In the Shinozaki Violin Method, Vol.2, you can learn and enjoy a fun piece. It’s called Toy Symphony: Minuetto and Finale as a violin duet. Let’s learn a little about it today !
Who composed Toy Symphony?
In the Shinozaki Violin Method, Vol.2, the composer of Toy Symphony is indicated as L. Mozart / Leopold Mozart, the father of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. However, it is now recognized that the composer of this work was Edmund Angerer (1740–1794), an Austrian composer and Benedictine monk. Even though there were periods when people thought it was written by Haydn, “Father of the symphony and the string quartet,” or even Leopord Mozart.
In music history, it sometimes happens that people are not completely sure who actually wrote pieces of music. Throughout its long history, musicologists have been constantly researching and updating information, finding an original manuscript or sometimes the work is found elsewhere.
Toy Symphony
Toy Symphony is a small symphony written around 1770. It consists of the 1st movement: Allegro; the 2nd movement: Minuetto and Trio, and the 3rd movement (Finale): Allegro. It’s a very short work of less than 10 minutes in total. The first movement is in the Shinozaki Violin Method, vol.3. (Please look forward to it!)
This small symphony is a lot of fun music where you can hear the sounds of toys such as a ratchet, bird calls, triangle, drumcukoo, a toy trumpet, etc in some sections. When I first performed the 1st movement in an ensemble, while some teachers played the toys, I was very excited, delighted, and surprised hearing the toys while I was playing. I was wondering how they were making that kind of sound? I still remember the excitment I felt at the time.
Minuetto
As mentioned above, the Minuetto is the second movement in the symphony. Minuetto is a dance in three-beats. When you play this only with two violins, you will not hear the toy sounds, unfortunately, so you need to try making the duet sound interesting by playing the first beats clearly without loosing the elegance.
Finale Allegro
The Finale is the last movement. Allegro means “with energy.” If you are learning this for the first time in the Shinozaski Violin Method Vol.2, play every note without rushing. That is the first step towards having fun while you are playing. The movement ends “FF” (Fortissimo) with double stops. Finish with confidence and brilliance !
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More article: Shinozaki Violin Method Vol.2, no. 47, 48: Silent Night, 49: Mozart from Piano Sonata no.11
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