Scan 28
21882.a.10 – How to hold a violin and bow / C. H. Mitchell., 1882
10 lines. Read by computer on 24 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1sidered advantageous for the highest positions and the thinner strings; (3) that the bow shall recede from the bridge for the production of a soft flute tone. It is true that the four strings are of different thicknesses, that the thinner strings are more easily set in vibration than the others, that each time a note is stopped the length of the vibrating string is altered, the finger acting as another nut, and that all violins are not strung alike; nevertheless, as a method of practice in strict accordance with the scientific laws would be prejudicial, if not impossible, the above rules seem to indicate all the attention that can be paid to those laws.
3The student will observe that in violin-playing increased intensity of sound may be produced by increase of speed in the passage of the bow, by increase of pressure, by playing near the nut of the bow, or by a combination of the whole or any two of these methods. The ways of producing diminution of intensity are therefore obvious. These points, and the observations relating to the division of the bow, ought to be well considered.
5The elevations of the right elbow and the manner of changing strings, that is, bringing the bow to another string, are other matters deserving careful consideration.
7Strictly speaking, there is a different elevation for each string; the motion of the wrist, however, enables us to take two or even three neighbouring strings with one elevation. The elbow is near the side for the E string and well raised for the G string. The object ought not to be to keep the elbow as low as possible for the G string, though of course it must not be unnecessarily high. Some players seem to depress the elbow to the fullest extent when the heel of the bow is on the low strings, at the same time arching the wrist as much as possible, by which means they acquire quite a constrained appearance, to say nothing of the effect of the position upon the motions. It is evident, that while the bow is upon the same string, the elevation ought to be maintained. A good rule for ascertaining the elevation of the elbow for the G string when the bow is at the nut, is to place the point of the bow on the E string, raise the elbow sufficiently for reaching the G string, and then to make the up-stroke without altering the elevation of the elbow.
9A change of string is effected by a rise or fall of the hand working from the wrist; the former for passing to a lower string, the latter for passing to a higher one. The student ought to ob-
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