250th anniversary The Art of the Violin 1769-2019
The Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing – Second, expanded edition of Leopold Mozart‘s final version
Title of the original work: GRÜNDLICHE VIOLINSCHULE
Published by the Cellist of the Salzburg Mozart Quartet MATTHIAS MICHAEL BECKMANN
Introduction by Nikolaus Harnoncourt
It is obvious that Leopold Mozart was a teacher of genius. The proof may be seen in his incredibly successful education of his son, whose only teacher he was: Not only did Leopold Mozart give his son a complete music education of the highest professional standard, he also imparted to him a comprehensive knowledge of literature, philosophy, the arts and natural sciences.
Leopold Mozart put his experience as a violin teacher into his Art of the Violin which I regard as beyond compare. Possibly, students of today might have difficulty in relating to its original language, and so I welcome this translation into a more contemporary idiom easier of comprehension.
In my opinion, no violinist at all should be unacquainted with this method or fail to follow the principles set out in it.
It remains a work of timeless validity. Nikolaus Harnoncourt