How do you go about learning to play a new piece of music that you have never played before ? For example, we are rehearsing Handel's "Water Music" and each week we are told the repertoire (what parts we will be rehearsing) for the upcoming week. So, for example we will be rehearsing N0. 12 "Alla Hornpipe" for which I am playing the violin 2 part and which I have never played before.

I find what seems to work best is to read over it first making note of rests, key, time signatures, etc. Then look for difficult passages, such as where I might have to jump to third position, etc and decide the best strategy for playing those parts as smoothly as possible.  I find it also helps to listen to recordings of the part, so I can get a clear sense of how it is supposed to sound, where I come in, what passages are played louder than others, etc.  When it comes down to actually picking up the instrument and playing it I find it best to work through it slowly at first and then pick up speed as I become more familiar with it.  I also find irt helps me to learn the pe9ice a little bit at a time rather than try and play through it from beginning to end non-stop.  So for example, I will start with the first few measures, work on that for a while, then continue on to the next few measures, gradually working my way deeper and deeper into the piece. I will admit, some pieces are very hard for me to play and it isn't easy for me to play them fast.  But so far with Handel I seem to be having some good luck, finding it much easier to play than other pieces. For example, I am having a much harder time trying to work my way into Beethoven's 7th.

In any event much of the strategy I am using I sort of came up with on my own over the past few weeks and it seems to work okay for the time being. Being I haven;t had any formal music instruction since I was a kid I am surprised I am managing as well as I am. At least for now.

Any other suggestions as to learning a new piece of music and playing it for the first time. How do you go about it ? What works for you ? Is there anything I am doing wrong ?  Any comments appreciated.