_Professor of Anatomy, Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York_,
1877.
Thirty–one years ago, in a quaint old Congregational church in a New
England village, I first heard Mr. Ole Bull perform on the violin, and
witnessed
“The matchless skill, the potent art that brings
Voices of earth, or heaven, from those mute strings.”
I had never seen a violin save in the hands of a country dancing–master,
and it was like a new revelation when this high–bred gentleman stood up
“every inch a man,” and with “charmed touch” dignified his instrument.
During the past few weeks, both in public and private, I have had an
opportunity to enjoy again the magic of the weird musician’s art, and I
find that the boyish pleasure stands the test of manhood’s reflection.
But in my later experience I have not only drank in my fill of the
“dulcet creams” of music, but from the stand–point of an anatomist have
attempted to unravel the secret of Mr. Bull’s graceful pose and unique
method of holding the violin. Nor has my study been without results,
which I shall attempt to develop for the benefit of the ambitious
violinist who would adopt the methods of a master.
The pose of Mr. Bull when playing is a model of manly grace. He rests
his body centrally over the left leg as a firm column of support, while
the right foot is advanced and the right leg forms an oblique brace. The
pose is essentially the “rest” of the soldier, and combines the maximum
of ease and stability.
The figure is singularly erect, nor does the head incline like that of
the ordinary violinist—save only in certain inspired moments when for an
instant the ear drops towards the well loved instrument as if to catch
“The still sad music of humanity”
inaudible to other ears. Both the head and chin are absolutely free and
seem to feel no responsibility for the position of the violin. The bust,
which has been superbly developed by a lifetime of musical gymnastics,
measures on full inspiration forty–two inches, having an expansion of
three inches. The waist, at twenty–four years of age, measured
twenty–four inches; and although the years have increased, the waist
measure remains exactly the same. Mr. Bull’s height in his stocking–feet
is five feet eleven and a quarter inches. As he stands before an
audience waiting for his accompaniment, with his small waist, his superb
bust, his finely cut face, and the carriage of a prince, he is the
incarnation of the Magnus Apollo. But when his imperial bow grows liquid
and pours out silvery notes like the music of many waters, we seem to
see as in a dream that the wheel of Ixion stops, the stone of Sisyphus
stands still, Tantalus forgets his perpetual thirst, and even the Furies
relent. Then it is that we wake to find that Apollo, as in the ancient
myth, has yielded the lyre to Orpheus.
The excellence of Mr. Bull’s method in holding the violin depends mainly
on the admirable position of the left arm. The upper arm is carried
forward and inward, the elbow being brought well in front of the chest.
The fore–arm is then flexed, thus forming a brace to support the neck of
the instrument, while the same portion of the arm is in a position of
extreme supination; that is, the fore–arm is turned so that the palm is
upward. It will thus be observed that the palm of the hand is placed
higher than the clavicle or collar–bone, where the tail–piece of the
violin rests (Fig. 1). When the violin is placed in position, the
tail–piece rests against the root of the neck, just above the clavicle
or collar–bone, while the neck of the instrument reposes upon the palmar
surface of the thumb throughout the whole or part of its extent,
according to the exigencies of the fingering.
[Illustration: FIG. 1.]
It will thus be seen that from the palm to the root of the neck the
violin rests upon an inclined plane, gravitating towards the collar–bone
(see Fig. 1). The instrument then is not _held_, but _rests_ upon a
friendly hand and neck.
From the fact that its position is maintained by the force of gravity,
it follows that the chin need not grasp the base of the violin—since it
holds itself—and the head is left free and erect.
Thus the old–time violinist’s constrained head position is avoided.
The line of support along the palmar surface of the thumb is full of
anatomical interest.
The accompanying diagram (Fig. 2) may serve to illustrate this and some
other points. A black line will be seen extending along the whole length
of the palmar surface of the thumb, crossing the base of the annular
ligament to a point a little above the wrist. This is essentially the
line of support for the neck and upper curves of the violin. It may be
called a movable rest, swaying laterally, it is true, but only to a
limited extent. The thumb is placed on a different plane from the rest
of the fingers, and has motions essentially different from them.
The power of perfect opposition to all the fingers by the thumb
distinguishes man from the most intelligent of the lower animals.
[Illustration: _PALMAR SURFACE OF LEFT HAND. After Gray._