Egon Sassmannshaus, Kurt Sassmannshaus

Early Start On The Violin 2

This edition consists of the English booklet BA 9677 and a supplementary booklet containing French translations of all the text sections.

Please also see the German edition of this booklet: BA 9672.

The second volume, featuring color illustrations and clear fingering diagrams, includes not only well-known children’s and folk songs but also two-part classical pieces that help expand students’ sight-reading skills. Students learn dotted notes, sixteenth notes, and their first double stops, as well as alternating between high and low finger positions. The book is groundbreaking due to its early introduction to position playing: By combining different chord blocks—the building blocks of any scale technique—major and minor scales can be played in all positions without using open strings, often as early as the first year of lessons! Building on this foundation, children’s songs that have already been learned and practiced can easily be transposed into other keys and higher registers. Together with initial exercises on position shifts, this lays the groundwork for an early virtuosic playing technique—a major advantage over many other teaching methods.

Additional material is provided by the two volumes of the "Violin Recital Album," edited by Kurt and Christoph Sassmannshaus and Melissa Lusk (BA 9668, BA 9669)), which contain enchanting pieces in first position with piano accompaniment and an alternative second violin part, allowing young students to showcase their progress in student recitals.


The Author
The violin method "Früher Anfang auf der Geige" (Early Start on the Violin), published in 1976 by Egon Saßmannshaus, one of the most experienced and renowned violin teachers in Germany," (The Standard Work for Young String Players), published in 1976 by Egon Saßmannshaus, one of the most experienced and renowned violin teachers in Germany, quickly became the most popular and best-selling method for beginner violinists in the German-speaking world.

"The Saßmannshaus" is one of the most thorough and well-conceived violin methods for beginners worldwide.

Other language versions
German: BA 9672
English: BA 9677
Spanish/English: BA 9665


Egon Saßmannshaus’s introductory method for string instruments, published by Bärenreiter, has long been renowned in German- and English-speaking countries and provides a solid early foundation while remaining fun.
An additional workbook in French covering the first two volumes of the "Early Start on the Violin" method is now available to make it more accessible to French speakers. This workbook can be ordered separately or with either of the first two volumes of the violin method at no additional cost. It can also be downloaded below.

The first volume of "Early Start on the Violin" introduces note reading, note values, and accidentals in a way that is suitable for young children. Various bowing techniques and the use of the left hand are introduced using well-known children’s songs. The use of various left-hand fingerings is one of the most important aspects of the second volume. This technique effectively lays the necessary foundation for early virtuosity.