A Guide to Practicing David Popper’S ‘Hohe Schule’ Etudes

Book excerpt: There are few works in the cello repertoire as significant as the etudes by David Popper. They are practiced, studied, and learned by cellists all over the world as a sort of rite of passage to the advanced cello techniques. This has been the case since their publication, and there is no sign that this is going to change in the foreseeable future. Auditions for such things as youth orchestras, festivals, competitions, or university admissions frequently require the performance of one or more Popper etudes. Learning these etudes is a wonderful way to prepare yourself for the advanced cello repertoire. However, tackling them on your own can be a daunting task. Several authors have published their ideas and suggestions for practicing these etudes whether as articles, books, or videos. What makes this guide different is that it shows you step-by-step exactly how you can effectively practice all the difficult spots in each etude such that you will surely learn and master each one at a faster rate than you would without these suggestions and exercises.