Giuseppe Tartini - Lettere e documenti / Pisma in dokumenti / Letters and Documents - Volume / Knjiga / Volume II

427 LETTERS & # # c R‘ œ Æ rK œ Æ rK œ Æ ÆrK œ R‘ œ Æ ÆR‘ œ R‘ œ Æ ÆR‘ œ &c. The second precaution is that you first play with the point of the bow; and when you have mastered that, then start not using the point but the part of the bow between the point and the middle; and when you likewise master this part of the bow, then practice in the same manner with the middle of the bow; and above all, you must remember in these studies to begin these passages sometimes with a downbow, and sometimes with an upbow, carefully avoiding always starting with the downbow. In order to acquire this lightness of bowing, it will be of great use if you accustom yourself to skip over a middle string and study semiquaver passages made in this way: & # c &c. Of these you may play as many as you fancy and please, and in every key, which will be both useful and necessary. With regard to the hand on the finger-board, I have one thing strongly to recommend to you, which will suffice for all, and it is this. For every violin part, whether first or second, of a concerto, Mass or psalm, everything is needed. Place your hand not in its place but at the half-shift, and play the whole piece without moving the hand from this situation, unless you need to play A on the fourth string or D on the first, but in that case, you should afterwards return again to the half-shift, never down to the natural position. This practice should be continued until you are completely sure you can play at first sight any violin part not intended as a solo. After this, advance the hand on the finger-board to the whole shift, with the first finger on Alamirè on the first string, and carry out exactly the same exercise in this position as you did in the first. When you are certain of this, advance to the double shift, with the first finger on Bmi on the first string, and practice in the same way; and when sure of that likewise, pass to the fourth position of the hand, playing Csolfaut with the first finger upon the first string; and indeed this is a shifting scale which, when you have mastered it, you may be said to have mastered the fingerboard. This study is necessary, and I recommend it. I now pass to the third [study], which is the shake, and I want you to do it slow, moderately fast and quick; that is, beaten slowly, at a medium pace and fast; and in practice there is a great need for these different shakes, for it is not true that the same shake used in a slow movement must be the same shake as that used in a quick one. To combine two studies at once with a single effort, begin with an open string, either the second or the first, with a sustained bow like a messa di voce , and begin the trill very slowly, then changing it by imperceptible degrees until it becomes fast, in the following manner: