azo1s ‘Traditions of Baroque Vili Paying - Traction TRADITIONS of Berogue Violin Playing Home Introduce’ Essays Resourees. Links Info & Contact SAMABHHHARGISASHAsHsaaTs Holding the Baroque Violin Part I One of the most central (and at the same time controversial) issues pervading our attempts to reconstruct the proper way to play the baroque violin is quite simply this: “how are we supposed to hold the baroque violin? ” Briefly stated, there are two relatively sharply divided schools of thought - the one, “chin off", following iconographic evidence and the clear statements of writers like Geminiani (1953): “The violin must be rested just below the Cillar-bone”, and the other, “chin on”, following the gospel according to Prinner (1677), and later Leopold Mozart (1756) , both of whom say (put briefly), hold the violin firmly with your chin, or you can’t play properly. As we shall soon see, there is clear historical evidence for both positions, and I think a very good starting point in our enquiry here is to come from the evidence, and absolutely o avoid any dogma. In fact, one of my main aims in this (and all my other Esse), is precisely co defuse any sense of absolute doctrine - we are in zo position today to build any such edifice on the flimsy evidence which has come down to us. Let us proceed with humility and an open mind, Before looking in detail ar the evidence and its implications, perhaps a few words about quite why i's so important, aside from historical fidelity. If you rest your collar-bone, chest, whatever, rather than holding it firmly between shoulder and chin, then, quit apart from the ensuing physical freedom (if you can avoid the tension resulting from fear of dropping the instrument!) che entire sound world automatically changes - the default bow stroke is now soft olin somehow, somewhere on your edged and articulate and a continuous wide vibrato becomes more or less impossible.* Suddenly two of the distinguishing features of baroque performance practice become almost a prieri - namely a“shaped” sound, and the use of vibrato as an ornament rather then part of tone production, ‘Tn many ways, then, the chin-off position isan excellent firs step in the attempt to discover a new (or do T mean “old”) sound-world/aesthetic. But of course, ies not chat simple, because these advantages have concomitant disadvantages; - not only docs shifting become a major issue, but the violin has a tendency to wobble, making string crossing somewhat precarious, and the necessity of supporting the violin with che lefe hand jeopardises intonation.* So the HIP (Historically Informed Performance) world has polarised; - the chin-off folk claiming that chin-on violinists are compromising authenticity for convenience and that they don’t make a proper baroque sound, while the chin-on supporters in turn claim that if you don’t support your violin with your chin, you can’t shift properly, you play out of tune, and you make a thin sound. Moreover, if you do decide to play chin-on but “historically”, that is, without shoulder rest and chin rest, you hhave to deal (depending on your physique) with how to get your chin close enough to the violin to supporc i. In face, our opening question as posed - “How are swe supposed t0 bold the baroque vielin?™ - is 100 simplistic. We are looking at over one and a half centuries - if we define the baroque period as extending from 1600 to around 1761 (the date of our “lase” source, that of L’Abbé le fils). During this time the violin, ies music and its technique developed beyond recognition. And are we talking about the violin in France, Ttaly, Germany or England? In church, court or tavern? It is clear that any nips. baroque-vilininfovnolt amt2az01s “radtons of Barcque Vien Paying Traction evidence we find and any answers we propose need to be carefully considered with respect to time, place and context, And further, the purpose and “reliability” of che source must be verified - are we dealing with, for example, a treatise writen for professionals or amateurs, by an eminent violinist, or something cobbled together by a publisher. For those who have read enough and want ro get on with the business of playing the violin, a practical answer to the question as posed might be: “in its early days, the violin was held low on the chest (or even resting on the belly), and during the period, as music became more technically demanding and shifting beeame ever more prevalent, so the violin crept ever higher, and the chin stareed to be used to support the instrument.” So if you're going to play Cima or Castello, you can (some would claim should) play chin-off. Bur if you're going to play Locatelli, then (pace Geminiani) perhaps you'd beter put your chin on! ‘Bur if the issue were this simple, there would probably be no controversy, just the awkward de about whether (being 21st century performers who play 10 years or more music) we should learn various different ways of playing, or whether we should decide on one technique, and compromise. “The thing is, thar there IS evidence that even in che middle of the 18ch-ceneury, chin-off performance was, if not prevalent, atleast used by some, And itis also clear that chere was no “accepted” norm, and that many different techniques existed side by side both in time and place So, what isthe evidence? Lee's start with the place, date and shore relevant phrase [for the quote in context, and discussion of each source, see Part 1), cen material .. P've listed here the treatise author, Jambe de Fer (Lyons, 1556) “.nitirsupported by the arm™ Practorius (Wolfenbiitel, 1614/20) “Suits held om the armm™ Prinner (Salzburg, 1677) “the violin must be eld firmly withthe chin” Falck (Niirnberg, 1688) “Place the violin Below the left breast, the instrament should Iean a litte downward towards the right.” Merck (Augsburg, 1603) “Ome should bold che violin nicely straight under the left breast, leaving the arm free, not resting against tbe bodylbely” ‘Speer (Ulm, 1697) “TBe remainder, bow ome bolds the violin correctly im the band, rest it om the breast, Leads the bos. that a trusted teacher mrt show his student ™ Playford (London, 1667)". the lower part of the violin must be rested om the left breast a litle below the shoulder” ‘Mattes, according to Roger North 1670's “s. rested bis instrument againse bis short ribbs”™ Lenton (London,16o3) “. ar J would have nome get the habit of holding an Instrament under the Chin, 0 Tvwould bave them avoid placing it as low as the Girdle” ‘Monteclair (Paris, ryi/t2) “To bold the violin screly, the til-piece is placed against the neck just under the lft check.” Coreste (Paris, 1738) “be must place bis chin om tbe violin” Crome (London, 17.40) “Tet the back part rest on your left Breast. The best way is t0 tay it with your Chin” Francesco Geminiani (London, 1751) “TBe violin must be rested jst Below the Coller-bone, turning the right-hand Side ofthe Violin a litle dovontward:” Leopold Mozart (Augsburg, 1736) “The violin is placed agninst the neck so that it lies somecabat in front of the shoulder and the side on cwhich the e-string lies comes under the chin, whereby the violin remains unmoved in its place cven during the strongest movements of the ascending and descending hand.” Herrando (Paris 1756) “The tailpiece must come under the chin, being beld by it there, turning the bead tightly to the right.” L*Abbé le fils (Pati, 761) “The violin should be placed om the collar-bone in sucha way that the chin rests om the side ofthe fourth string” A brief perusal of the above reveals that, Prinner and Geminiani apart the progression of che violin from lower (chin-off) to higher (chin-on) is clear. Prinner is exceptional in advocating so early that the chin should be used, whereas Geminiani is exceptional for the exact opposite nips. baroque-vilininfovnolt amtaroaro ‘Traditions of Baroque Vili Paying - Traction ‘The Grand Turk giving a concert ‘The Modern Musick-Master, 1730 Franceso Maria Veracini (1744 Sonate Accademiche) ‘Michel Corretse L’Eeole d’Orphée, 1738 Leopold Mozart 1756 So, there we are, the evidence isin, but ics not clear that we have access o a bercer answer than that already given above, Ocher than che obvious (and already mentioned) observation, that chin-off position is clearly more appropriate for earlier (roughly r7th-century) music, itis difficule to be prescriptive about what today’s player should do. What does seem certain is that there was no “established” method. st came to hishher own solution, most likely depending on the repertoire being played and individual physique. Biber, for example, one of the most renowned virtuosi of che day, wrote music that, in spite of its virtuosity and high position-work, is eminently playable without support of the chin, as he always gives ample opporwunity (an open string, for th viol ‘example) to get back down! For later music, when shifting becomes more prevalent and the issue becomes more pressing, itis difficu: to be more to the point than Leopold Mozart. He notes that the chin-off position (picwured here): nips. baroque-vilininfovnolt amt asaro ‘Traditions of Baroque Vili Paying - Traction bas a rather plearant and relaxed appearance. Here the violin is quite unconstrained; beld chest ‘igh, slanting, and in such a fashion that the strokes of the boww are directed more upwards than horizontal. This pasiton is undoubtedly natural and pleasant to the eyes of the onlooker, but somewhat difficult and inconvenient for the player as, during quick movements ofthe hand in the high position, the violin ‘bas mo support and must therefore necessarily fall unless by long practice the advantage of being able to old it between the thumb and the index.finger bas Been acquired” Hence, his recommendation to hold the violin “under the chin”. Moreover, independent of the shifting issue is that of a stable lef-hand position - holding the violin beeween thumb and fingers without che support of che chin necessitates particularly flexible and ever-changing left hand position, which once again is not easily mastered without “long practice”, Should we decide rather to take Prinner’s and Leopold Mozar’s advice and use the chin-on position, there is one very imporcant consideration, which is quite simply not mentioned in any of the 7th or 18th century sources; - namely, how to get the chin elose enough to the violin to support it, without che use of some kind of shoulder pad (first mentioned by Baillot in 1834), a chin-rest (avented around 1820 by Spohr), or even more extreme, a shoulder rest (a mid 20th century invention). The ovo obvious solutions - to raise the shoulder, or urn and tit the head (or a mixture of the two) - can result ina cramped poscure which can in turn have drastic physical consequences in the long term. In this case, pure common-sense and awareness of our own build and ability is essential. Inthe end, then, we are each let to our own preferences. Being capable of both positions, and using whichever seems the more appropriate for the repertoire being played might be che most satisfying solution. But that would mean learning ewo radically different vechniques, for both left and sight hand. If we opt for employing only one position, then we need to balance on the one hand the “long practice” needed to master the art of holding the violin “between thumb and forefinger”, with the challenge, on the other, of finding a physically flexible and viable way of supporting the violin wich thechin, Footnotes: 1 OF couse, you cen play wih Jong song legato Bow suok, end you ca vibrate conway, ba i reques exe wok, and does not scem oars naurlly fom sch posidon. The ype ofbow-scoke i alo que clearly also a property ofthe shape ofthe barogee tw ef be mare of that in another Hay, EN HE 2.Once agsn of ours, es completely prs to overcome thts dadvantages they ar or airy jot ha, diavanages, no ‘nposiiles. My polis merely har he absence of apport makes thes sues more ical that heise, =H 4: Tc ould well be ha Biber one af the “epee virwos” to whom Penge refer when he alts about sme people resing thir violin hic ches, More of his in Parc. Link to Holding the Barogue Violin - Part IT Home Introduction Essays. Resources. Links Info & Contact 1 Richard Gi All Righs Reserved nips baroque-vilnnfovnolt amt