Aura Lee · From Zero to Mozart

Aura Lee is an American song from 1861 — you'll know the tune as Love Me Tender, which borrowed it word for word a century later. It's gentle, it's in C major, and it's the tune that finally gives your C-major first-position hand a real workout.

Why C major is its own challenge

C major has no sharps — but on the violin it uses the low 2nd finger on both the D and A strings (for F and for the top C), and it starts with the 3rd finger on the G string. There are no open strings on the way up as anchors. Your ear does more work here than in G or D.

Phrase 1 — "Love me tender, love me sweet…"

72 bpm

The opening line, all on the G and D strings. It rises to G, falls back to C, and comes to rest — a small perfect cadence, ^2 → ^1. Bow: smooth, connected, one long breath per two bars. Watch the low 2nd finger on F (touching the 1st).

Phrase 2 — "You have made my life complete…"

This phrase leans on the IV chord (F–A–C) — that warm, "amen" subdominant colour.

72 bpm

It climbs to the high C, then the last bar (F–A–G–F–E–D) sits on the IV chord's notes — F and A — before easing down. That subdominant warmth is the emotional heart of the tune. Cross to the A string for the top notes; keep the tone even across the string change.

The whole tune — playthrough

76 bpm

Aura Lee, complete: phrase 1, phrase 2, then phrase 1 again to close. (Fingering is in the phrases above.) Play it slow and singing — this is a love song. Let each phrase-end settle before the next begins.

The usual mistake

Playing the low 2nd finger (F, and the top C) too high — drifting toward F♯ and C♯ out of the D-major habit your hand has built. In C major those fingers pull back to touch the 1st finger. Check them against your ear: F should sound a half step above E, not a whole step.