Books › Modern violin-playing, 1920 › scan 22
Scan 22
Modern violin-playing, 1920
12 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 12. See the scan on archive.org.
1mediately confuses the mind as to the striking distance between finger and string. And the result is that, as soon as the passage-work becomes at all complex, the player is hampered in what should be the free application of the vibrato.
3It may be answered that the arc over which the knuckles are swung is so short that there can be no appreciable difference between the two methods. But, observe! The strings are not stopped with the knuckles, but with the finger-tips. And these are some two or three inches from the knuckles, and at right-angles to the plane of the hand.
5Fig. 4 shows us exactly what happens. There are two solid black fingers, of which one lies on the string and the other is free. Both are in the backward position. Then there are the two corresponding dotted fingers, one on the string and the other free, both in the forward position. Note the small movement of the knuckle and the complete change of position of the dotted free-finger in relation to the dotted string-finger and the solid free-finger. And then remember that, for the greater part of the time, there are three free-fingers, each one of which will momentarily be assuming a different position relative to the string-finger. If this should appear puzzling at first sight, consider that the tip of the string-finger is held in practically the same place, both vertically and longitudinally; that there is constant change of relative position as between it and the body of the hand; but none as between the free-fingers and the knuckles.
7Now, the distance from elbow to knuckle is four times the distance from wrist to knuckle. It is therefore obvious that, by swinging the hand from the elbow, this vertical movement of the knuckles and the free-fingers is reduced by one-fourth. In fact, it becomes a negligible quantity.
9Thus we see that the elbow-swing gives us a more precise and better controlled finger-action, as well as the power to start and to stop the vibrato without fear of upsetting the other fingers. This point alone should be enough to decide our choice as between it and the wrist-swing. But there are still other arguments in its favour.
11If the vibrating hand is swung from the wrist, there is no possible way of ensuring that it will swing to-and-fro twice in succession over an arc of precisely the same length. There is nothing but the will of the player to decide just how far forward or backward it shall move. The result is that the pitch of the note is often raised above truth, and the wave of vibration is of uneven length. This gives a jerky sound, which is liable to get worse as the playing continues. For the forearm-
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