Scan 26
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.
1line with the fore-arm, and then when the hand is allowed to fall down, he will find that in the latter position the hand is much freer. This fact, and a regard to vibration and quality of tone, seem to constitute the reasons for the injunction now under consideration. The ordinary rule applicable to the present circumstances is for the player to sink the wrist. It seems more correct, however, to say that this ought to be done only of necessity, and not of choice. Sinking the wrist must tend to interfere with the inclination of the bow towards the finger-board. The very best position for the wrist, when the arm is outstretched, is not that sunken one which so many violinists deliberately strive after, but one neither sunken nor elevated. The arched wrist here would cause loss of power. The student must watch the relation of the bow to the bridge, and see that they are parallel. To ensure this, it may be necessary to turn the hand round towards the left, so that it does not continue the straight line from the elbow. Of course freedom of vibration is the object in view in bowing at right angles to the strings.
3Now let the student try an up-bow, endeavouring to make the bow grip or cleave to the string, for the first part working from the elbow and using the forearm only. As soon as the forearm will no longer suffice alone the back arm must be brought into play, and the shoulder-joint used. If the wrist be not attended to, the point of the bow will tend to go behind the player. To counteract this, and keep the bow parallel with the bridge, the hand must be turned towards the right. As the bow arrives at the heel, care must be taken that the first finger does not catch the string. In the down-bow these motions are reversed. The learner must particularly note that as he stretches out his arm the tendency is to draw his hand behind him, and that he may imagine he is carrying it too far in front of him when he is really taking it in the proper direction.
5Of course in using less than the whole bow, where this style of bowing is required, the conditions will be the same as if the part of the stroke used formed part of a whole bow.
7It is said that the distance of the bow from the bridge must vary according to the positions, the degree of sound required, and the thickness of the strings, and according as the strings are stopped or open. Science certainly teaches us that the number of vibrations of a string is inversely as its length,
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