Scan 29
The violin : solo playing, soloists and solos, 1905
6 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 13. See the scan on archive.org.
1seriousness. There are others (and many of this description, it must be recorded) who, whilst under the guidance of their teacher, have studied seriously, and have been trained on solid technical principles, but who, when they have risen to be public performers, and to be practically their own teachers, have given up all idea of serious scale practice. With them it is the disuse of seriousness. Their playing must be either at a stand-still or gradually deteriorating. Seriousness implies that most important fact—self examination.
3A cause which has a strong tendency to upset systematic practice, and which almost infallibly prevents its formation and growth in young players, is an absurd ambition to play superficially. It is productive of much mischief. Do not train the fingers over much, as that can, and very probably would, develop into affectation. Cultivate a sincere and anxious desire to seek out all difficulties and to overcome them. It has often been objected that too much regard for this kind of thing is inconsistent with one's general playing. In my opinion there is very little ground for this objection. Be sensible and divide the different hours devoted to the violin, between the development of the left hand and right arm, and those pleasant relaxations which may be indulged by playing a few sonatas or pieces with musical friends. Unless one is very lazy, it is easy to make time for all.
5This calm system may not be sufficient for the unnecessary eagerness and hurry with which some of us wish to improve; but it is sufficient for everything which reasonable prudence requires, and it is perfectly consistent with usefulness, which we must acknowledge to be a good point. Compare the hours which serious students spend in the practice of scales, with the hours which the thoughtless spend in merely playing through pieces, and it is easy to perceive on which side of the comparison the advantage lies. In addition to the above, there exists another prejudice against slow and serious practice, arising from a notion very commonly entertained,
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