Books › A dictionary of music and musicians, 1926 › scan 72
Scan 72
A dictionary of music and musicians, 1926
49 lines. Read by computer on 11 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 50. See the scan on archive.org.
1on both strings, and listening attentively for the resultant tone. It has to be remembered that any two notes played together, whether in or out of tune, will produce a resultant tone; the point is to produce the correct resultant and to hold it steady; this is the most severe test of absolutely true intonation. The following simple tests will show the point clearly:—
3EXAMPLES
5IN MAJOR THIRDS.
6Double stops.
7Resultant.
9IN MINOR THIRDS.
10Double stops.
11Resultant.
13IN PERFECT FOURTHS.
14Double stops.
15Resultant.
17IN PERFECT FIFTHS.
18Double stops.
19Resultant.
21IN MAJOR SIXTHS.
22Double stops.
23Resultant.
25IN MINOR SIXTHS.
26Double stops.
27Resultant.
29The shifting in double stop playing is extremely difficult, especially where a shift and a change of strings have to be made together. The stops must be firm and true, the shift made swiftly without smearing.
31The shake is undoubtedly the most beautiful of all the ornaments. A fine shake, brilliant, pearly, or limpid, as occasion may require, is a crowning glory to an artist. This command of the trill is not easily obtained, indeed it may be said to be most difficult, and requires long and patient study. Before Beethoven's time shakes were generally short, but in the first movement of his violin concerto long shakes and chains of shakes are given, producing a lovely effect; this example has been followed by Spohr, Mendelssohn, Bruch, Saint-Saëns, Brahms, and others.
33The shake must be practised with each finger, the beat should be firm but with not too much force. The finger should not be raised too high. The intonation should be true, a major shake or a minor shake as required. In chains of shakes it is a rule to attach a turn only to the last note, and any exception to this would be indicated by the composer.
35The double shake does not admit of the same rapidity as the simple shake; a moderate pace with clearness of utterance should be attained by careful practice. The beat of the two shake fingers must be exact.
37Accompanied trills are very difficult. The accompaniment must not interfere with the regular beat of the trill, or the effect is spoiled. Considerable independence in both hands is required to be fully successful; it is so easy to spoil with the bow what the left hand does well.
39Tremolo of the left hand is not exactly a trill, though it is of the same family. The Andante of the Concerto by Mendelssohn furnishes a beautiful example, and the Sixth Caprice by Paganini a difficult one requiring great regularity and rapidity of beat.
41The vibrato is one of the most important embellishments used by the player. It is a tremulous wavering of the tone obtained by a vibratory motion of the left hand, the finger rolling forward and backward on its tip, the centre of this roll an absolutely true note. The vibrato used slowly gives tender expression to long notes. Where a crescendo from p to f has to be made on a long note, it should begin with a slow wave and gradually quicken in movement, so increasing the intensity of the sound to the highest point; the reverse for a diminuendo. Used very rapidly, it intensifies passionate expression. The player should have at his command, the quick, the slow, and the gradational.
43Scales and arpeggi of common chords in four octaves.—The compass of the violin in modern times is from 8va. to 8va. ; it is therefore possible to play scales and arpeggi of G and G minor, A♭, A♭ minor, A, A minor, B♭, B♭ minor, B, B minor. The fingering given in the examples will suit all the scales and arpeggi mentioned. one of two readings
44Scales and arpeggi of common chords in four octaves.—The compass of the violin in modern times is from 8va. to 8va.; it is therefore possible to play scales and arpeggi of G and G minor, A♭, A♭ minor, A, A minor, B♭, B♭ minor, B, B minor. The fingering given in the examples will suit all the scales and arpeggi mentioned. one of two readings
46SCALE OF G IN FOUR OCTAVES.
48ARPEGGIO.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.