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The Violin is Dead

Long Live the Violin

HENRYK HELLER

In Warsaw 1925, a work called "Theory of Harmonics" was completed. It deals exclusively with the problems faced by every string player of attaining precision and clarity in playing. Written by Henryk Heller, with help from his sons Adam and Leon, it is a monument in the literature available on the subject of violin technique.


Henryk Heller was born on April 15th, 1876 in a place called Szumsk found somewhere in the Wolyn county of Poland. Son of Abraham and Eliza he was one of seven children and born into a musical family. Henryk graduated from the Warsaw Music Academy where he (presumably) studied with Professor M.Rosen between 1889-1891 and (certainly) received violin tuition from Isidor Lotto between 1892-1894. He became a composer and educator writing works for the violinist and musician as well as articles and reviews for magazines and other publications.

Little more than this is known as nearly everything by Henryk has been lost since the Second World War. However, luckily, the Theory of Harmonics as a complete publication survives. Henryk's family keep an original 1928 edition, as used by Adam in compiling a revised edition. The New York public library has a complete copy. A third edition may exist as part of Alban Berg's library. He is known to have written a request for certain volumes to be sent to him to assist composing the violin concerto. A photocopy of the New York Public Library copy is in the archives of Richard Shauer publishers and is possibly available as a special order reprint online.

The actual text of the Theory is written in five languages, French, German, English, Spanish and Italian. It is extremely brief. The following is the Preface, repeated at the start of each of the seven volumes and is the majority of the entire text. The Theory is otherwise set out using standard staff notation.

“In writing this treatise my aim has been to discuss from all points of view everything connected with natural and artificial harmonics (Flautati) in violin playing. I have endeavoured to demonstrate by means of examples the many different ways in which an harmonic note can be played. The classification of double harmonics deals with all kinds of harmonics and in this section I have again carefully illustrated the various means by which the same note can be produced. Instances necessitating stretches which are too large for the hand of even abnormal size have been omitted.
A few examples of double harmonics which we have cited, also quite feasible, are of extreme difficulty. But they do not exceed the difficulties encountered in ordinary violin technique. They can be conquered by strenuous study. Their number is small and they have been introduced here more on theoretical grounds than from any other reason.
One cannot look upon the study of harmonics as a waste of time. It is of the utmost value for the left hand, the bow-arm and the ear of the player. The difficulties to be overcome in the study of double harmonics, especially those which necessitate much stretching of the fingers, improve the left hand enormously. The advantage gained for the right hand is the use of an absolutely equal, steady bow-stroke which the playing of harmonics demands. In those cases where all four fingers have to be employed to effect double harmonics the ear of the ear of the player developes a subtle and quick sense which I should like to describe as "command of the violin by means of ear". This sense also operates in connection with certain dissonances which arise by reason of the various ways in which double harmonics may be accomplished.
The player must not be disappointed if some harmonics which are marked as being easy do not at first ring freely and clearly. The reason for this is not far to seek. Violinists rarely practise harmonics, and a violin must be allowed time to adapt itself to this particular species of note. A high class instrument will, of course, respond almost immediately and the harmonic notes sound full and round. A great deal also depends upon the quality of strings used.

Synopsis. This treatise is divided into seven books.

• Book 1 deals with the theory of single harmonics.
• Book 2 is dedicated to the practical study of single harmonics. It serves also as a preparation for the study of those shakes in harmonics which are of a more difficult order.
• Books 3 and 4 contain scales in double harmonics. The various ways are shown in which each note can be sounded. The most difficult examples are not considered. The player is to choose the mode which he finds most convenient.
• Book 5 is a "Classification of double harmonics" the contents of which have been already discussed in detail.
• Book 6 is written especially for composers. It treats once more of double harmonics and contains a supplementary register of single harmonics. It differs from the "Classification" inasmuch as it does not deal with more difficult chords but confines itself to certain instructions which the composer will find indispensable when making use of harmonics.
• Book 7 contains Triple and Quadruple Harmonics.

Warsaw, 1925. The Author.”


At a surface glance - skimming through the pages and trying some of the countless thousands of combinations - the work deals with a single area of technique. This is an area given very little space by the majority of authors of works for violin study. In some cases the player is advised not to spend too much time studying harmonics but acquiring skill in playing them is part of a whole technique.
A deeper look at Heller's work, trying to understand why so many examples seemed necessary reveals that the Theory of Harmonics is totally concerned with tone production and facility. How these instances of possible and impossible sounds were then catalogued so thoroughly and meticulously is mind-boggling, despite being simply systemmatic. There are no other works anywhere near as large or seemingly attaching so much importance to harmonics as Heller's work. A few publications that are listed are yet to be compared (e.g. Michelangelo Abbado's work published in 1930?), possibly putting Heller’s Theory of Harmonics into a different perspective. Though, unlikely.
Offering a fresh approach to the problems of building a reliable technique the work is comprehensive to the extreme. Heller’s work fuels the suggestion that through the study of harmonics a fine level of precision can be attained, one that Thomas Edison analysed as:
“a movement of one ten-thousandth of an inch along the string changes the tone, and in order for a player to give an absolutely exact tone he would have to intone it within a tenth of the thickness of tissue paper.”
The Diary (1921-27)
Players making headway with their harmonic practice will notice that this is actually possible. Proof is in the sounding. For a harmonic note to sound with certainty, as a constant, unwavering tone both hands need to be controlled. The slightest deviation and the note will disappear or suddenly become a completely different pitch. Learning exactly what notes are where on a violin is greatly facilitated by that fact.

