Books › Musical instruments, 1925 › scan 161
Scan 161
Musical instruments, 1925
12 lines. Read by computer on 21 September 2026. Printed page 147. See the scan on archive.org.
1THE SORDINE OR MUTE
3In order to deaden the tone in passages where a pianissimo is desired, a little three-pronged comb-shaped device, usually of metal, is applied to the bridge of a Violin, Viola, 'Cello, and, rarely, to the Double Bass. The effect is often most poetic, and may be regarded as an orchestral whisper.
5VIOLIN PASSAGES AND FIGURES
7As we proceed in our investigation of tone-producing media, we are impressed more and more with the fact that each instrument has its mode of expression, and a musical phrase that is characteristic of one, and easy to play, on being transferred to another often sounds out of place, and is clumsy or difficult to execute.
9When given melodic phrases, scale, arpeggio or other passages are especially adapted to the needs or possibilities of the Violin or Piano, they are called in German violinmässig and klaviermässig, a compact, comprehensive expression for which, unfortunately there is no English equivalent.
11Forces move in the line of least resistance, hence the most effective passages for any instrument, are those which are most readily rendered. In the case of the Violin, where the tones must be prepared by the fingers of the left hand, it is but natural that the composer desires to obtain the greatest number of
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