Wohlfahrt Etude 1 (Op. 45 No. 1)hear it, slow it down, play along
- Franz Wohlfahrt (1833–1884)
- Violin
- Allegro moderato
- C major
- 4/4
- 28 bars
What it works on
Eighth notes from start to finish, in C major and in first position. The line keeps turning around the same few notes, so the left hand can stay put while the bow does the work.
A way to practise it
Schirmer prints fourteen bowing patterns above this study; the notes are the same for every one. Pick a pattern, set a slow tempo and loop the first four bars until the bow changes are even.
The page prints the tempo as a word, “Allegro moderato”. The numbers below are my suggestions for getting there, in quarter notes per minute; tap them in the player.
- Slow ♩ = 60
- Practice ♩ = 84
- Goal ♩ = 108
What you hear
The notes and rhythms of the study, played at an even volume. Slurs, bowings, dynamics, fingerings, trills and turns are not in this version, so keep the printed page in front of you; the scan is linked under “Where the notes come from”.
Play along on YouTube
The same notes as a video: the score with a cursor, three passes at 60, 80 and 100% of the goal tempo. More on the ScoreLens channel.
Wohlfahrt Op. 45
Wohlfahrt Etude 1 is No. 1 of Franz Wohlfahrt’s 60 Studies for the Violin, Op. 45. All 10 Wohlfahrt Op. 45 studies on this site, with key and tempo for each.
Playing it on another instrument
The written-for versions in the player follow these rules:
Questions
- What tempo should I play Wohlfahrt Etude 1 at?
- The printed tempo is a word, “Allegro moderato”, not a number. Start around ♩ = 60, practise at 84 and aim for about 108 quarter notes a minute. The player takes any tempo between those and more.
- What does Wohlfahrt Etude 1 (Op. 45 No. 1) work on?
- Eighth notes from start to finish, in C major and in first position. The line keeps turning around the same few notes, so the left hand can stay put while the bow does the work.
- Can I play Wohlfahrt Etude 1 on B♭ clarinet or F horn?
- Yes. Pick your instrument under “Written for” in the player: the part is moved into that instrument's key and still sounds at the original pitch, so you can play it alongside the violin version.
- Where can I get the sheet music for Wohlfahrt Etude 1 (Op. 45 No. 1)?
- It is public domain. The notes here come from G. Schirmer, New York, 1905 (Book I, plate 17549), which is scanned on IMSLP. Keep the printed page in front of you for bowings, slurs and dynamics, which the player leaves out.
- Is there a play-along video of Wohlfahrt Etude 1?
- Yes, on the ScoreLens YouTube channel: the score with a cursor, played three times at 60, 80 and 100% of the goal tempo, with a count-in before each pass.
Photograph your own part with ScoreLens.
This player is the one in the app. Point your phone at the page on your music stand, and ScoreLens reads it and plays it back, slower or in another key. It is best on single-line parts and reads piano too. Handwriting is out of reach for now.
