Compact edition by Maximilian Simon and Nadine Contini

With a greeting by Anne-Sophie Mutter

Translated into English by Nicholas Dodds

280 pages, with numerous illustrations and examples

Refreshed, shortened and reinvigorated. In short, this is how we would describe the aim of our work on this new edition of “The Art of Violin Playing”. We very much hope that our efforts will lead to the renewal of the enthusiasm and inspiration drawn by readers from this “bible” of violin playing. For many violinists, ourselves included, the antiquated language used by Carl Flesch proved challenging and subsequently complicated access to the valuable learnings of his works. “The Art of Violin Playing”, however, is rife with knowledge of unimaginable value that is just as topical today as it was 100 years ago.

Through this new edition, we strive to convey this knowledge in a language better suited to the modern day.

The first edition was published in December of 1923. The second edition was published five years later in 1928. “The Art of Violin Playing” is not a violin school in the traditional sense. Instead it meticulously describes general laws that apply to violin playing. Carl Flesch’s goal was to make these rules available to as many violinists as possible, thus elevating the general level of playing. In his approach, he addresses both students and teachers alike – both of which this work addresses. Establishing a new style of teaching that would train students to become “aware violinists” was a matter truly dear to his heart.