"Would I care to discuss any special feature of violin technic? I might
say something anent double harmonics--a subject too often taught in a
mechanical way, and one I have always taken special pains to make
absolutely plain to my own pupils--for every violinist should be able to
play double harmonics out of a clear understanding of how to form them.
"There are only two kinds of harmonics: natural and artificial. Natural
harmonics may be formed on the major triad of each open string, using
the open string as the tonic. As, for example, on the G string [and Mr.
Sametini set down the following illustration]:
[Illustration: Musical Notation]
Then there are four kinds of artificial harmonics, only three of which
are used: harmonics on the major third (1); harmonics on the perfect
fourth (2); harmonics on the perfect fifth (3); and harmonics--never
used--on the octave:
[Illustration: Musical Notation]
Where does the harmonic sound in each case? Two octaves and a third
higher (1); two octaves higher (2); one octave and a fifth higher (3)
respectively, than the pressed-down note. If the harmonic on the octave
(4) were played, it would sound just an octave higher than the
pressed-down note.
"Now say we wished to combine different double harmonics. The whole
principle is made clear if we take, let us say, the first double-stop in
the scale of C major in thirds as an example:
[Illustration: Musical Notation]
"Beginning with the lower of these two notes, the C, we find that it
cannot not be taken as a natural harmonic
[Illustration: Musical Notation]
because natural harmonics on the open strings run as follows: G, B, D on
the G string; D, F♯, A on the D string; A, C♯, E on the A string; and
E, G♯, B on the E string. There are three ways of taking the C before
mentioned as an artificial harmonic. The E may be taken in the following
manner:
Nat. harmonic Artificial harmonic
[Illustration: Musical Notation] [Illustration: Musical Notation]
Now we have to combine the C and E as well as we are able. Rejecting
the following combinations as _impossible_--any violinist will see why--
[Illustration: Musical Notation]
we have a choice of the two _possible_ combinations remaining, with the
fingering indicated:
[Illustration: Musical Notation]
"With regard to the _actual execution_ of these harmonics, I advise all
students to try and play them with every bit as much expressive feeling
as ordinary notes. My experience has been that pupils do not pay nearly
enough attention to the intonation of harmonics. In other words, they
try to produce the harmonics _immediately_, instead of first making sure
that both fingers are on the right spot before they loosen one finger on
the string. For instance in the following: [Illustration: Musical
Notation] first play [Illustration: Musical Notation] and then
[Illustration: Musical Notation] then loosen the fourth finger, and play
[Illustration: Musical Notation]
"The same principle holds good when playing double harmonics. Nine
tenths of the 'squeaking' heard when harmonics are played is due to the
fact that the finger-placing is not properly prepared, and that the
fingers are not on the right spot.
"Never, when playing a harmonic with an up-bow [Symbol: up-bow], at the
point, smash down the bow on the string; but have it already _on_ the
string _before_ playing the harmonic. The process is reversed when
playing a down-bow [Symbol: down-bow] harmonic. When beginning a
harmonic at the frog, have the harmonic ready, then let the bow _drop_
gently on the string.
"Triple and quadruple harmonics may be combined in exactly the same way.
Students should never get the idea that you press down the string as you
press a button and--presto--the magic harmonics appear! They are a
simple and natural result of the proper application of scientific
principles; and the sooner the student learns to form and combine
harmonics himself instead of learning them by rote, the better will he
play them. Too often a student can give the fingering of certain double
harmonics and cannot use it. Of course, harmonics are only a detail of
the complete mastery of the violin; but mastery of all details leads to
mastery of the whole.