stroke. Students can use the stroke with the opposite

bow direction (down bow) for getting a flexible and healthy bow technique. Students

should be aware of Popper’s comment in the etude: “to be played nearest to the point of the

bow”. In the case of the opposite bow direction (down-bow), it should be played nearest to

the frog.

The discussion of the synthesis of etudes shows that each author is distinguished

with their different philosophies. Among the three authors, Dotzauer’s technical level is

relatively not as hard, and his etude-book encompasses most cello techniques. Therefore,

Dotzauer’s etude is helpful as a beginning for a certain topic. Grützmacher’s is the most

complicated with variable musical events such as tempo, rhythm, and registers, but many

selected passages offer very helpful exercises for certain topics. Popper clearly focuses the

most on certain topic among the authors, so his etudes can be an intensive training method

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for students. The synthesis of etudes with proper order provides the students with good

training through a progression of the three chosen authors’ different compositional

character.

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CONCLUSION

The New Harvard dictionary defines the etude as “A composition designed to

improve the technique of an instrumental performer by isolation of specific difficulties.”

Therefore, students can use an “etude-book” to effectively develop their problematic issues.

Whether students can or cannot master many etude-books in their time as students, they

should be conscious of what they as students lack and how they should train for the

techniques. In this research, I revealed how students and teachers can synthesize three of

these etude-books effectively in order to improve students’ problematic issues. I prove that

what each author lacks is supplemented by the other authors. Although each author wrote

pieces for the same skills, they all did it differently. Students can use the differences

effectively for developing their cello techniques. As one useful way of etude-practice, I

suggest cello students and teachers study their cello skills with the above outlined synthesis

of the etudes. I do not insist that the three etudes provide the only way of cello technique

for students, but I have shown how the synthesis can be used effectively as an application

that should be profitable.

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UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI - Semantic Scholar...Cello technique for both hands has been closely connected to the position of the cello’s playing, which is largely sectioned into three