Kayser : 36 Elementary and Progressive Studies, op. 20
Heinrich Ernst Kayser composed these 36 Elementary and Progressive Studies Op. 20 for the violin, and a transcription for the viola also exists.
Kayser's Studies op. 20 are very beneficial to young intermediate-level violinists and violists.
They provide excellent preparatory material for the famous studies by Kreutzer.
General technical remarks for Kayser op. 20 :
<ul><li>Studies written in détaché bowing (such as No. 1) should be practiced also with a <strong>great variety of bowing patterns</strong> in the aim of developing bowing technique</li> <li>The left hand should be kept <strong>thoroughly relaxed</strong>, with the fingers very close to the fingerboard. In particular, the fourth finger should always remain above the strings</li> <li>The first finger acts as an <strong>anchor for the entire left hand</strong>, and should thus be left on the strings as much as possible</li> <li>The use of <strong>open strings</strong> is to be encouraged for beginners, as they provide an excellent <strong>reference for intonation</strong> and have a pleasant and pure resonance. However, more advanced students should rather use the fourth finger as it well help to properly <strong>place the entire left hand</strong></li></ul>
