[18] See footnote, p. 25.
No. 27.
[Music]
This étude should not be played too rapidly, a light stroke in the
upper third or upper half of the bow being somewhat easily secured.
The first note of the groups of three notes must be played without
pressure upon the bow. It is a light staccato. The bow lies well over
two strings. Take the second position at once. Do not try to make the
bow-strokes uniform in length. Freedom is at first secured at or near
the point of the bow, the wrist being very supple. Do not release the
fourth finger entirely from the bow-stick. Varied bowings are not
desirable, as the wide range of violin literature demands a knowledge
of the specific content of études. The bowings required in the Fiorillo
études ought to be familiar to students long before they reach this
point in their study.
Before the change into a new key, play a crescendo of two measures. Do
not rest at the base of the first finger unless necessary. Avoid the
vibrato. Relax the thumb. Hold firmly with the chin. Rapid changes to
new positions require a simultaneous movement of the first and fourth
fingers. Relax the wrist. The thumb is usually in advance of the first
finger and remains thus. Play the last line at the point of the bow
very lightly. If it is necessary to move the thumb from under the neck
of the violin, do so; in extreme cases it may rest against the body of
the violin, but this is not usually necessary. In high positions, the
hand is raised and the fingers fall vertically. Raise the arm high in
the upper positions; arch the fingers well over the four strings, with
a slight turning inward, if three or four strings are required. Be
careful of false intonation in the last two lines. Press lightly upon
the bow-stick when playing in the very high positions:
[Music]
No. 28.
[Music: With the middle.]
There are no new principles of bowing to be presented in this étude. A
running light legato at or near the point of the bow is desirable. Keep
the bow well over two strings. If by this time the legato is not free,
analyze each measure and introduce chords. Also practice in the middle
of the bow.
This practice gives the bow poise upon the strings, and enables the
student to understand the fundamental basis of string-transfers.
Another excellent plan is to play each group several times in twos,
fours, and eights. Other excellent methods are to play the entire
measure in one bow, or two measures in one bow. Occasionally play a
little below the middle of the bow, raising the bow slightly for each
stroke.
This is a free stroke with the principle of the flying staccato. An
excellent bowing is this:
[Music]
These bowings, however, can only be used in portions of this exercise.
At any point in the study of Fiorillo, if the student has not developed
freedom of bowing, return to the Sitt double-stops. Also use the third,
fourth, and fifth Sevcik books (_4,000 Bowings_), the Schradieck
_Arpeggios_[19] with varied bowings, and my _Three Octave Scales_.[20]
I very frequently use the Tartini _Art of Bowing_[21] in connection
with Fiorillo, as a further illustration of bowing. A review of the
Kreutzer (first twelve) Études[22] is very useful. The student must
understand that the more solid the technic of the bow and left hand is
fixed in America, the more rapid advancement will be in foreign music
centres. It is not wise to neglect details or principles. Naturally,
from our conditions of life, we cannot always obtain the same high
standards in America as in Prague, Berlin, and Paris.