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Rudolf Matz: cellist, teacher, author, and sportsman
Rudolf Matz
Croatian born Rudolf Matz (1901-1988) began work on what would become his First Years of Violoncello in the early 1940-s, and he would continue to expand, revise, and make more complete this monumental undertaking for the next 45 years. His interest and experience as a teacher, performer, composer and author informed the content of these of these technical exercises, etudes, and concert pieces, as did his early life experience as a competitive sprinter and his later interest in and study of anatomy, physiology, and ergonomics.
Furthermore, Matz's work with the Vaclav Huml, a Prague-trained violinist and former student of Sevcik, and Antonio Janigro, a virtuoso cellist well-versed in the modernizations of cello technique by Casals by way of Janigro's study with Diran Alexanian provided a model and added richness and depth to Matz's endeavor.
The 31 volumes of Matz's First Years of Violoncello were published in Zagreb between 1946 and 1971, but these editions are no longer in print. Many of the works have been newly published by Dominis Music beginning in 1982 - a publishing house established by Matz's former student and friend, Slobodan Gospodnetic.
All of the pieces I (Stephen Feldman) will add to this channel in the first part of this Celebration of Rudolf Matz are published by Dominis Music and are widely available.
Stephen Feldman: Celebrating Matz (YouTube channel, consists of 213 videos, as of Nov 2024)
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Rudolf Matz
Cellist, Teacher, Author
Born in Zagreb, Croatia in 1901, Rudolf Matz studied cello, composition, and conducting at the Zagreb Academy of Music, graduating in 1926. His musical career is noted for its diversity and he has long been recognized as one of the leading figures in the cultural life of his native country. He was appointed Professor of Cello at the University of Zagreb in 1950 and held that position until his retirement in 1972. He has served as a member of several juries for the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow since 1966. A prolific composer who has written works for a wide variety of media, Matz has produced nearly 100 compositions for cello or cello ensembles.
His magnum opus, the 31-volume method, entitled First Years of Violoncello, was first published in Zagreb with various volumes appearing between 1946 and 1971. Cellists throughout Europe and North America soon recognized the importance of this work, which has been described as the best and most comprehensive method for cello since the publication of J.L. Duport's Essay on Fingering the Violoncello and on the Conduct of the Bow in the early 19th century.
"For Young Hands", cello manual published in Croatia's capital Zagreb in 1951
Professor Matz's pedagogical works and compositions for cello are based on a profound understanding of the historical evolution of cello playing as well as on his own practical experience as a performer and teacher. They differ significantly from other 20-century cello works in that he has thoroughly and systematically revised the pedagogical approach to the all-important early years of technical and musical development. His revisions include: practical application of relevant concepts and recent discoveries from the fields of anatomy, physiology, sports medicine and psychology; correction or elimination of various pedagogical "errors" such as over-extension of the left hand which appeared in some early 20th-century methods; and the successful combination of the best features of various schools of technique in a balanced and practical form. Rudolf Matz died in Zagreb, Croatia in 1988.
Source www.dominismusic.com
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 Rudolf Matz with his signature
Founded in 1982
Dominis Music was founded with the express purpose of publishing string music. Dominis Music began producing new editions of the works of internationally acclaimed cellist/composer Rudolf Matz in 1982 and progressed to the publication of works for cello and other string and chamber music written by both contemporary and Classical composers.
Our Founder
Slobodan Gospodnetic's experience of the pedagogical genius of Matz dates back to his youth in Zagreb, Yugoslavia where Rudolf Matz was his first cello teacher. Over the years, their student-teacher relationship developed into a friendship and professional association. After moving to Canada and beginning his own career as a performer and teacher, Slobodan became aware of the limited distribution of Matz's valuable work and developed a keen interest in seeing to it that his unique contributions to string pedagogy did not fall into oblivion. It was this interest, together with Matz's encouragement, which inspired Slobodan to establish Dominis Music.
Dominis Music
The latest publication, Freedom and Flexibility of the Violinist's Left Hand, by Borivoj (Boro) Martinić-Jerčić has been praised as an, "indispensable, innovative and invaluable tool, which will help students and professionals alike understand the intricacies of left-hand motion". This publication includes a demonstration DVD.
Dominis Publishing
Building upon the important aspect of music history, the study of influence, especially the influence of musicians of each generation upon those of succeeding generations. In addition to publishing the works of Rudolf Matz, Dominis Publishing is proud to publish the works of other influential musicians, poets, artists and authors, such as Margery Enix, Ivan Lackovic-Croata, Dragutin Tadijanović, Antun Gustav Matos, Ivan Mažuranić, Jugoslav Gospodnetić, Antonin Kraft, Jacques Faubert, and Gertrude Perreault.
Source www.dominismusic.com
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In an interview in his late years, Matz espoused the following credo:
My experience has shown me that music has a very great influence on people. This was the crucial factor that led me to devote my life to music and especially to teaching and showing people how to discover beauty in music. I believe that an understanding of the inherent beauty of musicen riches human character and gives it a wider humanistic base. It is this humanism which I wanted, with the help of music, to develop in people.
Translated from Croatian by Vesna Blažina.
Published in Gaudeamus No 16-17, June 1998, p. 26.
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Andre Navarra: My Cello Technique
(New English subtitles)
- Part 1: The Bow Technique of Navarra
- Part 2: Bow Technique & the Left Hand
- Part 3: Left Hand Exercises & Scales
- Part 4: Left Hand Exercises & Vibrato
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