THE ART AND PRACTICE OF SCALE PLAYING ON THE VIOLA been Ni WILLIAM PRIMROSE PRICE $2.00 MILLS MUSIC INC. 1619 Broadway, New York 19, NY.THE ART AND PRACTICE OF SCALE PLAYING ON THE VIOLA by WILLIAM PRIMROSEINTRODUCTION For too long the study and practice of scales las been a hic and miss affair; a means of filling in the student's time and frequently, I fear, the refuge of the bored teacher. The admonition to prepare this or that major or relative ‘minor scale for the next lesson, withouc reference ro the importance it bears to the fundamental technique of the instrument, is t00 often heard. Scales are essential to a complete knowledge of the fingerboacd, which is, in turn, the basis of finger technique. I have long maintained that technique is almost completely a matter of memory; remembering ‘where to put a given finger at 2 given place on the fingerboard at a given moment. When this is accomplished after the most careful study there are, I feel,few technical problems which can give the student pause. To this end are the following scales, with their attendant’ subsidiary studies, offered. Ic will ar once be noticed chat I do not conform to the common practice wherein a series of major scales is alternated with a series of relative minors. I am convinced that the system of modulation more thoroughly acquaints the student with — if I may put it so— the “map” of the fingerboard, It should be observed, for instance, that scale No. 19 is C major once more, but starting from the major third. There are a number of such instances. Scale No. 3 is, in effect, A flat major, again commencing on the major third, Thus, the student is not proscribed, as he is apt to be, when all scales are studied from the tonic alone. Ie is in view of this system of study herein recommended, that 1 am bold enough co assert that is gives a more comprehen- sive knowledge of the way around the instrument. To turn for a moment to che matcer of fingerings, I would be the last ro claim chat the ones given in this book are final and definitive. I do claim, however, chat they are better adapted ro the peculiar problems of Viola technique than many others. Nonetheless, I would strongly advise the studemt, once more, not to be bound by any one system and thac the more systems of fingering mastered the greater the ultimate command of the instrament. The fingerings phiven are based on the fact that the sHortest distance between any two notes occurs when the notes are no further apart than the distance of a half step; 2 semitone. I would admonish the student to cease thinking of distances being governed by the juxtaposition of individual fingers. "Tis sno so, acoring co my experience and can ony esl in he Payer becoming the Slave of the fingers and their serveral limitations. A too strong adherance to the conciousnes of the various “positions,” can have its drawbacks and inhibitory results. To this day, after many years of playing, I am quite unaware of being in any one “position”, and if the question were put to me in the course of a particular passage I would actually have to figure tthe whole matter out before being reasonably sure of returning a reasonably accurate answer! So, 10 revert 10 the question of the half step ot, more accurately, the question on shifting positions through the jump, or shift of a semi- tone, I do believe iris che best method for a Violist. ‘The problems of shifting which presenc themselves to the player of this instrument are manifestly more elusive of solution than those of a Violinist, and 1 am fully prepared ro believe that they increase and abound when ‘Cello playing is essayed. I will be observed that not all shifts occur on half- steps the reason being, that it is not everytime expedient. “Wherever possible, however, I advise such a shifting procedure. On the whole, apact from the fingering of the major scales, there will appear 0 be a lack of method, a drift away from accepted ‘principles, but [ maincain that what appears to be haphazard, soon resolves itself into a peculiar methodism which gives a greater sense of freedom, and a greater technical command of the instrament whereby the player becomes the master of his medium and less fre quently, if ever, bound by its limitations. Whether or not such a system commends itself to Violinists I would hesitate tb say. No such hesitation prohibits my stating char I am fully convinced that ie goes far co solving the special prob. lems posed by the more difficult Viola. All scales should be practiced slowly, at first with a. single bow-stroke co each note, Nevertheless, che student should, as early as possible, proceed co ties of three, six, and twelve notes, finally playing the whole upward ascent, and the succeeding descent in two bows. Naturally, if different rhythmic patterns are used (and I cannot too strongly urge that they should be) the ties would be adapted 0 suit. Once again I must appear to “tilt at the windmills” of