Books › Modern violin-playing, 1920 › scan 17
Scan 17
Modern violin-playing, 1920
18 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 7. See the scan on archive.org.
1CHAPTER II
3THE LEFT-HAND: THEORY
5There are two ways of playing the violin—a right way, that conforms to mechanical laws; and a wrong way, that does not. These laws, of course, govern all our bodily actions. And we may be quite sure that, if we can not easily perform or repeat some simple action, we are either defying the laws or ignoring them. We are, in fact, trying to do the thing in the wrong way.
7Now, the actions which are used in violin-playing are all very simple. But they are not what are called "hereditary movements." They are new to us, and they can not be learned without mental analysis of their nature. In addition, the violinist has to combine and recombine many such movements with great rapidity, clearness, and directness of purpose. Therein lies his chief difficulty.
9It must be confessed, then, that violin-playing is a complicated feat; so complicated, indeed, that it is useless to waste years of blind experimental work in the hope of solving its problems. Unless we first thoroughly understand its nature and the conditions of its success, we are merely "beating the air."
11It follows that the first thing to do in this chapter is to lay down general principles. And this treatment of the subject is the more necessary because no two pairs of hands have exactly the same measurements; nor can they be fitted into the same positions. Violin-success by that road is a forlorn hope. When once the general principles are grasped, the hand, in complying with them, will find its own positions. These physical adaptations will be dealt with in the next chapter. Meanwhile, we shall devote this one to a consideration of the right way to play the violin, and to an explanation of the reasons why this way is right and all others wrong.
13There are three essentials in violin-playing, so far as the left-hand in the first position is concerned:
151. A telling vibrato, which will not hamper the finger-action.
162. Comfort, ease, and security.
173. Independence, accuracy, and speed of finger-action.
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