… Cello teachers should be grateful to Dominis Music for making these works available on this continent in their fine new editions.”
– Elizabeth Cowling, Author of “The Cello”
…about the best student material I have ever seen. Really first rate.”
– Don Whitton, Principal Cello, National Arts Centre Orchestra
“….Matz’s Pedagogical work “The First Years of Violoncello” is, in my opinion, one of the most important contributions to violoncello pedagogy of our time.”
– Luigi Silva
… I believe in and admire Slobodan Gospodnetic for his publishing the works of Prof. Rudolf Matz in first class editions. This is adding wonderful studies and repertoire for Student cellists.”
– David Wells, Professor of Cello, Manhattan School of Music
Praise for Rudolf Matz
“… Matz offre aujourd’hui aux tous jeunes violoncellistes la manière la plus saine et la plus sûre pour vaincre les obstacles de la première étape, si difficile.”
– Antonio Janigro
“… Matz’s pedagogical works and cello studies are very helpful both to the cello student and to the cello teachers.”
– Frantisek Smetana, Professor of Cello, University of Richmond
“…Compositions for cello beginners by Rudolf Matz introduce the novice effortlessly to the higher technical and musical values.”
– Chaim Zemach, Professor of Cello, Montclair State College
Praise for Freedom and Flexibility of the Violinist’s Left Hand by Borivoj Martinić-Jerčić
“In Freedom and Flexibility of the Violinist’s the Left Hand, Mr. Martinic has created an indispensable, innovative and invaluable tool, which will help students and professionals alike understand the intricacies of left-hand motion. Drawing on his own work with students and his extensive experience with some of the world’s greatest violin teachers (Ruggiero Ricci, Paul Makanowitzky) Mr. Martinic goes those masters one better, by his detailed and easy to follow explanations – not found in even the great standard teaching books of Flesch, Sevcik or Galamian – and the marvelous demonstration video. This volume happily connects the legendary technique of Paganini with the modern analytical tools of the present. A must-have for students and teachers alike!”
– Guillermo Figueroa, Professor of Violin, Lynn University, Boca Raton, Music Director of Santa Fe Symphony
In the wealth of music books designed to develop violin technique, for me the works of Sevcik, Flesch and Dounis stand out. Now with Boro’s wonderful new book we have an innovative series of exercises designed to develop flexibility and agility of the left hand unlike any previous works. All serious violinists will benefit greatly from this book and its accompanying DVD.”
– Richard Rood, Associate Professor of Violin, Columbia University, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Co-Concertmaster
Borivoj Martinic-Jercic has created an important new resource to help unravel the art of violin playing at the highest level. His emphasis on relaxation and natural development through progressive exercises is an invaluable resource to both students and pedagogues alike.”
– David Halen , Professor of Violin, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Concertmaster, St. Louis Symphony
“Professor Martinic’s compilation of left-hand exercises is an important contribution to violin pedagogy. My students have benefitted greatly from them and I use them myself! The book is well organized and user friendly. Congrats!”
– Hal Grossman, Professor of Violin, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
“In his book about the dexterity of the left hand, prominent Croatian-American violinist Borivoj Martinic Jercic, explains in great detail the basic set up of the left hand. “Boro” designed a set of innovative exercises with very original solutions to the art of shifting. For him, relaxed and natural approach to the instrument along with the position of the left thumb are the key to developing more freedom and flexibility in the left hand technic. Especially interesting is the movement of the thumb that is rarely spoken of, the rotation of the thumb. Instead of following the playing fingers, thumb stays in pivot position and rotates. Rotation of the thumb reduces number of movements and therefore makes movements more efficient and allows for the greater mobility and speed. The book is very well organized and clearly written. It is accompanied with demonstration DVD, in which author summarizes the most important points and demonstrates some of the key exercises.
To summarize: This is a wonderful book about the dexterity of the left hand. The most notable are the explanations about the left thumb movements and its function. The book is very inspiring and sheds a new light on the left hand technic. It will be a very useful tool for every violinist and I strongly recommend it.”
Anđelko Krpan, Professor of Violin and Chair of String Department, Academy of Music, Zagreb, Croatia
This study guide is accompanied by a DVD, which will help enormously in understanding the exercises. The manner of thinking about balance in the left hand is quite original and, in my opinion, entirely new since I have never seen it before.
As a violin teacher, I always thought that the shape of the hand and finger extensions was extremely important and, if students follow this book, they will easily learn it.
Above all, I have never seen such studies anywhere else, especially exercises on how to keep the fingers flexible without deforming the position or transferring it. To spread the first finger, to get it just right in one’s studies, I haven’t seen that anywhere else!
I already use this book with my better students and will certainly give you a good report in the near future. I am grateful for being able to use this study guide.”
Naoki MATUI, Professor of Violin, Suzuki Institute, Matsumoto, Japan
Prof. Martinic’s book Freedom and Flexibility of the violinist’s left hand is a comprehensive analysis and study of the violin technic. This monograph encompasses two important aspects that every violinist should consider: individual psychophysical ability and unique emotional and artistic voice of expression.
The author is fallowing the tradition of exploring and developing violin technic based on relaxed feeling of flexibility and natural freedom of movement in harmony with the instrument. This approach to the instrument gives the violinist the ability to fully express their musical thought in live performance with greater ease.
This book is especially valuable because it pushes the envelop of the tradition and discusses the two main challenges for every violinist: on one hand the fixed form of the left hand that necessary in order to achieve solid and consistent intonation in the particular key, and on the other hand the flexibility that allows us to develop a singing quality on the violin that imitates human voice, and surpasses the narrow psychophysical nature of the intonation on the keyboard.
The written text and fallowing exercises describe very clearly author’s idea on how to achieve the most advantageous and natural position (relationship) with the instrument in order to facilitate greater technical and artistic abilities of the violinist.
Every chapter opens new possibilities for advancing and developing more flexibility in the left hand. Flexibility allows for much more freedom and therefore positively influences all of the aspects of playing.
I wish success to all the future readers and students who are on the bases of these analyses and exercises with ease going to achieve greater harmony and happiness in their musical endeavours.”
– Vasilij Meljnikov, Professor of Violin and Chair of the String Department, Academy of Music, Ljubljana, Slovenia