accepted tradition in adjuring the student, unless he be a beginner, to vibrate freely on each note. I have never been ‘able ro understand why one should be counselled to practice in a manner completely opposed to the way one is expected finally co perform a work or a passage. After all, most works are largely made up of scales and arpeggios jin one form or another. The freely vibrating finger, roo, can never become muscle bound, as great a bugbear to the ‘executive musician as it is to the athlete. A considerable amount of tension must be exerted to overcome the average player's natural vibrato, and tension isthe one thing we seek to eliminate in all endeavors involving muscular dexter.'y If it is argued that a player's intonation may become inaccurate because of the use of vibrato T would answer that if ir docs so, there is small chance that he will obtain accuracy through tightening the muscles of the fingers and arm Ie would appear to me to be a perfect example of non-seguitur Copyright 1954 by Mills Music, Inc., 1619 Broadway, New York 19, NLY. International Copyright Secured Made in USA. All Rights Reserved3 To sum up, every possible form of what we understand to be beautiful playing should be applied to the prac tice of scales, and the student, while listening to himself with the greatest concentration, (no easy thing 10 be achieved)" should seek to vary the tone, the speed, the shythm, and as far as is within his inventive powers, invest this branch of study with musical richness, The use of the fourth finger on consecutive notes can readily degenerate into a most unpleasant caterwauling, and I place considerable emphasis on the elimination of this rather unseemly sound through sedulous practice of the exercises given, as a necessary preliminary t0 the attempt on each scale itself. The fourth finger mast be moved from nore to note with a species of left hud staccato, as it were, completely divorced from anything appertaining to a glissando, THE LINK FINGER The use of what I call the “link-finger” in early study of the scales, is an essential. For the student not t0 know where he is going, when shifting, (particularly in the descent) and to be devoid of a mechod of reaching his objective can only result in slipshod, inaccurate scale playing. 1 strongly deprecate a heavy slide between the notes, (i. between the notes making up the “link") and again adjure the greatest beauty of sound and idea. The “link-finget” practice can be epitomized thus: the finger /ast used in the position to be quiteed must be caken ro its equivalene note in the position being approached. I feel that the studies themselves wall make this rule clear. Futhermore, the "link-finger”, when practiced as a sounded note, should be played in the same bow as the previous note. At fist practiced slowly, ie will gradually be shortened and, eventually, be entirely eliminated as mastery is secured. The movement of the first finger berween consecutive notes (a8 in scale No, 1) must observe the same rules as above summarized for the fourth finger. NOTES ON THE ASCENDING SHIFT After the preliminary pfactice where the upward shift, along with the subsequent descent, is o be practiced two notes to each bow (see letter A) che bowings are so arranged thac at no time does a shift occur during a bow change. In these exercises the Rand must travel up and down in, as it were, a “solid block” and with the utmost swiftness and lightness of movement. The aim must be to eliminate all extraneous sounds between the notes. Re ferring again co the "solid block” movement of the left hand, this means thar ar no cime during the shift will i become contracted, or otherwise distorted, but will remain in the shape it has assumed immediately prior co leaving the lower position. Ie will be observed thar I advocate practice of the shifts in the descent before study of those in ascent, my belief being, thac they usually prove more diffcule to the student. The main source of difficulty T have discovered, is in che students Fear that, inthe descent, the instrument may fall away from his chin, ‘Thac this is very unlikely to happen serves as little comfort to the apprehensive player. But concentration on the practice of the descending shift does much to eliminate the fear, and induce a feeling of confidence. OBSERVATIONS ON THE PHENOMENON OF THE OCTAVE-SOUNDING OPEN STRING In the descent in certain scales — No. 6 is the first example met with — the A in the seventh position is marked with the finger indication ;. Here, no finger must couch the string, as we can make use of the phenomenon that when the open string is used rapidly between two stopped notes, (in this case, B and G shaep) the upper octave will automatically sound. Of course, in slow practice the open string will not display this idiosyncracy. Nevertheless, the Studene is admonished to observe che above fingering rule, and to ignore, in preliminary slow studies, the