What of the authoriy of this enormous work? This Theory is not a gross act of vanity puiblishing. Some of the best players considered Heller's acheivement monumental. Fistly, although not an earth-shatteringly huge name in the world of violinists and violin playing, Josef Kaminski is at least a well enough respected player whose word might well be trusted as having some authority regarding whether or not a work for violin is worth looking at or not. He was Henryk's first pupil and went on to found the Israel Symphony Orchestra. In 1960 he wrote a very interesting letter declaring “in lieu of oath” that Adam Heller should be acknowledged as the co-composer and collaborator in his own right, of Henryk’s compositions. Exactly why he did this has something to do with Adam moving to live in London and needing proof of rights. In the letter Josef Kaminski stated:
“I was professor Henryk Heller’s pupil in the art of violin playing in Warsaw, almost uninterruptedly since my childhood until my perfection as a violinist”. And that, “During the years 1925-1929 I used to watch both gentlemen with very great interest at their work together at creating some important musical theories. The greatest of these compositions of theirs, called ‘a System of Double Harmonics’ was declared as ‘admirable’ and ‘unique’ by the most famous authorities of violin in the pre-war times (as Huberman, Ysaye, and many others). In those years I lived alternately in Warsaw and in Berlin, and I had the honour and pleasure in recommending the - until today still unsurpassed -school on Harmonics be Messrs. Heller to music publishers, the Simrock Editions”.

Nearly forty years after Josef Kaminski wrote the above letter; and found buried in amongst piles of unwanted books and manuscripts in a small, jam-packed music shop on the outskirts of Amsterdam, striking proof of Kaminski's claim of the work's stature and further supporting evidence was discovered. Henryk’s work is not just another or unnecessary work for the violin., as inside a surviving original first volume of the Theory of Harmonics was found a German Press Release with quotes from Ysaye and Hubermann but also Thibaud. The notice reads:

Opinions (“Aus den Urteilen”):

• “I’ve read the Work with great interest. I am happy to name this surprising and successful idea of systematising the first flageolet technique. Until now the double flageolet tones were quite a difficult problem to resolve. I mean that after a careful study of this work this difficulty disappears.” Bronislaw Hubermann
• “Very interested by this work on the difficult double flageolet tones I congratulate you and admire your principles. Convinced of the success of your exhaustive work I am sending you my best wishes.” Jacques Thibaud
• “I am explaining (declare?) this work as the most perfect of its kind. This demanding research work will be for all young as well as old Artists of an incontestable need and will have deserved success.” Eugene Ysaye
• “The flageolet system theory in the work of Professor Heller will enable the composers, even if they are not violin virtuosos, to plainly benefit of the flageolet tones. Therefore, the range of sound possibilities is vastly enlarged to, so that the composers are given a rich range of new expression modes in their hands. I should be here allowed to present (express) to Professor Heller my greatest appreciation and gratitude for such a serious and original work, and the wish that his work is printed as soon as possible to be accessible to every musician.” Karol Szymanowski
• “The Author masters (manages) the material in depth. The 6th book should be particularly wide spread. It deals with the need of the composer to have an exact overview, which double and which single flageolet tones should be written without being afraid of particular difficulties during the realisation.” Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Altmann in the General Music Journal
• “A monumental piece of work in 7 books, which delayed edition (publishing) is now being terminated by N. Simrock company, a work with which this internationally known company built itself a new monument. Not only the violinists, but also the composers of tones should look after grabbing this lifework characteristic of the era. Its knowledge exposes essential (fundamental) enrichments in the composition domain and instrumental possibilities. So this not a work for the erudite, virtuosos and teachers but it should be spread to larger circles and stimulate positively (like a welcome greeting). In this sense we wish to this work worth of admiration the largest distribution.” Prof. Max Chop in the Signalen

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Adam Heller described it as unique and unsurpassed in his preface to the revised and edited version. But this "System of Harmonics" is published only as an incomplete work. Adam's intention was to present a compact and comprehensive version in two volumes yet only the first has ever been realised. This is still available as Elite Edition Nr.3142 by Simrock, through Richard Schauer Publishers. It actually comprises the first two volumes of the original seven volume work. It states the “Basic System of Single Harmonics” and also gives exercises in preparation for multiple harmonics. The real meat of the work has basically been missing since the Second World War.

There is some confusion as to whether Adam completed the job. The family’s original copy that Adam was appears to have been working from is hacked to pieces in places and covered in red crossing out. The impression of this is that Adam was working angrily. It could be perceived as a work of art being overly and almost visciously pruned for the sake of making it smaller. Further evidence of this sort of mutilation is found in the published revised and edited volume. When compared to an original, there are found seemingly pointless gaps in exercises and pages. There is even instance, mid exercise following a page turn where the exercise has changed completely. The joins just don’t match or make sense. Did Adam want to present it in any other way than how they had all worked it out in the first place? The biggest names in the violin world thought it was brilliant as it was. Adam's wife once remembered with a down tone in voice that Adam became so dissilusioned after the war that he gave up violin completely. Logically possibly he went on to specialise in phonetics.

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