The Early Violin and Viola

This handbook provides a historical account of the development of the violin, viola and their close relatives as well as a practical guide to playing techniques and principles of interpretation. It aims to help performers to play in a historically appropriate style and to guide listeners toward a clearer understanding of the issues that affected string performance during this series' core period (c.1700-c.1900). Its six detailed case studies, which include Bach and Beethoven, will assist readers in forging well-grounded, period interpretations of major works from the repertory.

• An invaluable guide to the available historical source material on playing the violin and viola
• Applies the evidence to six detailed case studies which include Bach, Beethoven and Brahms
• Its contents are complementary to the parent volume in the same Cambridge series, The Historical Performance of Music: An Introduction