sound of the open A, resting confident that only a little acceleration will cause the phenomenon of the octave co occur. The advan: tage of all this is thae many shifts are chus eliminated, and a feeling of added facility induced. Nore thar the special studies incorporating this particular shift, are actually written with the open, or lower A.OBSERVATIONS ON THE USE OF OPEN STRINGS assume that any intelligent student will, and does pursue studies to develop the fourth finger so that the ancient fetish of avoiding all open strings by using, instead, the fourth finger, (in order, among other things, to strengthen it, —or so we were told!) may be relegated to that limbo to which it belongs. Especially on the Viola are the open strings among its glories, and ro eliminate this source of characteristic sonority is one of the crimes to be charged the old order of Violists who were responsible, so often, for the criticisms levelled ac the instrument, — its sombre lack-lusterness and so forth. I advocate a bountiful use of open strings in all playing. Bu be sure jour strings are well in tune! Ic will be scen that, as much as is possible, 1 advocate all ascents and descents on the "A" string. There is no ddoube in my mind chat in charging the Viola with a dull lack-uster quality, critics in the past had a deal of justifica. tion t0 support theie animadversions. Litele thoughe was given by players co the peculiar, wd unique beauties of the instrument, or how to take advantage of these. Fingerings were, for the most part, the counterpart of those used oon the violin, and no greater, or more thoughtless ertor could have been made. ‘The “A” string produces a beautiful sound, at once brilliant and tempered with mellowness. So, let us make full use of this, one of the Violds wnigue qual ities to which I have referred above. Fven if, again, a certain suspicion of disregard for the accepted tradition should be observed, I would have the student play on this string whenever the opportunity reasonably presents ise Nore that alternative fingerings ate printed deweash che notes. When referring to the special studies, none will be found for these alternatives, as I think the studenc could develop his own ingenuity in working out his own prelin- inaies based onthe examples given. The Figures atached othe preliminary studies refer co the Number of the sale under consideration, SPECIAL NOTE ON SHIFTING STUDIES In most cases I have placed the shifting note betweew the note in the previous position and the nore following it; in others it is the ultimate note of the preliminary study. This is not an arbitrary arrangement, but conforms to certain hand balances which 1 am convinced are tremendously important in the shifting motion of the left hand However, it would be worth while for che scudent, himself, to arrange a system of practice embracing both formulae NOTE ON THE LEGATO MARKINGS Je may be questioned why the legato indication is often shown overlapping the repeat sign. It is to emphasize to the student that he should continue repeating the study withour changing the bow during a shife. 1 cannoc coo strongly stress the importance of arranging the bow changes to occur other than at the point of the left hand move ment. This rule is only stsictly co be observed in these preliminary shifting studies. Elsewhere, in anothee publication, T shail poine out where a position change with a corincident bow change may, and can be used t0 the great advan, tage of the player and the passage he may be playing, =u ee Many of the shifts, recurring as they do in this modulatory system, are not duplicated in studies when they have already appeared previously. major scale One 1 place to end ‘There is no reason why the student should not proceed along the same lines beyond dhe A fla had to stop somewhere, and I fele that, for all practical purposes, this particular scale was as 00 these studies as any!The Art And Practice Of Scale Playing On The Viola WILLIAM PRIMROSE ° aaa a is said ee ise o o pot: seeti tes, Copyright 1954 by Mills Music, Inc 1619 Broadway New York 19,N.Y. International Copyright Secured Made in U.S.A All Rights Reserved18 $F The Art ete. 15 aiato 3 0 : PS rest + = Prwen) oe Beg"2: ES ge S| ‘The Art ete. 15Harmonic Minor Scales at apsdige aide bese. 3 34 a4, 2% 32a2 14 $9218 Q2resey 43 . a seahte 3asr238 aie 35 Tekh Pisses ‘get ‘ a oe a7 ees piers zerets| * WV oe y2sizs2 ot t zaoh 38 39 45 zi The Art ete.-15a4 Teta ga gases Shifting Studies For All Scales The Art ete.-1510 ‘The Art ete. “15The Art ete.-15The Art oto-15,‘The Art ete-154 ‘The Art ote-1525 “8 = ee = The Art oteA5The Art ete.-15Yaoi Le DRS Slee eg elke es The Art ete. 1518 In the Harmonic Minor studies only the ascents need be practiced, as the descents have already been worked in practicing the Melodic Minors. No exercises are required for scale No.35, as these shifts have been practiced elsewliexe The Art ete. 15The Art ete.-15,