Easy Legato Studies for the Violin. By S. M. Fleming.
(L. Upoott Gill.)—We gladly recommend this legato tutor to the musical public ; but it mast be remembered that we only do so—of this or any other book of the kind—to those who have no qualified teacher under whom to study. There can be no greater mistake than to suppose that any branch of music can be learned as well from a mere instruction-book as from a qualified teacher. Apart from this, Mr. Fleming's studies are excellent in every way. They are, with a few exceptions, attrac- tive in themselves, and are very good practice. It is evident that the student is not to be let off easily, for in many places the fingering is unusual and difficult ; but for this very reason the studies are all the more useful. A student who always uses the easiest fingering will never acquire much technique ; be its always being taken by surprise. In using this book, the instructions should be read very carefully, otherwise the book's whole value will probably be missed ; they are admirably worked out, and the student can have no exams for not gaining benefit from them. He should not only read the chapters carefully and thoughtfully, bat follow the fingering and bowing accurately and conscientiously. Mr. Fleming is very much—and rightly—" down" on amateurs who practise only in the easy keys, with two or three sharps or flats. They do not realise how much they limit their musical repertoire; for though much violin music is written in easy keys, there is a great deal written in more difficult ones. What can be more provoking, when executing concerted music, for instance, than to have the first violin suddenly exclaim, " Oh ! I can't play this ; it's in four fiats" Amateurs are only too ready to skip difficulties. How many more beautiful players the world would possess, would they but work up their studies—difficult and easy—as carefully and impartially as if they were professionals ! Of coarse, no one expects them to study as much.
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