Scan 23
21882.a.10 – How to hold a violin and bow / C. H. Mitchell., 1882
8 lines. Read by computer on 24 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1Baillot and Kreutzer say the thumb ought to be opposite the middle finger, whilst David, according to the German section of that copy of the first part of his work which the writer has had the opportunity of consulting, places it between the middle and ring fingers.
3It is essential that the positions of the thumb and fingers, once taken, should be maintained, therefore these positions ought to be adapted for all the work and positions of the bow. The learner can convince himself by experiment that power is lost by placing the thumb opposite to, or in front of the forefinger, whilst power is gained as the thumb moves in the opposite direction. The question is: where lies the line of demarcation? It is suggested that Spohr's method will meet all the requirements of the case. If, however, the player feel no inconvenience with the thumb between the middle and ring fingers, let him adopt that method. He will be supported by great authority either way.
5The thumb ought to be bent without constraint. If it be straight, power is lost. The thumb is an important member, not only to the violinist, but to mankind in general. When we have no thought of it, it is never stiff, always slightly bent. The violinist should pay particular attention to it. The left thumb indeed, is a most sensitive member in violin-playing, and all bowing could be ruined by punishing the thumb of the right hand through the manner of placing it.
7We have now to consider the fingers. Taking them generally, there must be no undue projection, no unseemly angularity; on the contrary, a graceful rounding off of the joints must be aimed at. The fingers must not be squeezed close together, neither must there be any striking distance between them. The student may be tempted to place the forefinger at too great a distance from the middle finger with a view to gaining power. This error must be avoided. The beginner must not be tempted to adopt any method of placing the four fingers at variance with the preceding directions under the mistaken idea that he thereby obtains a better and more secure hold. Any fancied weakness caused at first by the approved positions, will disappear with practice, and the student will be left with a method adapted to all the requirements of violin-playing.
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