Suzuki Violin Practice Guide: Hunter's Chorus (Book 2, Piece 3)

Book 2 Playlist:    • Suzuki Book 2: Virtual Violin Lessons  

Hunters Chorus (Suzuki Book 2, Piece 3)

Today we are learning Hunters Chorus. This is a fun and high-spirited piece, adapted for violin from Carl Von Weber’s opera Der Freischütz (The Marksman). On the technique side, our focus areas when learning this one will be bow division, bow strokes/articulations, and a few tricky little passages.

In the opera, it is sung by a group of huntsmen at a banquet celebrating their successful hunt. In the opera directions, the scene is set like this: "A romantically beautiful neighbourhood. At one side the prince's hunting tents, in which noble guests and courtiers, all with green twigs in their hats, are banqueting. On the other side huntsmen and beaters are camped, also carousing; behind them are stags, boars and other game as hunting trophy."

Here's a video of the scene:    • Der Freischütz: Hunters' chorus [German an...  

Get Started
@0:00 Intro
@0:23 Listen at slow tempo
@2:00 Sing-Along

About the Piece
@3:57 Intro (Complicated Pieces)
@4:29 About the piece (1821 Opera)
@5:48 Structure of the piece (Two sections)
@6:58 Focus areas (Bow division, articulations, some tricky notes)

Breakdown: First Section, First Phrase
@9:28 First Section, First Phrase
@10:14 Bow Division (1/4, 1/2, Full bows)
@12:23 Bow Strokes (legato vs. stacatto)
@13:58 Four note slurs

Breakdown: First Section, Second Phrase
@15:56 First Section, Second Phrase
@16:31 Bow division (1/4, 1/2, Full bows)
@17:49 Bow strokes (legato vs. stacatto)
@18:31 Four note slurs

Breakdown: Second Section
@20:06 Second Section
@21:27 Reading sheet music: 1st and 2nd endings
@22:14 Bow division
@24:52 Articulations (accent marks)
@26:50 Hopping fingers

Wrapping Up
@28:35 Final note on tempo

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