BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / the violin

**Posted by imane nikko** June 8, 2012 4:02 pm

I was googling about and found this amazing post by Benedict's violin coach. I'd wondered about the soundtrack, knowing it was unlikely that he'd just happened to know how to play the violin before being cast as Sherlock.

The post answers all my questions, and also gives a rather fascinating view of the set. I have even more respect for the production now, which I wouldn't have thought possible.

http://earthobservingsystem.tumblr.com/post/15188532235/sherlock-on-the-fiddle

**Posted by JaneCo** June 8, 2012 4:42 pm

What an interesting read. Thank you for posting. It will make me look at some of these scenes with new eyes now I can see a little more of the effort that really goes into producing these episodes. Lovely that they value the fan mail in this way too.

I admit to wondering how he kept his grip on the violin and the sheet at the same time though

**Posted by Davina** June 8, 2012 5:03 pm

THis was a fascinating read.
Thanks for posting!

**Posted by Tantalus** June 8, 2012 5:34 pm

Very enjoyable "behind the scenes" read. Wish there could be more stuff like that included with the DVDs...

**Posted by jimella** June 19, 2012 9:41 am

I especially loved the part about Una Stubbs saying it wasn't her feet that smelled -- it was the fridge. Funny!

**Posted by kazza474** June 19, 2012 10:03 am

There have been quite a few items written about the violin coaching, way back in January I think, lol.

Here's a few
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/shortcuts/2012/jan/04/how-taught-sherlock-holmes-violin

http://eoschaterfans.com/sherlock-on-the-fiddle

**Posted by hypergreenfrog** June 19, 2012 11:21 am

What I don't understand is why the movement of the bow doesn't fit the music AT ALL? I fully understand that BC is not a violinist, but when you watch him play We Wish You A Merry Christmas, it's just completely out of sync. Surely after going through all the trouble with the coach etc., they could have told him beforehand how the scene would be scored?

**Posted by imane nikko** June 19, 2012 12:34 pm

kazza474 wrote:
There have been quite a few items written about the violin coaching, way back in January I think, lol.

Here's a few
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/shortcuts/2012/jan/04/how-taught-sherlock-holmes-violin

http://eoschaterfans.com/sherlock-on-the-fiddle

Those are both articles written about or excerpting the full post, which is what I linked to.

As for the bowing not matching... sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. It surprised me that they have it very well matched during the "composing" scene, but not when he's playing a fairly simple song later in the same episode. Maybe his coach wasn't standing on a box outside the window for him to look at that time?

**Posted by deerstalker** July 5, 2012 3:17 pm

That was a very interesting read, thank you.

**Posted by Arya** July 5, 2012 4:29 pm

hypergreenfrog wrote:
What I don't understand is why the movement of the bow doesn't fit the music AT ALL? I fully understand that BC is not a violinist, but when you watch him play We Wish You A Merry Christmas, it's just completely out of sync. Surely after going through all the trouble with the coach etc., they could have told him beforehand how the scene would be scored?

I think he said he played violin in the SiB DVD commentary...but you're right. It makes no sense that it's out of sync.

**Posted by The Doctor** July 23, 2012 5:20 am

.. and there is always Series 3 - I wonder how much Ben will have improved?

"People think that to play music is just amazing talent. Obviously it takes some talent to do it, but its not really. If you know and approach it in a sensible way with a little bit of common sense, you can soon learn how to play the fiddle; there's no genius in actually playing the violin. The real creativity is when you decide what you want to do with that technical skill...its the way you put it that matters." Nigel Kennedy

**Posted by Davina** July 23, 2012 7:25 am

Got to love a bit of Nigel.

**Posted by Irene Adler** July 23, 2012 8:21 am

I think it was Beethoven who said something like "Genius consists of a 2% talent and 98% of persevering application". I think this resumes perfectly what a good musician has to do

**Posted by saturnR** September 4, 2012 11:40 am

The reason his movements don't match the soundtrack is because the soundtrack was added later and he was playing without knowing what the soundtrack might sound like. They said on DVD that showpiece violins are silent - must be really weird playing on an instrument that doesn't actually make the sound that you expect to hear.

**Posted by ukaunz** July 4, 2016 11:28 am

imane nikko wrote:
I was googling about and found this amazing post by Benedict's violin coach. I'd wondered about the soundtrack, knowing it was unlikely that he'd just happened to know how to play the violin before being cast as Sherlock.

The post answers all my questions, and also gives a rather fascinating view of the set. I have even more respect for the production now, which I wouldn't have thought possible.

http://earthobservingsystem.tumblr.com/post/15188532235/sherlock-on-the-fiddle

This just made me feel all gushy and squeeful, what a lucky person! (and as ever, Benedict sounds like a gorgeous man )