Books › Modern Violin-playing, 1920 › scan 38
Scan 38
Modern Violin-playing, 1920
12 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1fingers descend like little hammers" is mere thoughtless nonsense. The people who formulated that maxim left the anvils out of account. They also ignored the physical results of contact between hammers and anvils.
3But, one may ask, why in the name of common-sense should the fingers descend like little hammers? Why should they violently assault the strings in this way? Their function is to hold the strings down to the finger-board, not to give a xylophone performance. That method of attack leads to an excessive over-thickening of the skin on the finger-tips—an over-thickening that Nature herself sets up to protect the violinist against his constant bugbear, exposure of the nerve. Indeed, if one had to describe the proper approach of finger-tip to fiddle-string, it would not be as one of "hammering," but rather as one of "sensitiveness," even of "inquisitiveness."
5Furthermore, the old practice of keeping all the fingers on the strings until it was absolutely necessary to raise them, is diametrically opposed to correct principles. The practice is merely an awkward attempt to counterbalance the insecurity that comes from faulty technical methods.
7The general rule is that every finger must be raised as soon as the next note has been located. And the simple reason for this rule is the fact that, with all four fingers down, there would be four different knuckle-heights.
9The only exception to this rule is to be found in the details of passage-work, such as trills, where there is an immediate return (1) from a higher note on the same or on a higher string; (2) from a lower note on a lower string, back to the preceding note.
11The last point to be dealt with in connection with the question of finger-curvature and knuckle-height, is the method of crossing the strings. This is ordinarily effected by reaching out with the fingers. And the result of this is, of course, that their curves are altered. The correct way is to swing the left-arm more or less under the instrument. If this is done, the integrity of the left-hand action is preserved; and we have another strong argument against the habit of gripping the violin tightly with the jaw.
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