Musical circle of fifths
With Violin Circle, violin teacher Markus Joho, who works in Aarau, has completed an all-around hit by choosing the circle of fifths as the theme for a completely different violin school.
The catchy tunes by famous composers and many pieces created by the author himself guide the learner through all keys in an entertaining way and provide countless important theoretical and technical foundations for solid violin playing. I can well imagine this booklet as a teaching aid for adult beginners or those returning to the violin. For bright children, the Circle be useful as a supplement to another course.
Two thirds of the 136 numbers are attractive songs and compositions, the majority of which are set as excellent violin duets. Thanks to a clear presentation with keywords next to the page numbers, technical details highlighted in blue and an alphabetical table of contents, the selection process is made easier. Explanations could be formulated more simply and introductory exercises could be more graphically attractive. The playing of positions plays a secondary role; in some pieces, alternative fingerings would be an asset. The treatment of chromatic, whole, blues and gypsy scales is valuable, as are the suggestions for improvising, transposing and composing.
- Markus Joho: Violin Circle, An enjoyable booklet for playing and practicing the keys and techniques of the violin, PE 1003, Fr. 29.80, Edition Pelikan/Hug Musikverlage, Zurich 2016
