Books › Grove's Dictionary of music and musicians, 1910 › scan 72
Scan 72
Grove's Dictionary of music and musicians, 1910
49 lines. Read by computer on 24 September 2026. Printed page 52. See the scan on archive.org.
1The positions, as shown in the following table, contain of course in each case either a normal position of the hand or an extended position, as referred to above.
3Normal. Extended. Normal. Extended.
4Half Position. First Position.
6THE SEVEN POSITIONS WITH THE HALF-POSITIONS.
8Position 1/2 I II III 1/2 IIII 1/2 IV V VI VI 1/2 VII
10This generally-recognised table of the positions is based on the principle that each step of the C major scale on the first string, beginning with A, is a full position, and each accidental a half position. Davidov and Schroeder place the positions in accordance with the major scale of each string, the principle being uniformity of all positions on all four strings, the positions of the C major scale on the lowest string forming the basis.
12Position 1/2 I II III 1/2 IIII 1/2 IV IV 1/2 V V 1/2 VI VI 1/2 VII
14The fingering of the scale of C is as follows:—
16G string. D string. A string. C string.
18Paris School, 1804—
192 4 0 1
20Duport—
212 4 0 1
22Romberg—
232 4 0 1
24Dotzauer—
252 4 0 1
26Grützmacher—
272 4 0 1
28Davidov—
292 4 0 1
301 3 4 1
31Schroeder—
322 4 0 1
33Lee—
342 4 0 1
35Rabaud—
362 4 0 1
37Abbiate—
382 4 0 1
39Massau—
402 4 0 1
42A comparison of the above shows that for the more complicated scales in modern times the system of three fingers used in succession prevails. The sliding from the half into the first position by the first finger may still occur in certain scale-passages. Also the leaving-out of the fourth finger at times, and using instead of it the stronger first and third fingers more often.
44The higher positions are taken with the thumb.
46Higher up, in some scales (G, D, A, F, B♭) from the fourth position upwards, the first and second fingers are used alternately, each scale of three or four octaves closing with 1 2 3. This system applies to all scales starting from the first position. Scales starting from another position have their fingering based on the three-finger system.
48It took a very long time—nearly a century—before the fingering became fixed in a correct and methodical way, and the improvement was started by the French (Tillière, Cupis, Müntzberger). The best methods were: J. L. Duport's Essay on Fingering, an excellent work of lasting value; and the Méthode de Violoncelle, by Baillot, Levasseur, Catel, and Baudiot (Paris, 1804), the first method in use in the Paris Conservatoire. With the development of technique in the 19th century by well-known masters the fingering was more and more definitely fixed. Absolute uniformity is even now lacking, as may be seen from a comparison of the different methods in one scale, as shown below. The reason for this lies in the fact that the instruments as well as the hand and fingers of the players will always vary, not to speak of other causes mentioned above.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.