Leopold Mozart’s violin playing treatise translated into Chinese

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A Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing, Leopold Mozart’s classic textbook on instrument technique, has been translated into Chinese for the first time. Published by Shanghai Conservatory of Music Press, the book is the product of four years of work by Chinese scholar Ching Sie-Lam.

Published in 1756, the Treatise is regarded as a valuable insight into historical performance practice. It was published in three editions in German, and was also translated into French and Dutch before the end of the 18th century. ‘Several important 20th-century teaching works were translated into Chinese in the early 1980s, including those by Carl Flesch (1979), Leopold Auer (1980) and Ivan Galamian (1981),’ Ching told The Strad. ‘But owing to the fact that China started late, information on historical performing practice is missing.’ Ching had the idea of translating the Treatise almost 20 years ago, and has been aided by tutors Zheng Wei-Min and Liu Nian of the Shanghai Conservatory in finding the correct ways of describing the various techniques outlined in the book. ‘It will definitely help Chinese teachers and professional musicians in questions of musical style, historical performance practice and, of course, musical understanding,’ she added.

The translation is among a series of translations of classic Western music texts into Chinese, initiated by the Shanghai Conservatory’s Institute of Music Research, and the first to deal with violin playing. Already published are C.P.E Bach’s treatise on keyboard playing and Johann Joachim Quantz’s book On Playing the Flute.

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