"After all, there are only two general principles in violin playing, the
long and short bow, _legato_ and _staccato_. Many a teacher finds it
very difficult to teach _staccato_ correctly, which may account for the
fact that many pupils find it hard to learn. The main reason is that, in
a sense, _staccato_ is opposed to the nature of the violin as a singing
instrument. To produce a true _staccato_ and not a 'scratchato' it is
absolutely necessary, while exerting the proper pressure and movement,
to keep the muscles loose. I have evolved a simple method for quickly
achieving the desired result in _staccato_. First I teach the attack in
the middle of the bow, without drawing the bow and as though pressing a
button: I have pupils press up with the thumb and down with the first
finger, with all muscles relaxed. This, when done correctly, produces a
sudden sharp attack.
"Then, I have the pupil place his bow in the middle, in position to draw
a down-stroke from the wrist, the bow-hair being pressed and held
against the string. A quick down-bow follows with an immediate release
of the string. Repeating the process, use the up-stroke. The finished
product is merely the combination of these two exercises--drawing and
attacking simultaneously. I have never failed to give a pupil a good
_staccato_ by this exercise, which comprises the principle of all
genuine _staccato_ playing.
"One of the most difficult of all bowings is the simple up-and-down
stroke used in the second Kreutzer _étude_, that is to say, the bowing
between the middle and point of the bow, _tête d'archet_, as the French
call it. This bowing is played badly on the violin more often than any
other. It demands constant rapid changing and, as most pupils play it,
the _legato_ quality is noticeably absent. Too much emphasis cannot be
laid on the truth that the 'singing stroke' should be employed for all
bowings, long or short. Often pupils who play quite well show a want of
true _legato_ quality in their tone, because there is no connection
between their bowing in rapid work.
"Individual bowings should always be practiced separately. I always
oblige my pupils to practice all bowings on the open strings, and in all
combinations of the open strings, because this allows them to
concentrate on the bowing itself, to the exclusion of all else; and they
advance far more quickly. Students should never be compelled to learn
new bowings while they have to think of their fingers at the same time:
we cannot serve two masters simultaneously! All in all, bowing is most
important in violin technic, for control of the bow means much toward
mastery of the violin.